Overcoming the barriers to staying at home longer with home modifications
Adapt your House - https://www.enablingenvironments.com.au/house.html
Downloads: These illustrations are great examples of dementia design for every room in the house. These contain a wealth of information on creating beautiful, enabling spaces for people with dementia, so making their lives, and Yours, that much easier. http://www.enablingenvironments.com.au/downloads.html
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Home modification overlooked despite desire to stay put
By Judy Skatssoon on February 18, 2020 in Community Care Review, Research
https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/2020/02/18/home-modification-overlooked-despite-desire-to-stay-put/
Many older Australians may be forced into care because they haven’t given thought to modifying their homes, according to the authors of a report.
The South Australian-based Global Centre for Modern Ageing surveyed more than 1,000 Australians aged over 55 about their attitudes towards staying home, moving into alternative accommodation and home modifications.
In a report released this week titled Ageing in the Right Place, the GCMA found that eight in ten respondents want to stay in their current home as long as possible, and three in four are determined to stay put even if their circumstances change and they need assistance. Only five per cent said they would consider moving into a care facility and a quarter said they felt there was a lack of viable alternatives to living at home. However, only 17 per cent of older Australians linked home modification to the ability to remain at home, and only 40 per cent of those who were experiencing difficulties acknowleged there was a need for home modification.
Barriers to home modification
CEO Julianne Parkinson says three in four Australians aged 85 or older live independently at home, with GCMA’s research clearly showing the majority want to stay there. With affordability and lack of trusted builders and tradespeople identified as barriers, she says the research also highlights an opportunity for the home modification industry and businesses who provide products and services in people’s homes.
“For people who have identified the need to make changes around their home, our research identified key barriers to home modifications, including affordability and being able to find trusted builders and tradespeople,” Ms Parkinson said.
LIVING ON THE GOLD COAST? Consider these trusted Tradespeople...
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Stay Independent! How A Shipping Container Granny Flat Can Help
By Ashley Bryan https://www.agedcareweekly.com.au/stay-independent-how-a-shipping-container-granny-flat-can-help/
- February 1, 2019
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Have you thought of a 20 foot shipping container granny flat in your backyard? To give you some ideas - https://www.pinterest.com.au/tinkaberry/20-foot-shipping-container-granny-flat/ Collection by Tina McKinnon
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Your Bathroom
Modifications of the bathroom can vary from the small, installing a handrail, to the large, a complete overhaul, says Lazaris.
“Examples of modifications include installing a hand-held shower with a hose. It might be moving the shower screen, or removing a bathtub and making a walk-in shower, or remodelling the whole bathroom so the toilet is in the right place.
“For someone in a wheelchair you may have to change the layout of the bathroom to allow for access, which includes widening the doors. You need the right types of fittings and fixtures, like lever taps, so that people with severe arthritis can continue to open and close taps,” Lazaris says.
Stevenson says safety is the key issue in the bathroom. “Modifications may include a grab rail installation, weighted shower curtains and slip-resistant tiles and finishes. Windows may be upgraded to safety glass, and wedges installed at doorways to reduce trip hazard at change in floor levels. Hobs in the shower recess may be removed or lowered, and hot water supply to basin and shower tempered,” he says.
Referrals have to come from an Occupational therapist because we require an individual assessment of what the client’s particular needs are. For instance, the angle of a grab rail, whether it’s vertical, horizontal or angled, will depend on the person and what type of action they do.
---------------------
Kitchen
Lowering or raising kitchen benches to better match someone’s height is one modification, says Lazaris. “For those in a wheelchair we might remove cupboard space underneath to allow access. We look at the kind of flooring to make sure it’s appropriate and slip resistant. For corner cupboards we might install a Lazy Susan so the person doesn’t need to bend and reach in. It’s also about the type of equipment you put in there. The way the doors swing. Sometimes the existing kitchen just isn’t suitable and so we modify another room to use as a kitchen instead.”
Neuss says that fixtures, fittings and appliances, like a microwave, may be relocated to enable easy reach and to increase circulation space. “Automatic lighting, like a sensor to enhance vision, might be used. Appropriate appliances, like side-opening wall ovens, may be installed,” she says.
In the kitchen, replace cupboard and drawer handles with D-shaped handles. They are easier to use, particularly if you have limited strength or suffer from arthritis.
If your cupboards are too high, too low or too deep - adjustable shelving that swings up, swings down or rolls out can be installed.
