Quick Temp Home Improvements to Make a Home Handicap Accessible

Home improvement additions may be necessary part of life should an emergency occur. This article will cover some basic ways you can make small changes that will help a newly disabled person function in the home until the permanent changes begin.

If a resident of the home suddenly becomes confined to a wheelchair or has trouble with mobility there is not always enough time to make the house suitable before the person comes home. Things sometimes need to be quickly made accessible before the permanent changes can be made so that the person can adjust quicker to the new life style. We all know changes are hard, but sometimes-simple changes can make it so much easier.

A side by side refrigerator and freezer is necessary, but they can be pricey. A new one can be purchased but usually a family member can purchase a quality second hand one quickly. Until one can be secured, you can easily rearrange the shelves and put items the patient on those lower shelves. If something that needs to be thawed is in the top of the unit an able-bodied person, can remove it, and put it in reach for the other.

Installing a lazy Susan within a cupboard allows a person with limited ability to become more self-sufficient, but this can be pricey. You can purchase small units to place on a counter or on a tabletop as a quick measure to promote independence. These can also be placed in the bathroom to hold supplies, which are necessary in this room.

Sometimes the knobs on drawers or cupboard doors need to simply be bigger so that it is accessible to all. This is a quick change simply requires a trip to the neighborhood hardware store and a few minutes of install time, but it could make the difference for your loved one.

Hang a grabber on the kitchen wall, so that your loved one can easily get things, which are too high or too low to reach. It's a great idea to hang a grabber in a few different areas of the home so that they are within easy reach.

Use large drawers in kitchen cabinetry to place food items so they are easily accessible. This also works well in the bathroom so that common items are within reach. Use drawers in cabinets for any necessities so they are within easy reach.

Simple things such as making sure toilet paper and paper towels hang in front of the respective rolls, rather than hang behind them can make quite the difference. It's important to hang these pieces of hardware so they are low enough to be reached by someone in a wheelchair.