Over 50? Keeping Up With Your Healthcare Needs

Making Your Home Handicap Accessible After A Stroke

28 January 2016

Nellie Ryan

Suffering from a stroke can be devastating. If your loved one had a stroke that has impaired his ability to walk or maneuver properly, assistive devices can be installed in your home to help ease the burden of daily activities. If you have stairs in your home, your loved one may be challenged to get up and down the steps. Here are a few ways that you can make your home more handicap accessible for your loved one so they can remain living as independently as possible.

Indoor Stair Lift

An indoor stair glide lift eases the burden of someone with limited mobility to reach another level of the house. Stair lifts provide a sliding mechanism that lifts and lowers someone via a chair up and down the stairs. Larger stair glides allow for wheelchairs to be directly placed on the lift to carry the person safely upward and then back down. Having this device installed in your home can help remove the barriers that your loved one would otherwise experience by not getting around properly.

Hand Railing System

In addition to a stair lift, you can also have a handrail in place. This helps you as you're assisting your loved one up the stairs as he is in his chair and stair glide. It's also beneficial as your loved one recovers and no longer needs to use a stair chair lift. A hand railing system provides a safe way for him to climb stairs by providing additional support and balance. In addition, most township ordinances require a handrail to be installed in homes that have stairways, so you can be assured that your home is a safe environment for everyone who visits.

Wheelchair Ramp

If your loved one uses a wheelchair to get around, it can be challenging to get him into your home without a ramp. Installing a wheelchair ramp that allows for easy access to gain entry to a non-ground level doorway removes barriers for your loved one. A ramp that works in conjunction with handrails can make it easier to perform ADLs or activities of daily living for your loved one, such as getting in and out of his wheelchair. 

Bathroom Updates

Another place to make changes for better accessibility is in the bathroom. A non-slippery floor surface running from the bathroom to the bottom area of the chair lift makes for a safe transition for your loved one. Non-slippery floor choices include:

• Tile flooring
• Rubber matting systems
• Low-pile carpeting

A raised toilet seat may also make it easier for getting from a walker or wheelchair to the toilet. Hand rails inside the bathroom and near the toilet provide further support and an added layer of protection against falls.

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