Home Adaptations For Motor Neurone Disease

Living with motor neurone disease (MND) can be very difficult, as the condition causes progressive muscle weakness that can make daily tasks hard to carry out.

Although adults can get MND at any age, it usually manifests over the age of 50, with initial symptoms including stiff or weak hands, making it difficult to hold or grip items. 

You may also experience weakness in your legs and feet, so much so that it’s hard to climb stairs or so that you find yourself tripping over more frequently.

While there’s currently no cure for the disease, there are treatments you can follow that will bring relief from symptoms and help improve your quality of life. 

Potential support includes physiotherapy (with specific exercises designed to help with muscle weakness and stiffness) and dietary advice to help you maintain a healthy wait.

There are also mobility aids you can invest in, such as wheelchairs and walking frames – and you may want to consider investigating ways in which you can make your home more accessible to ensure that you can continue living independently for as long as possible.

 

What home adaptations would be good for motor neurone disease?

It can take time to adapt your home so starting as soon as you can is advisable. Consider what your future needs will likely be when making changes and consider having a needs assessment carried out to ensure that you make the best, most appropriate alterations.

Possible additions and alterations include stairlifts, a through-floor lift, hoists for transfers to different rooms or chairs/beds, and widening doorways and passageways to accommodate wheelchairs.

As for the bathroom, consider converting a downstairs room to make access easier. With regards to features, walk-in showers and baths, grab rails, ramps, anti-slip flooring, shower seating, bath lifts and so on can all help make your life easier as your condition progresses.

Retrofitting Your Home For Accessibility: Step By Step Guide

As you get older, it’s highly possible that your physical needs will change at some point, possibly because of an illness, an accident of some kind or simply just because of the passing of the years taking their toll.

Being alert to this fact is key to being able to live independently within the comfort of your own home. 

Keeping an open mind and embracing the concept of change can make the transition to your twilight years easier – and, to this end, you may want to consider retrofitting your home while you’re still fit and able to account for potential changes in strength and mobility.

 

A step-by-step guide to retrofitting a home for accessibility needs

1. Have a care needs assessment carried out

Before you make any changes, have a free care needs assessment conducted by your local council. This will help you determine what level of support you’ll need and you may find that you’re eligible for council funding, as well.

2. Identify primary areas of focus

Look around the house objectively, room by room, to identify potential obstacles, including difficult layouts, cabinet and worktop heights, bumps and cracks in the floor, narrow doorways, inaccessible fixtures and fittings, and thresholds/steps between different rooms.

3. Review lighting systems

Lighting is key for ensuring that you can navigate your way around your home safely. Make sure good visibility is delivered throughout, including hallways, along staircases and landings, and underneath kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Make sure all light switches are easily accessible.

4. Use smart technology

Making good use of technological advancements can help make your home safer. For example, you can use voice-activated or smartphone-controlled systems for windows, doors, lights and thermostats, allowing you to perform tasks without having to move around.

Home Adaptations For Multigenerational Living

Multigenerational living – where grandparents, parents and children all live together in a shared household – is a growing trend in the UK and, indeed, around the world. 

Stats from the Office for National Statistics show that this is the fastest growing household type in the UK, in fact, driven by rising house prices and the increased cost of living, as well as the desire to provide elderly care and support at home rather than making use of costly facilities.

While there are no doubt many benefits associated with this way of living, it’s essential that homes are properly adapted to ensure that they’re safe for all members of the family.

Here are some of the ways in which homes could be made more accessible.

Bathroom upgrades

If possible, installing a new bathroom (ideally downstairs) is one of the best ways to ensure that all needs are catered for. However, if funds don’t stretch this far, you can turn your current space into a wetroom, with the walls reinforced to account for grab walls and other features such as wall-mounted shower seats.

Other products worth investing in include walk-in shower baths, bath lifts, bidet toilet seats and shower benches.

And, if possible, aim to fit the bathroom door so that it opens outwards. This could prove particularly beneficial in the event of an emergency, if quick access to the room is required.

Separate living rooms

One key consideration for all people living in the house is privacy. If there’s sufficient space, consider providing separate living rooms for young and old, so that everyone can live together harmoniously.

Soundproofing

To further help ensure a sense of privacy for all, consider soundproofing rooms or specific parts of the house to ensure that TV, music and conversation cannot be overheard.

How Does Parkinson’s Disease Affect You Physically?

Parkinson’s disease is a condition that develops when the brain becomes damaged progressively over the years, where nerve cells in the substantia nigra part of the brain start to die off, leading to a drop in dopamine.

This particular chemical has an essential role to play in regulating how we move, which is why symptoms of the disease include tremors (involuntary shaking of particular parts of the body), slow movement, and stiff/inflexible muscles.

