Keep your home safe and accessible – advice from an expert to the elderly

A person’s functional ability can be reduced due to age or illness, which also has an impact on the requirements for functionality and accessibility at home. Each one of us can take proper precautions and ensure that our own home remains safe and accessible.

“We all know our own home best and can often improve the accessibility without expert advice. Anticipation is essential. It is worth considering how your present home serves you in the future and whether it is perhaps for the best to renovate it to make it more functional. If you are planning to move, it is worth remembering that even though you do not need a lift now, you might need one in the future,” says Johanna Hätönen, accessibility expert at the Finnish Association of People with Physical Disabilities.

If you need advice on assessing the accessibility and safety of your home, you can contact the Finnish Association of People with Physical Disabilities or the Finnish Association for the Welfare of Older Adults, offering help to assess your need for repairs or changes, or apply for assistance for over 65-year-olds. In addition, occupational therapists conduct assessment visits and offer advice on home modifications under the Disability Services Act.

“Many of us do not want to think about ageing and negative aspects associated with it in advance. Through anticipation, you can discover solutions that enable you to preserve your familiar lifestyle as long as possible. These days, there are quite a few possibilities to enhance accessibility and safety at home,” Hätönen reminds us.

Safety at home largely depends on how your functional ability is reduced. Is the challenge a memory disorder or changes in your physical capacity, such as a poor balance?

“Basic aspects of accessibility include eliminating potential level differences, such as thresholds and rugs that cause tripping hazards, and wide enough door openings that allow you to move around with assistive devices. In addition, rearranging furniture and providing good lighting can improve home safety.

Stairs are one of the most common causes of accidents for the elderly. Therefore, you need to pay particular attention to the safety in the stairs. It is advisable to equip stairs on both sides with a sturdy handrail and clearly mark the front edge of the stairs, for instance, with a contrasting stripe or a rougher material, especially if your vision is impaired.

By anticipating and making small changes, you can greatly influence the accessibility of your home, making it a better place to live at all stages of life.

More information: The Finnish Association of People with Physical Disabilities, esteetön asuminen(external link) (in finnish)

A wide range of assistive devices—such as rollators, shower chairs, crutches, and reachers—can make everyday life easier and more independent for older adults.

• In the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County, residents can borrow these tools through local lending services available in all ten municipalities.
• When someone begins to need extra support in daily routines, a doctor, physiotherapist, or home care provider typically recommends a visit to the assistive device lending service. Most items are available immediately.
• By law, these services are free of charge.
• Devices are loaned out based on need, either short-term or long-term.
• More specialized equipment—like prostheses, support stockings, or active wheelchairs—generally requires a more detailed assessment by a healthcare professional.
• Guidance on how to use the devices is also included as part of the service. Instructions are usually given when the equipment is handed over.
• According to statistics, the most borrowed items in Western Uusimaa are shower chairs, elbow crutches, rollators, wheelchairs, and reachers. Toilet seat risers, cushions, and support handles are also distributed rather often.

For more information, Assistive equipment services.

Most falls experienced by the elderly occur at home. By considering the following advice, you can move around your home more safely.

1. Lighting
   Home lighting needs to be sufficient even when you move around at night, but both indoor and outdoor light should not dazzle.
2. Walkways
   To keep you from tripping, there should not be any loose objects on walkways at home. In addition, it should be possible to move around on the walkways with assistive devices, such as a rollator walker.
3. Furniture
   The furniture should remain firmly in place when you use them as support. Chairs, sofas and beds should be of appropriate height to facilitate sitting down and standing up.
4. Rugs
   To keep you from tripping, you should not have rugs with high edges. If your rugs are slippery, you can purchase anti-slip underlays.
5. Handrails and handles
   Especially in the stairs and the bathroom, there should be a sufficient number of support handrails and handles you can use for personal stability, if necessary.
6. Slippery floors
   Floors should be dried immediately after showering or when liquid is spilt on them. It is advisable to use a non-slip mat on the floor in a shower or bathtub.
7. Thresholds
   If it is not possible to facilitate movement by removing high thresholds, it is advisable to attach visible marks.