Making the Home Safer for Seniors and Those with Disabilities, Part 5, focuses on Accessibility Options to Enjoy your Outdoor Areas of the home. Modern technology and medical innovation meld to create mobility aids and equipment that makes the home more accessible, comfortable, and safe.
“Making the Home Safer for Seniors and Those with Disabilities, Part 5” encompasses Accessibility Options to Enjoy Your Outdoor Areas. Increased access and improved autonomy should be the aim when working with consultants and merchants in mobility devices; after all, isn’t it time to fully enjoy your home’s yard, garden, or exterior spaces?
Consider accessibility options to enjoy your outdoor areas
Having full-access around the home includes your exterior spaces; don’t let a physical mobility or disability impede your ability to enjoy and navigate your home, dwelling, or property. Talk to mobility experts about aids and devices that can re-open areas of the home that may have once been difficult to access.
Some spaces and places that are impacted by mobility equipment include:
Patios, gardens, and yards
Want to meander through your yard, visit the garden, or lounge on the patio? Simple ramps can improve access and make it feasible for those utilizing scooters or chairs to access and enjoy their entire property. Ask professionals to install ramps for optimal safety, stability, and to ensure the right pitch; too-shallow and you may not have the room for a ramp, while too-steep prohibits ease and convenience.
Decks and inclines
Depending on your distinct property, there may be elevated areas, like decks, hills, or retaining walls, that are difficult to navigate or traverse. Invest in platform and porch lifts for unadulterated access to these steep or raised spaces. Lifting and lowering, platform lifts make easy work of climbing difficult segments of your property, while also creating a sense of independence that impacts the quality of life.
Swimming pools
Anyone who lives with disabilities or physical limitations may feel that their family swimming pool is off-limits; this is not necessarily the case. Investing in pool lifts ensures you – or your loved one – gets as much enjoyment and utility from the pool as any other member of the family. In fact, swimming is a low-impact exercise that is very good for any person, but perhaps even more advantageous for those with physical issues that restrict other workouts and exercise regimens. A pool lift isn’t for everyone, but after a comprehensive assessment with the mobility experts, it could be just the thing for those looking to improve the overall quality of life and autonomy for the user.
Decks and porches
Got an upstairs space that you want to gain access to? stairlifts are a natural choice, but what about outdoor spaces? stairlifts can be perfect when installed in your home’s exteriors, too. A rooftop patio, a second-floor apartment, an above-garage family space, or an outdoor structure are no longer a challenge with a stairlift. Make sure to buy lifts that are resilient to the elements and intended for outdoor use; your mobility professional will be able to point you in the right direction, as well as arrange and schedule installation time, too.
Cars and trucks
Your car or truck also fall into the outdoor category, as you need to leave the house and have access to getting in and out of the vehicle. Did you know there is a specialized lift just for your cars and trucks? Twenty years ago, it was estimated that nearly 400,000 vehicles were augmented with some sort of adaptive equipment, and this number has only continued to rise. vehicle lifts have helped to liberate and provide a sense of freedom to thousands of Americans every day, freeing up caregivers and lightening the responsibilities of the family; do you ever miss the open-road? Talk to your mobility professional about this option.
Freestanding lifts equate to freedom
For those that want the best of all worlds – the stability of a device and the versatility to use it freely throughout the home — freestanding lifts could be the most practical option. These can easily be moved by a caregiver or loved one to give a bit of assistance wherever you need it – including outside! Imagine having that nudge and aid outdoors on your deck, while sitting on a porch, or when you want to visit the garden.
When it comes to making the home safer overall, don’t neglect to consider your outdoor spaces. When shopping for and contemplating mobility aids, discuss exterior approaches to make your favorite spots accessible when living with a physical challenge or disability. The first thing to do is to contact the mobility experts for a free, no-risk assessment of needs to determine the most pragmatic solutions to make your home, yard, and gardens more accessible, and subsequently, safer for the individual living there.
President, Husband, Father, Grandfather Graduate of UC Davis- Bio Sci Major- Go Aggies! Jeff has extensive experience in all of Pacific Mobility’s products and services, and specializes in accessibility products as well as stairlifts, ceiling lifts and custom wheel chairs. His hobbies include spending time with family, gardening, mountain biking, exercising and off road motorcycle riding.
24 years as Owner/President of Pacific Mobility Center – selling, installing, and servicing stairlifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts, pool lifts, handicap ramping, specialty wheelchairs, scooters, power wheel chairs, and other power mobility devices
Certified Environmental Access Consultant since 2008
Licensed General Contractor since 1998
Certified Aging in Place Specialist since 2016
Board Member for Home Access Professionals
Member of Association of Members of the Accessibility Equipment Industry (AEMA)