Halls & doorways
Doorways have to be widened once someone is in a wheelchair, says Lazaris. “The doorways in older stock homes are not wide enough, so we remove the architrave and install a metal frame around. We might have to re-swing doors in different directions because of a wheelchair; sometimes the way a door opens might block the corridor. Or we might put in a sliding door if there’s limited space. We’ve also installed automatic door openers, which helps not just those people in wheelchairs but also those who have started to lose the strength in their hands and arms,” she says.
Stevenson says that two-way opening doors may also be installed, as well as cavity slider and surface-mounted doors to increase circulation space. Remote door-opening mechanisms and key lock boxes, to allow family members or community service workers to access the home, might also be used. “Installation of door hardware, for example door handles and locking mechanisms might also be installed,” he says.
Outdoors
“Externally we do a lot of ramps in both concrete and timber,” says Lazaris. “We have put lifts in; and they could be a platform lift or a lift that takes people up two stories. We widen paths. We place slip-resistant sealant on paving, and install handrails along paths or up stairs. We install sensor lights; we’ve turned gardens into easy-care gardens.”
Neuss cites sensor lighting as another installation for outside, as well as nylon garden ball taps, which are easier to turn on and off. “Other modifications include construction of transition area for vehicle access and relocating or lowering of clothes lines.”
Grab Rails are not just for Inside:
Each major entry point should have at least one sturdy rail for your support. Install grab rails to support you getting in and out of the house.
Sensor lights:
Install a sensor light at your home's major entry points. It will light your path into the house and is a good security measure to have in place.
Apply non-slip adhesives or coating to your floors, stairs, driveway and walkways.
If you use a walking aid, you may require wider pathways in and around your home for ease of access and safe use.
Age-proofing your house checklist:
• A floor with a non-slip surface, especially in outdoor areas exposed to frost or rain
• No loose rugs and a simple furniture arrangement for extra accessibility
• Good lighting that is evenly distributed, without glaring directly at you – and extra lights if you are visually impaired
• Appropriate grab-rails by the bath, shower and toilet
• Space to move a wheelchair out of the way
• Nightlights in the hallways
• A visual smoke detector if your hearing is impaired
• Trays and shelves that are adjustable, with pull-out storage areas
• Taps that have levers if you are arthritic
• Suitable locks that allow you to unlock and open doors easily with one hand and deadlock from the inside
• Ramps on walkways where necessary, and
• Minimum maintenance requirements.
SOURCE: Department of Health and Ageing
Browse Products by Topic: Lifting & Transferring People
https://ilcaustralia.org.au/search_category_paths/32
Financial Help for Aids and Equipment
Aids and equipment can be essential for someone who needs care, and can make life easier and safer for carers. You can get help to choose and pay for the equipment you need, including alarms and monitors.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Home Assist Secure is a service for Queenslanders aged 60 years and over, or people of any age with a disability, who can’t perform or pay for critical home maintenance without assistance.
This service provides safety-related information, referrals and subsidised assistance.
Your local Home Assist Secure service can provide information about:
Staff can also help you:
Enhanced support to older Queenslanders during COVID-19
Home Assist Secure will provide extended services to eligible older Queenslanders and people with a disability who need extra support to remain in their homes, self-isolate and continue to access essential services.
As well as home maintenance, repairs and modification work that Home Assist Secure already delivers, service providers can offer further assistance including:
Deliveries of essential items
Home Assist Secure will work with you to ensure that you can access essential items such as groceries, medication, and health products, while you are impacted by COVID-19 restrictions. Your local provider can offer contact-less delivery (knock and drop-off), if required.
Regular welfare checks
Home Assist Secure will conduct regular welfare checks if you require to ensure you’re well, have food and medication and are coping with isolation.
Referrals to community support services
Home Assist Secure will connect you to referrals for mental health support, cleaning services and other support services required.
Subsidised assistance
If you’re eligible, you may receive a financial contribution towards labour costs for minor home maintenance or modifications that both:
This assistance may include:
To be eligible, you must meet all these criteria:
25 June 2021
Adapt your House - https://www.enablingenvironments.com.au/house.html
Downloads: These illustrations are great examples of dementia design for every room in the house. These contain a wealth of information on creating beautiful, enabling spaces for people with dementia, so making their lives, and Yours, that much easier. http://www.enablingenvironments.com.au/downloads.html
--------------------------
Home modification overlooked despite desire to stay put
By Judy Skatssoon on February 18, 2020 in Community Care Review, Research
https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/2020/02/18/home-modification-overlooked-despite-desire-to-stay-put/
Many older Australians may be forced into care because they haven’t given thought to modifying their homes, according to the authors of a report.
