The home should be a safe place to be but unfortunately it can pose a lot of hazards and those most at risk are elderly people. However, there are plenty of ways that you can make the home a much safer place to be.

One of the main hazards in the home is stairs. For elderly people, stairs can be difficult to navigate so think about adding a stairlift to an internal staircase. If there are steps leading up or down to the entrance of the house, then think about swapping them for a ramp. This is also good if a wheelchair or mobility scooter is needed, like these WAV vehicles from https://clarkemobility.com/

Bathrooms are another place that you should take particular care – the combination of water and the manoeuvres required to get in and out of the bath and shower, create a dangerous combination. Make sure that the risk of slipping is reduced by adding nonslip mats and add handrails to the area to increase the safety in the bathroom, particularly for getting in and out of the bath and shower.

Making a home disability friendly is also about making sure that moving around the home is safe and easy – make doorways wider and change light switches to hanging cord light pulls to make it easier to reach them, particularly from a lower height like a wheelchair. It is also a good idea to replace flooring for something that doesn’t slip, as well as making sure that carpets are secure around the edges, especially around steps.