What are low-cost methods of making my home more accessible?

Author: Sharon Jang | Reviewer: Rachel Abel | Published: 25 May 2022 | Updated: ~

While renovations can make a home more accessible, it may not be in the budget for everyone. Instead, there are alternative lower cost strategies that can be used to improve accessibility in a home. These include the use of technology, addition of loops and straps, and modifications to existing home set-ups.

Smart devices. ¹⁵

With the advancement of technology, smart home features allow an individual to control various parts of the home through voice. With the use of devices such as the Google Home and Amazon Alexa, parts of the home such as lights, televisions, and the thermostat can be controlled with verbal commands. Alternatively, there are some models of powered wheelchairs that now come equipped with Bluetooth technology. This allows you to connect and control Bluetooth devices, such as lightbulbs, stereos, phones, and computers, with controls on a powered wheelchair.

A person opening a fridge door with their wrist. A loop has been added to the fridge door handle to facilitate this.¹⁶

A low-cost method of increasing accessibility of doors and drawers is through the addition of loops and straps. Loops and straps can be added to existing handles, such as on drawers, a fridge door, or on cabinets, to allow individuals to open these structures with their wrist or elbow. If possible, handles can also be swapped out for more accessible ones, such as bar-style handles.

While one can modify their home with extensive renovations, there are also minor things an individual can do to improve accessibility around the home. In the kitchen, consider removing cabinet doors lower down. This can allow for more leg room under sinks and countertops. Moreover, those with limited strength may want to consider rearranging the kitchen so that heavier objects (such as dishware), are lower down, or removing heavy objects altogether (e.g., by replacing ceramic dishware with plastic).

If doors are an issue in the home, typical door hinges may be replaced with Z-shaped or swing-away door hinges. These alternative hinges allow doors to open wider, which creates more space for a wheelchair to get through. As noted in the previous section, lever-style doorknobs can also be used to replace rounded doorknobs to facilitate the opening of doors.

Examples of adaptive equipment that can be used to control stove knobs.^17-18

In addition to renovations and modifications to the home, there are a variety of adaptive equipment that may make a home more accessible. For example, for those who are unable to reach or turn stove knobs, there are adaptive knob tuners available. Occupational therapists specialize in adapting spaces and equipment to meet each individual’s unique needs. For more information, refer to an occupational therapist.