The South Australian-based Global Centre for Modern Ageing surveyed more than 1,000 Australians aged over 55 about their attitudes towards staying home, moving into alternative accommodation and home modifications.
In a report released this week titled Ageing in the Right Place, the GCMA found that eight in ten respondents want to stay in their current home as long as possible, and three in four are determined to stay put even if their circumstances change and they need assistance. Only five per cent said they would consider moving into a care facility and a quarter said they felt there was a lack of viable alternatives to living at home. However, only 17 per cent of older Australians linked home modification to the ability to remain at home, and only 40 per cent of those who were experiencing difficulties acknowleged there was a need for home modification.
Barriers to home modification
CEO Julianne Parkinson says three in four Australians aged 85 or older live independently at home, with GCMA’s research clearly showing the majority want to stay there. With affordability and lack of trusted builders and tradespeople identified as barriers, she says the research also highlights an opportunity for the home modification industry and businesses who provide products and services in people’s homes.
“For people who have identified the need to make changes around their home, our research identified key barriers to home modifications, including affordability and being able to find trusted builders and tradespeople,” Ms Parkinson said.
LIVING ON THE GOLD COAST? Consider these trusted Tradespeople...
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Stay Independent! How A Shipping Container Granny Flat Can Help
By Ashley Bryan https://www.agedcareweekly.com.au/stay-independent-how-a-shipping-container-granny-flat-can-help/
- February 1, 2019
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Have you thought of a 20 foot shipping container granny flat in your backyard? To give you some ideas - https://www.pinterest.com.au/tinkaberry/20-foot-shipping-container-granny-flat/ Collection by Tina McKinnon
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Your Bathroom
Modifications of the bathroom can vary from the small, installing a handrail, to the large, a complete overhaul, says Lazaris.
“Examples of modifications include installing a hand-held shower with a hose. It might be moving the shower screen, or removing a bathtub and making a walk-in shower, or remodelling the whole bathroom so the toilet is in the right place.
“For someone in a wheelchair you may have to change the layout of the bathroom to allow for access, which includes widening the doors. You need the right types of fittings and fixtures, like lever taps, so that people with severe arthritis can continue to open and close taps,” Lazaris says.
Stevenson says safety is the key issue in the bathroom. “Modifications may include a grab rail installation, weighted shower curtains and slip-resistant tiles and finishes. Windows may be upgraded to safety glass, and wedges installed at doorways to reduce trip hazard at change in floor levels. Hobs in the shower recess may be removed or lowered, and hot water supply to basin and shower tempered,” he says.
Referrals have to come from an Occupational therapist because we require an individual assessment of what the client’s particular needs are. For instance, the angle of a grab rail, whether it’s vertical, horizontal or angled, will depend on the person and what type of action they do.
---------------------
Kitchen
Lowering or raising kitchen benches to better match someone’s height is one modification, says Lazaris. “For those in a wheelchair we might remove cupboard space underneath to allow access. We look at the kind of flooring to make sure it’s appropriate and slip resistant. For corner cupboards we might install a Lazy Susan so the person doesn’t need to bend and reach in. It’s also about the type of equipment you put in there. The way the doors swing. Sometimes the existing kitchen just isn’t suitable and so we modify another room to use as a kitchen instead.”
Neuss says that fixtures, fittings and appliances, like a microwave, may be relocated to enable easy reach and to increase circulation space. “Automatic lighting, like a sensor to enhance vision, might be used. Appropriate appliances, like side-opening wall ovens, may be installed,” she says.
In the kitchen, replace cupboard and drawer handles with D-shaped handles. They are easier to use, particularly if you have limited strength or suffer from arthritis.
If your cupboards are too high, too low or too deep - adjustable shelving that swings up, swings down or rolls out can be installed.
Halls & doorways
Doorways have to be widened once someone is in a wheelchair, says Lazaris. “The doorways in older stock homes are not wide enough, so we remove the architrave and install a metal frame around. We might have to re-swing doors in different directions because of a wheelchair; sometimes the way a door opens might block the corridor. Or we might put in a sliding door if there’s limited space. We’ve also installed automatic door openers, which helps not just those people in wheelchairs but also those who have started to lose the strength in their hands and arms,” she says.
