Aging wellSupporting Aging adults with

Developmental Disabilities

Home Adaptations

This training was made possible by generous grants from the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities and from

Spectrum for Living’s Endowment Fund.

The information for this presentation was adapted from the manual, “A Home For Life: Home Modifications for Aging in Place with an Intellectual Disability.” By Richard V. Olsen, Ph.D and B. Lynn Hutchings, M.Arch.

Home Adaptations

Walkways and Entrances:◦ well lit and free from shrubs or trees that obstruct

access

◦ Trim back or remove all shrubbery and grass that encroach on the sidewalks.

Getting into the home

Older people need more light. They alsohave more difficulty adjusting from one light

level to another. Walking from a well-lit house

into the dark can be difficult and dangerous.

Mail boxes should be accessible

All exterior spaces that people use at night should be well lit:◦ driveways◦ parking lots◦ garages◦ trash areas.

General “outside” Considerations

Patios and pathways should be free of tripping hazards.

Spaces between pavers can be tripping hazards.

General “outside” considerations

Good lighting: People should never have to walk through a darkened hallway to turn on a light.

Night lights, particularly for hallways that lead from the bedroom to the bathroom.

Inside the home: Hallways & Doorways

Tripping hazards should be corrected or removed:◦ unnecessary furniture, equipment or clutter◦ spaces between carpet runners◦ runners and mats in poor conditions or without

anti-skid backing◦ carpets with raised or frayed edges

Inside the home: Hallways & Doorways

Carpets should be in good condition and firmly tacked down.

No telephones on stair landings. People could trip and fall down the stairs in their haste to reach a ringing telephone

Inside the Home: Stairs

Sufficient number of light fixtures/lamps.

The following are some furniture problems to correct or avoid:◦ Furniture with hard, sharp edges.◦ Chairs and sofas that are too low, too soft and/or

are armless◦ Too many pieces of furniture (and throw rugs)

Inside the home: living, dining & family rooms…

CLUTTER: a serious concern. Places people at risk for tripping.

Can obstruct emergency exits from the house/apartment in case of a fire.

Can make it difficult for people with poor memory or intellectual disabilities to find things.

It can increase tension and frustration levels in the home.

Inside the home: living, dining & family rooms

Broken or sticking draws must be repaired.

Beds should be adjusted to suit the height of the older person.

Bedside tables

Furniture risers

There should be a bedside lamp within easy reach on the beside table. Easy to switch on/off. Invest in “tap on” lights.

Inside the home: Bedroom

De-clutter bedrooms as much as possible by:◦ Building additional shelving units◦ Better organized (or larger) dressers/closets◦ Storage containers

Wheelchair accessibility issues:◦ Arrange furniture along the perimeter of the

bedroom to allow easier maneuvering for wheel chairs.

Inside the home: Bedroom

Windows: Ensure that older people are able to easily open/close the windows in their home and in their bedroom.◦ Move furniture that is blocking windows◦ Repair windows to make sure that they are easy

to lock/unlock

Remove tripping hazards

Inside the home: Bedroom

The most dangerous zone of the aging adult’s home. Various reasons:Tight spaces

Hard surfaces

sharp edges

Slippery surfaces.

Inside the home: Bathroom

Some ideas for general renovations… Easily accessible hooks on doors/walls for

hanging clothing

Easy–to-reach and easy-to-locate shelving for toiletries

Remove clutter!

Inside the home: Bathroom

General Renovations, cont’dLighting Issues…

Ensure that there is adequate lighting. Older people need more lighting

Minimize the glare from lights by using matte (not glossy) finishes on floors and walls.

Replace bare bulbs with globes and brightness diffusers to minimize glare

Light switches should be easy to use. Rocker switches are recommended.

Inside the home: Bathroom

General renovations, cont’d:

Use “double cueing” on faucets.

Cover all pipes attached to a wheelchair- accessible sink.

Inside the home: Bathroom

Tub & Shower issues: Utilize a shower seat.

Provide a shower caddy to hold toiletries within easy reach.

Remove old shower doors to increase the amount of clear opening for climbing into the tub.

Inside the home: Bathroom

Toilets: Challenging because some older people have difficulty sitting down and standing up from the toilet due to the toilet being too low or too small.

Installing a raised toilet seat can help

Inside the home: Bathroom

Install Lazy Susans in corner cabinets to make items easier to reach.

Grabbers can help people reach light weight items that are higher up in cabinet or on a shelf

Adequate lighting and switches at each entrance to the kitchen

Inside the home: Kitchen