Adapting Your House When You Have Arthritis
Arthritis can be a debilitating condition for senior homeowners, but simple adaptations to your home can improve your safety and comfort as you age in place in your home.
Below we’ll discuss several modifications you can make to your home - all that can easily be done with the help of a handyman and a certified aging-in-place specialist.
Conduct a Home Assessment For Realistic Adaptations
Before you go to town making all kinds of modifications to your home, first step back and consider your needs and priorities. It can be helpful to talk with a professional who has experience in home safety and maintenance. Together, you can take a fresh look at your space and assess how you best function in it. At Golden Home Management, our aging-in-place specialists work one-on-one with homeowners to identify home safety measures they can implement to improve their quality of life.
Manage Your Pain with Home Modifications
People who suffer from arthritis not only struggle with pain. They must also manage their energy. Here are some modifications you can make to help conserve energy and keep you safer and more comfortable at home.
● Keep frequently used items within easy reach. If you have to bend, use a grabber tool. This is especially important in the kitchen. Keep regularly used cookware and appliances on the counter to minimize reaching.
● Strategically place chairs or stools in your home so you can sit while doing everyday activities.
● Prioritize safety in the bathroom. Bathrooms are among the most dangerous places for seniors, and arthritis sufferers may be even more likely to fall or get hurt. Take precautions like installing grab bars, putting down slip mats, using a shower seat and/or transfer bench, and making modifications to your toilet.
● Evaluate your lighting. Installing paddle switches instead of traditional light switches and triangular switches for lamps takes the strain off your hands for an action you do countless times per day. Add a motion-detecting nightligh in the bathroom.
● Purchase ergonomic kitchen tools, invest in lighter pots and pans, consider buying pre-chopped produce, and use an electric can opener. All these modifications can reduce the strain on your joints.
Depending on the severity of your arthritis and the layout of your home, you may wish to make bigger changes to your property. For example, if you have arthritic knees and your bedroom is not on the main floor, you might consider a renovation so you can enjoy one-level living. For help with home safety and maintenance needs that are big or small, turn to us.
Our monthly subscription service costs $99 per month and includes monthly visits from your home coordinator (to check how everything is going) as well as a monthly hour-long visit from a handyman (who can install grab bars, upgrade your toilet, swap out light switches or handle the monthly maintenance for your HVAC system. At no additional cost, we’ll also coordinate any larger project such as replacing your flooring or renovating a bathroom by vetting contractors, getting bids, and ensuring you get what you pay for.
To learn more about Golden Home Management’s services or to schedule a free assessment, contact us today.