Living room improvement for the senor and people living with disabilities is crucial. The improvement is done to increase safety and comfort for the individuals. If not modified, the living room can be hazardous to the elderly and handicap. Items such as rugs and mats would create a great problem with the movement of the wheelchair. Limited space in the living room can also hinder the movement of the wheelchair and the usage of walking canes. There needs to be enough space to reduce any risks to fall or to hit on an object.
Fortunately, here at Senior Care Singapore we provide living room improvement services. We aim at making sure all risks are minimal, there is enough space, and security cameras are kept in place.
Ways of improving the living room for seniors and people living with disabilities
Create more Space
Space is needed for easy navigation and to access anything in the room. This is done by removing extra furniture and rugs. It will help to clear the way for easy movement of the wheelchair and minimize tripping risks for those using walking canes. Mats and rugs can cause falling accidents because they are not permanent items. Falling is dangerous because it has caused many deaths of the seniors and caused more injuries to the disabled. Therefore, it is very crucial to ensure that there is not clutter on the floor and there is enough space for navigation within the living room. They can free go to the bathroom and back to the living room freely. It increases their independence and become free to access anything in the house with minimal help.
If the living room is already small, you will need to add additional space from the adjacent rooms. This will need an expert to carry out this task because it will involve the dismantling of a wall to enlarge the living room space. You need to work with an expert to do the work well and to make sure that the house remains intact. This may be costly but it is worth ensuring that the seniors and the disabled have enough space to move around the house. It will minimize falling risks and injuries. Alternatively, if there is a bedroom in the house that is larger than the living room, can be converted into a living room. This is an affordable option for a tight budget.
Another budget-friendly option for improving the living room is rearranging the items. Rearranging can create more space instead of removing the items that are of sentimental value. The clutter can also be freed up by moving some items to a bedroom that is not being used. If the living room as enough space, the seniors and the disabled will appreciate it and feel safe in the house.
Mobility issues with the wheelchair, crutches, and canes need to be highly considered when improving the living room. Taking time to establish a living room with enough space is a great investment. Consider working closely with a professional to get the best results. When you work with a professional, you will not worry about whether they put the recommended measurements. It is because they have the experience and have been doing this work for many years.
Improve the Layout
The layout of the living room matters because it will determine how much space will be left for easy navigation of a wheelchair or walking with canes or crutches. The living room should always remain uncluttered and have enough space. For instance, you can consider having a coffee table with inward legs rather than the one with outward legs. It is a way of minimizing falling risks and reduce straining.
The couch should be firm and not slide on the floor. Otherwise the couch will slide away from the table and cause strain when stretching to get something on the table. The main goal of improving the living room layout is to achieve safety and comfort. If this means taking out most of the items in the living room to create more space, then it is worth it. Injuries caused by falling can become very expensive to treat. It is better to prevent such accidents from happening by improving the living room.