Stevenson says that two-way opening doors may also be installed, as well as cavity slider and surface-mounted doors to increase circulation space. Remote door-opening mechanisms and key lock boxes, to allow family members or community service workers to access the home, might also be used. “Installation of door hardware, for example door handles and locking mechanisms might also be installed,” he says.
Outdoors
“Externally we do a lot of ramps in both concrete and timber,” says Lazaris. “We have put lifts in; and they could be a platform lift or a lift that takes people up two stories. We widen paths. We place slip-resistant sealant on paving, and install handrails along paths or up stairs. We install sensor lights; we’ve turned gardens into easy-care gardens.”
Neuss cites sensor lighting as another installation for outside, as well as nylon garden ball taps, which are easier to turn on and off. “Other modifications include construction of transition area for vehicle access and relocating or lowering of clothes lines.”
Grab Rails are not just for Inside:
Each major entry point should have at least one sturdy rail for your support. Install grab rails to support you getting in and out of the house.
Sensor lights:
Install a sensor light at your home's major entry points. It will light your path into the house and is a good security measure to have in place.
Apply non-slip adhesives or coating to your floors, stairs, driveway and walkways.
If you use a walking aid, you may require wider pathways in and around your home for ease of access and safe use.
Age-proofing your house checklist:
• A floor with a non-slip surface, especially in outdoor areas exposed to frost or rain
• No loose rugs and a simple furniture arrangement for extra accessibility
• Good lighting that is evenly distributed, without glaring directly at you – and extra lights if you are visually impaired
• Appropriate grab-rails by the bath, shower and toilet
• Space to move a wheelchair out of the way
• Nightlights in the hallways
• A visual smoke detector if your hearing is impaired
• Trays and shelves that are adjustable, with pull-out storage areas
• Taps that have levers if you are arthritic
• Suitable locks that allow you to unlock and open doors easily with one hand and deadlock from the inside
• Ramps on walkways where necessary, and
• Minimum maintenance requirements.
SOURCE: Department of Health and Ageing
Browse Products by Topic: Lifting & Transferring People
https://ilcaustralia.org.au/search_category_paths/32
Financial Help for Aids and Equipment
Aids and equipment can be essential for someone who needs care, and can make life easier and safer for carers. You can get help to choose and pay for the equipment you need, including alarms and monitors.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Home Assist Secure is a service for Queenslanders aged 60 years and over, or people of any age with a disability, who can’t perform or pay for critical home maintenance without assistance.
This service provides safety-related information, referrals and subsidised assistance.
Your local Home Assist Secure service can provide information about:
- home maintenance
- repairs
- minor modifications
- other assistance that the Queensland Government provides.
Staff can also help you:
- employ tradespeople to do repairs or modifications
- plan future work.
Enhanced support to older Queenslanders during COVID-19
Home Assist Secure will provide extended services to eligible older Queenslanders and people with a disability who need extra support to remain in their homes, self-isolate and continue to access essential services.
As well as home maintenance, repairs and modification work that Home Assist Secure already delivers, service providers can offer further assistance including:
Deliveries of essential items
Home Assist Secure will work with you to ensure that you can access essential items such as groceries, medication, and health products, while you are impacted by COVID-19 restrictions. Your local provider can offer contact-less delivery (knock and drop-off), if required.
Regular welfare checks
Home Assist Secure will conduct regular welfare checks if you require to ensure you’re well, have food and medication and are coping with isolation.
Referrals to community support services
Home Assist Secure will connect you to referrals for mental health support, cleaning services and other support services required.
Subsidised assistance
If you’re eligible, you may receive a financial contribution towards labour costs for minor home maintenance or modifications that both:
- relate to your health, safety or security
- need to be done so you can remain in your home.
This assistance may include:
- yard and outside maintenance
- small repairs and maintenance
- smoke alarm-related jobs, e.g. installation, battery changes, vents cleaning
- jobs, repairs and maintenance requiring a licensed tradesperson (e.g. an electrician).
To be eligible, you must meet all these criteria:
- at least 60 years old or of any age with a disability
- a Pensioner Concession Card holder
- unable to complete the work yourself because it requires technical expertise or is a risk to your health and safety
- unable to use alternative assistance, such as through:
- the Commonwealth Home Support Program
- the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
- family or friends.
25 June 2021