4 Home Improvements That Can Make the Biggest Difference for Your Elderly Loved One
Home Care in Cascade MI
Most family caregivers would love to be able to totally renovate their loved one’s home to make it safe and convenient, but unfortunately that’s just not in the budget. The next best thing for you 
to do is to choose one or two improvements that will make a huge difference right away without totally breaking the bank.
Lighting
As your loved one gets older, her vision is more and more likely to be affected. The right eyewear helps, of course, but an even bigger help is appropriate lighting. Over the years, your loved one probably just got used to the lighting that she had and didn’t give it much thought. By changing out old fixtures for ones that provide more light or that use brighter lighting options, such as LED lights, your loved one may find it much easier to see no matter where she is in the house.
Hand Rails
Pretty much everyone has experienced how helpful hand rails can be on a staircase, but they’re also handy in other places, too. Hand rails in the bathroom, like in the tub and near the toilet, can help your loved one to be self-sufficient even in the most vulnerable room in the house. You may also want to install hand rails in places you wouldn’t have thought of using them before, like in a long hallway. Ask your loved one where she feels less stable and try putting a hand rail there to see if it helps her to feel safer.
Stair Lifts
Stairs are a minor obstacle for the able-bodied, but as your loved one grows older, stairs can become not just a hazard, but almost impossible to navigate. Stair lifts allow your loved one to ride up the stairs while belted into a seat. When you make the stairs that much easier to use, you might be surprised that your loved one feels less exhausted and has more energy to devote to activities that she enjoys.
Walk-in Showers or Tubs
Bathrooms can be dangerous rooms, particularly if your loved one has balance issues. Just lifting one foot even a couple of inches off the ground can make your loved one so unbalanced that she feels as though she’s about to fall. One way to resolve that in the bathroom is to take out anything that your loved one has to step over. Walk-in showers and bathtubs allow your loved one to avoid the hazards of stepping into anything.
Talk to your loved one’s home care providers about specific home improvements you could make that would help her the most.
If you or someone you know needs help with home care in Cascade, MI, contact Gauthier Family Home Care. We provide quality and affordable home care services in our community. Call us at (616) 258-2300 for more information.
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