Handicapping Your Two-, Or Three-Level Residence For Safe Home Care
By Carole Stewart
(HIT) - Accidents and illnesses have a way of happening when we least expect them. With the anticipation of that critical fact and a little imagination, even the least handy homeowner can make an enormous difference when planning upgrades and ordinary home improvement tasks that will make all the difference in a family emergency.
Access is the key. Two-and-three- story homes can present a real challenge when a family member returns from the hospital or suddenly faces a long flight of steps to access sleeping quarters and the essential bath. You might need a second handrail on the grand staircase, for example, or a few well placed handlebars in a bathroom on each floor. For certin you will want to consider purchasing a handicapped toilet whenever major bathroom remodeling is planned. The fixture sits an inch or two higher than the ordinary model and with handle bars allows maximum accessibililty without unessecary strain.
Sturdy bars which can be screwed and then glued into existing shower stalls or tiled built-in bathtub settings are essential for providing safe access in and out of the daily bath.
The key to preparedness is planning. Ordinary spruce-up and remodeling projects need be considered an ideal time for adding simple, or not so simple additions that will make all the difference when the unexpected happens.
Many of the features that might be installed for the benefit of an injured or handicapped family member will serve as long term safety devices for the entire household. Two hands up and down the stairs, for example, can give any household a much needed grip on ordinary daily chores in addition to the primary goals of safety and access.
Courtesy: Home Improvement News and Information Center
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