Transcript Slide 1

Supporting Aging adults with
Developmental Disabilities
Home Adaptations
This training was made possible by generous
grants from the New Jersey Council on
Developmental Disabilities and from Spectrum
for Living’s Endowment Fund.
The information for this presentation was
adapted from the manual, “A Home For Life:
Home Modifications for Aging in Place with an
Intellectual Disability.” By Richard V. Olsen,
Ph.D and B. Lynn Hutchings, M.Arch.
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Walkways and Entrances:
◦ well lit and free from shrubs or trees that obstruct
access
◦ Trim back or remove all shrubbery and grass that
encroach on the sidewalks.
Older people need more light. They also
have more difficulty adjusting from one light
level to another. Walking from a well-lit house
into the dark can be difficult and dangerous.
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Mail boxes should be accessible
All exterior spaces that people use at night
should be well lit:
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driveways
parking lots
garages
trash areas.
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Patios and pathways should be free of
tripping hazards.
Spaces between pavers can be tripping
hazards.
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Good lighting: People should never have to
walk through a darkened hallway to turn on a
light.
Night lights, particularly for hallways that
lead from the bedroom to the bathroom.
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Tripping hazards should be corrected or
removed:
◦ unnecessary furniture, equipment or clutter
◦ spaces between carpet runners
◦ runners and mats in poor conditions or without
anti-skid backing
◦ carpets with raised or frayed edges
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Carpets should be in good condition and
firmly tacked down.
No telephones on stair landings. People
could trip and fall down the stairs in their
haste to reach a ringing telephone
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Sufficient number of light fixtures/lamps.
The following are some furniture problems to
correct or avoid:
◦ Furniture with hard, sharp edges.
◦ Chairs and sofas that are too low, too soft and/or
are armless
◦ Too many pieces of furniture (and throw rugs)
CLUTTER: a serious concern.
 Places people at risk for tripping.
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Can obstruct emergency exits from the
house/apartment in case of a fire.
Can make it difficult for people with poor
memory or intellectual disabilities to find
things.
It can increase tension and frustration levels
in the home.
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Broken or sticking draws must be repaired.
Beds should be adjusted to suit the height of
the older person.
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Bedside tables
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Furniture risers
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There should be a bedside lamp within easy
reach on the beside table. Easy to switch
on/off. Invest in “tap on” lights.
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De-clutter bedrooms as much as possible by:
◦ Building additional shelving units
◦ Better organized (or larger) dressers/closets
◦ Storage containers
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Wheelchair accessibility issues:
◦ Arrange furniture along the perimeter of the
bedroom to allow easier maneuvering for wheel
chairs.
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Windows: Ensure that older people are able to
easily open/close the windows in their home
and in their bedroom.
◦ Move furniture that is blocking windows
◦ Repair windows to make sure that they are easy to
lock/unlock
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Remove tripping hazards
The most dangerous zone of the aging adult’s home.
Various reasons:
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Tight spaces
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Hard surfaces
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sharp edges
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Slippery surfaces.
Some ideas for general renovations…
 Easily accessible hooks on doors/walls for
hanging clothing
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Easy–to-reach and easy-to-locate shelving
for toiletries
Remove clutter!
General Renovations, cont’d
Lighting Issues…
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Ensure that there is adequate lighting. Older
people need more lighting
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Minimize the glare from lights by using matte
(not glossy) finishes on floors and walls.
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Replace bare bulbs with globes and brightness
diffusers to minimize glare
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Light switches should be easy to use. Rocker
switches are recommended.
General renovations, cont’d:
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Use “double cueing” on faucets.
Cover all pipes attached to a wheelchairaccessible sink.
Tub & Shower issues:
 Utilize a shower seat.
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Provide a shower caddy to hold toiletries
within easy reach.
Remove old shower doors to increase the
amount of clear opening for climbing into the
tub.
Toilets: Challenging because some older
people have difficulty sitting down and
standing up from the toilet due to the toilet
being too low or too small.
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Installing a raised toilet seat can help
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Install Lazy Susans in corner cabinets to make
items easier to reach.
Grabbers can help people reach light weight
items that are higher up in cabinet or on a
shelf
Adequate lighting and switches at each
entrance to the kitchen