Mobility and Balance Solutions
Knee and back injuries are fairly common, and as we age, the chances of having an injury or ailment that affects our ability to get around increases. For instance, arthritis may cause stiffness and pain that can make walking for long distances or grasping objects difficult.
Compounding the mobility problem is the fact that health problems or medication side effects may impair sense of balance. Mobility and balance problems are a bad combination that can increase the risk of falls.
Mobility and Balance: Design and Other Ideas
- Use a dense, level-loop carpet glued directly to the floor without a pad to provide greater stability and better mobility than deep, heavy pile carpeting and a thick pad.
- Many accidents occur on stairs, when people lose their balance or fail to recognize the last step or two. In addition to assuring there is sufficient lighting, install handrails on both sides of the stairs.
- Eliminate thresholds between different flooring materials and between rooms to reduce tripping hazards.
- "Low profile" furniture, such as a coffee table or footstool, presents a tripping hazard. Place a low table between two chairs rather than in front of a sofa.
- Select seating with appropriate heights (approximately 17-18 inches from the floor) and depths.
- Install the bathroom vanity at a "back saver" height – 36" instead of the standard 32" – to reduce the need for excessive bending at the sink.
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Avoid using throw rugs, a source of slips, trips and falls. If throw rugs must be used, secure them with double-sided carpet tape, self-stick carpet mesh, or sprays.
Mobility and Balance: Products
- Replace a standard door hinge with an offset door hinge to add two inches of clearance to a narrow doorway and provide for greater access for wheelchairs and other mobility aids.
- Slide a "sofa saver" beneath the sagging cushions of chairs, sofas and mattresses to provide firmer support and facilitate getting in and out of the seat or bed more easily.
- People who are unsteady on their feet can bathe or shower more safely by using a portable chair with a back and rubber feet. The chair is placed in the tub or shower. Some products include seats that rotate for easier use, many include arms, some have adjustable height seats, and many can be folded for storage.
- Install a hand-held shower hose to make bathing safer and easier. A wall-mounted hose holder installed at a convenient height provides the perfect hanger when the hose is not in use.
- Place a portable bath step with slip resistant surface and rubberized feet just outside or just inside the edge of the tub. This makes getting into and out of the tub safer.
Home Checklist
Use this handy room-by-room checklist to identify ways to improve the comfort, convenience and safety of your home or that of your loved one.
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