Mobility modifications and adaptations for the home

There are lots of products and aids that can help with all kinds of mobility and dexterity challenges and many are simple and often small. However, in some cases the changes and adaptations that are necessary can involve more significant modifications and in certain instances the redesign of a room, or the incorporation of a specific item of equipment. Examples could be adding a stairlift or replacing a standard bathroom suite with a walk-in bath and a toilet with a lifting seat etc. You can see a complete list below.

1. Mobility home modifications index (this page)
2. Bathroom modifications - adaptations that make a bathroom more mobility friendly.
3. Stairlifts installations - remove the worry of climbing stairs.
4. Kitchen modifications - make a kitchen more accessible and usable.
5. Bedroom adaptations - can be necessary is some instances.
6. Ingress and access adaptations - ramps and grab rails can help with entering and leaving home.
7. Living room alterations - are not common, but they are sometimes required.
8. Halls and landings - these are portal zones and they can benefit from some adapatations.
9. Creating a toilet room - a downstairs toilet can become essential.
10. Appliances, sockets, switches etc - can be difficult to reach for wheelchair users.
11. Garage considerations is your garage as mobility friendly as it could be.
12. Garden modifications - being mobility challenged should not mean losing out on the garden.
13. Grab rail - can be fitted on walls in bathrooms, kitchens, doorways etc.
14. Selecting a contractor - a few tips and ideas.

Property modifications can be expensive and they may affect the resale value of a house, however they can enable someone to continue to live independently in their own home for a much longer period of time. There is no value that can be placed on this benefit.

Some property mobility modifications can be easily reversed, however others can involve building work or re-modelling and there may be a number of implications to these changes. If the changes that you are considering making are substantive you may need to check with your local authority or state regulations to find out if any permissions or permits are necessary.

Potential modifications

The only things that limit what you can do are your budget, your available space and any relevant planning restrictions. Within these constraints almost anything is possible and a standard home can be modified and enhanced in many mobility assisting ways.

One of the most popular modifications is the addition of a stairlift. This is normally a one day installation and it removes the challenge and danger of climbing and descending stairs. It is also easily reversible.

Creating a downstairs toilet room is another popular modification and one that will enhance and add value to any home. The practicality of doing this varies from house to house. Adding an en suite may also be another option.

Changes to the main bathroom from removing a standard bath tub and replacing it with a shower or a walk-in bath, to having a lifting toilet seat, are common adaptations. These are however changes that may have a detrimental effect on property value.

Are these modifications a good idea?

Ultimately there are many different property modifications that can be made and it is the needs of the individual that will determine which are appropriate in each case. Cost is always a major consideration, but it should be balanced against the benefits of enhanced or extended independence and the resulting improvement in life quality.

Not all modifications need to be undertaken in one go. Often changes can be made one at a time as needs demand. So a bath tub can be replaced with a shower cubicle and a toilet seat lifter added later “if” it becomes necessary.