The tremors you will experience are usually a rhythmic sort of shaking that starts in a finger or hand. Bradykinesia (slowness of movement) can make tasks like getting dressed, getting out of bed or getting up from a chair more difficult. Muscles can also feel more tense and painful, with short and jerky movements becoming more commonplace.

You may also experience problems with your balance and a stooped posture may develop, making you more prone to slips, trips and falls.

There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s but there are treatments out there that can help you manage and potentially reduce your symptoms, helping to maintain your quality of life for as long as you can.

Physiotherapy and occupational therapy can both help you manage your condition, although you may not require any specific treatment early on as the symptoms are typically mild.

What can be beneficial is making home adaptations as soon as you can to ensure that you’re able to continue living within the comfort of your own home for as long as possible.

Home adaptations for Parkinson’s

Make your home more accessible by decluttering and clearing any walkways and thoroughfares so that it’s safe to navigate your way around.

In the bathroom, one of the most hazardous parts of the house, consider installing grab rails and other such supports, as well as walk-in shower baths, bath lifts, shower seating and so on. Installing a downstairs bathroom is another potential idea, or you could transform your current space into a wetroom to make it easier to use.

Elsewhere, ramp installation can accommodate wheelchair access, while you could lower worktops and countertops in the kitchen to account for this change in height. Also potentially consider adjusting your furniture so that it’s easy to use, with frequently-used items within easy reach.

Preventing Slip Risks At Home: 10 Tips

A Guide To Accessible Shower Seating

As one of the most hazardous parts of the house, it’s essential that you make the necessary accessible adaptations to your bathroom if you want to continue living independently at home for as long as possible.

There are many changes you can make to this living space, but if you’re living with limited mobility or a chronic condition of some kind, you may find that it becomes increasingly difficult or unsafe to stand in the shower for prolonged periods of time.

If this sounds familiar, perhaps consider looking into shower seating, a practical and highly reliable solution that can make bathing both safe and comfortable once again.

Shower chairs and seats come in a wide range of different styles, materials and sizes, but all of them are extremely well made and come backed with a lifetime guarantee, so you’re sure to find something that suits your requirements and your budget.

The seats themselves have all been specifically designed for use in wet and humid environments, so rest assured that all products are fully waterproof and purpose-built with rust-resistant materials and non-slip grips to deliver secure, stable and safe seating options. 

You can opt for something simple like a stool or you can choose something more supportive that comes with armrests and backrests. It all just depends on your specific level of need. There are even wall-mounted and foldable options available so you don’t have to worry about compromising on the aesthetics of your bathroom.

To decide if shower seating is right for you, ask yourself if you’re experiencing pain or weakness in your legs, dizziness, issues with your balance, back pain, breathlessness or difficulties standing or bending down.

If you do have any of these symptoms, you would perhaps be wise to consider investing in your bathroom to make it more accessible. If you need any further help or advice, get in touch with the Practical Bathing team today.

3 Common Physical Disabilities In Elderly People

As we get older, our physical needs are sure to change and it’s possible that you may find yourself living with a disability of some kind in the future. 

As such, it’s important to be open to the idea of making home adaptations to account for your evolving needs, particularly if you’re keen to continue living within the comfort of your own home for as long as possible… something that the vast majority of people want to do.

Here are some of the more common disabilities that affect older people – and how you can mitigate the effects by making your home more accessible.

Arthritis

Arthritis is characterised by joint inflammation and stiffness, typically down to wear and tear of tissues, something that happens quicker with age. Symptoms include reduced range of motion, stiffness, tenderness and pain. 

At home, consider installing grab bars and handrails in the bathroom and other places where balance is required, as well as using anti-slip flooring in hazardous places and installing lever-style door handles throughout. Walk-in baths and shower seating can also help make the bathroom safer to use.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is where your bones start to weaken, making them more fragile and prone to breaks and fractures, with the wrists, hips and vertebrae most likely to be affected.

At home, consider using rubber mats in the bath and underneath any sinks to prevent slips, trips and falls, and look out for any trip hazards throughout the house such as cables and wires, or loose-fitting rugs and carpets.

Vision impairment

Conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts and age-related macular degeneration become more likely as we get older and daily living activities can be significantly affected as a result.

You can make the house safer to navigate by using non-reflective and anti-slip safety flooring, using contrasting colours on walls and floors, installing matte finish tiles for better visibility and so on. Take a look at one of our blogs on the topic to find out more.

Manual Dexterity Changes & How To Cope At Home

As we get older, physical changes are sure to happen and something you may notice is that your manual dexterity begins to decline and we find ourselves less able to make precise and adept movements with our hands, which can have an impact on our daily lives.

There are ways in which you can help mitigate this, however, such as by performing various strengthening exercises each day. 

This could include, for example, doing finger lifts where you place your hand palm down on a table and lift one finger off at a time, moving through each of your fingers to improve flexibility.

Alternatively, you could simply make a fist and squeeze it as hard as you can, holding for three to five seconds before slowly releasing. Repeat several times on each hand until you start to feel fatigue.

Other perhaps more entertaining ways of maintaining manual dexterity include playing a musical instrument, practising handwriting (or perhaps acquiring a new skill such as calligraphy at the same time), knitting, sewing and working with clay or putty.

Home adaptations

Even with all the strengthening exercises, it’s likely that you’ll experience some level of degradation when it comes to manual dexterity.

As such, it can be beneficial to make a few changes to your living spaces so you can continue to use all the facilities with ease.

This could include, for example, ergonomic handles on the taps in your sinks and over the bath, as well as making sure that shower handles are easy to grip and turn. Using pull handles on doors rather than door knobs that you have to twist can also prove useful.

Grab rails with good grip could be positioned strategically throughout the house, such as at the front door and in the bathroom and water closets. 

Sliding drawers and pull-out shelves that are easy to open and close are also a good idea, as are adaptive utensils that come with modified grips and ergonomic designs.

Little changes such as these can make a significant difference to your quality of life and help you continue to live independently in your own home for longer.

6 Bathroom Adaptations To Mitigate The Effects Of Sight Loss

Sight loss can be very distressing to deal with, but there are ways in which you can make your condition easier to manage – and home adaptations are one of the best ways in which to achieve this.

You want your house to be as safe as possible and as easy as possible to navigate your way around. The bathroom is one of the most important places in which to focus your attention, as it’s one of the most hazardous parts of the house.

You will want to consider making changes such as the installation of safety flooring, which is anti-slip and non-reflective, as well as being in a contrasting colour to the walls so that it stands out, helping to reduce the risks of slips, trips and falls.

It can also be beneficial to go for a matte finish with new bathroom tiles and choose them in a different colour to the floor for even greater contrast and better visibility.

Accessibility features like grab rails can make this part of the house a lot safer as well but, again, aim to have these in a different colour to the wall so that they’re easier to see.

Changing the lighting system may also be necessary. In this instance, concentrate on bringing in task lighting rather than trying to light the entire room up. Installing bright lights above the sink, for example, can make it easier to wash hands and brush teeth. You’ll want to reduce the distance between the light and the task in question as much as you can.

Decluttering is also a must in the bathroom, as well as the rest of the house. Clear any unnecessary items from the space so that there are safe and logical routes that you can follow as you move around.

If you’d like any further help or advice, get in touch with the Practical Bathing team today.

Why Bungalows Are A Good Investment For Older Adults

Living independently for as long as possible is something the majority of people aspire to but achieving this will likely require a few potentially difficult decisions – including possibly moving house and finding something better suited to your evolving needs.

For older people, one of the best property types available if you are considering relocating is a bungalow. 

Now, these don’t have to be small properties by any means and, in fact, you may well find that their layout and floor plan are particularly attractive prospects, not to mention the fact that bungalows very often have especially large gardens, so you could find yourself with a very large plot indeed.

Practicalities

From a practical perspective, bungalows represent an excellent investment for ageing in place because they’re laid out over a single storey, which instantly makes them more accessible.

The bathroom, for example, is one of the most dangerous places in the house, where slips, trips and falls often take place. 

By having this living space on the ground floor, you instantly make access safer since you don’t have to go upstairs to carry out personal care. Wheelchair users are also sure to appreciate the fact that the downstairs bathroom is easier for them to make use of.

When it comes to home adaptations, the bathroom is one of the places that needs significant attention and an overhaul of the space can be quite disruptive, made even harder for residents if the bathroom is upstairs. 

Having it on the ground floor will make any necessary construction work easier to complete – and potentially more cost-effective, as well.

Recent research, carried out by McCarthy & Stone, found that these kinds of properties are proving increasingly attractive options to those over the age of 65, with 60 per cent saying that they would consider moving to a bungalow in the future.

Perceived benefits of doing so were given as ease of maintenance, space for a garden and the fact that these properties appear to be more appropriate for older people.

McCarthy & Stone chief executive John Tonkiss was quoted by Housing Today as saying: “Bungalows are increasingly popular amongst older generations and should be a consideration for any drive to build more suitable housing. They are easier to maintain, are built with older people in mind and help maintain independence for longer.”

Another key point to bear in mind is that bungalows are easier to navigate for a wide range of different people, not just older demographics. So if you have friends and family with mobility issues, or young grandchildren who may find it hard to go up and down stairs, you can make it easier for them to come and spend time with you, as well.

Of course, relocating can be an emotional decision and it’s often easier to do so before your hand is forced through a change in circumstances. As such, perhaps it’s time to take stock and see if now’s the right time to consider a downsize.