How to Improve the Safety and Accessibility of Your Living Room
We are continuing our home safety and accessibility series by talking specifically about the living room. The living area, often a space we spend the majority of our time, plays a crucial role in our daily lives. This space serves as a place for both leisure and social participation. As we age, our living spaces should adapt to meet our changing needs as well as promote safety, comfort, and independence. Below are considerations and tips for modifying and adapting the living area to promote graceful aging in place.
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Enhancing Your Favorite Chair
Everyone has a favorite spot in the living room. Perhaps this is your favorite arm chair, a recliner, or your designated spot on the couch that has the perfect imprint of your body. As we change and age, sometimes our favorite chair does not support our posture as well, or sometimes we may have difficulty standing up from the chair. If you are having difficulty in your favorite spot, this does not always mean we need to replace it. There may be some modifications you can make to adapt your space. Take a good look at your favorite spot in the living room and consider the following:
Does your favorite seat/chair properly support your posture? Are you slouching in the chair, or do you find yourself leaning over to one side? Sometimes we can add additional cushions or pillows to help support our posture.
If your favorite spot at the right height? If your chair is too low, this can make it more difficult to stand up from your chair. There are a few options to help with raising the height of your chair:
Add an additional cushion: This helps to raise the height of your seat, making it easier to stand. You want to be sure to measure the dimensions of the chair to ensure that the cushion fits properly. I have used cushions like this one in the past. The only disadvantage to this option is that the cushion doesn’t stay put, and it also make the armrests sit lower on your body when you are seated. This, however is the quickest, cheapest, and easiest option.
Use custom risers: I strongly advise against using bed risers under an armchair. They are not as stable, and if you have a tendency to “flop” in your chair, they may move and tip over (I have seen this happen). I have had contractors and handymen build solid platforms under chairs, as well as build auxiliary legs that attach to the existing legs, essentially forming a stilt. If the legs of your chair are removable, you can also have them replaced with taller legs.
Have the chair re-stuffed: This sounds like a strange recommendation, but sometimes our chair is too low because the padding has worn down over the course of the 20-30 years that you have been sitting in that spot. You can ask a professional upholsterer to look at the chair and see if it can be refinished and restuffed.
Replace the chair with a taller version: If you are not emotionally attached to your favorite chair, you can replace it with a taller model, or consider a lift-recliner if standing from your chair is considerable difficult.
Can you see the television without having to turn your head or neck? This is a small detail, but it is important. If you are an avid TV watcher and spend several hours per day watching TV, we want to make sure that your body is squarely facing the monitor. Several hours spent with your head and neck twisted or angled can increase neck pain and reduce joint flexibility.
Adding armrests: If your favorite spot is on the couch, this can make it hard to get up and down because there is only an armrest on one side. There is a device called a stand assist, that slides under the couch cushion and creates armrests on both sides. This has been helpful for several clients to help them reclaim their “spot.” They do make stand-alone supports that can be placed underneath or beside an armchair or recliner to provide a place to “pull-up” from the chair, but I have honestly not had great success with these options, as they move too easily when in use.
Clear Pathways
Ensure that there are clear, unobstructed pathways throughout the living area to facilitate a safe and easy movement. Arrange furniture in a way that creates wide walkways and minimizes tripping hazards, as well as leaving adequate space for the use of a walker or wheelchair, if needed. If you can’t bring your walker all the way up to your chair, you may be tempted to abandon it before getting to your spot, increasing the risk of falls. Keep floors from clutter and secure any rugs with non-slip backing or strips to prevent falls. Make sure that the floor is free of cords and wires.
Accessible Storage
Keep frequently used items within easy reach to avoid repeated twisting and bending. Consider using organizers or baskets to keep items neatly arranged and easily accessible such as the TV remote.
Lighting
Proper lighting is essential, especially in living areas where activities such as reading and watching TV are common. Ensure that there is adequate lighting near your favorite spot to reduce eye strain and improve visibility.
By implementing these modifications and adaptations, you can create a living area that is functional and supportive for aging in place. Remember, making small changes to your living space can have a significant impact on your quality of life as you age, allowing you to continue enjoying your home for years to come.
For more information, please see our other blog posts:
If you are a caregiver who provides assistance for getting in and out of bed as well as other self-care tasks, also feel free to check out out caregiver resources below including our publication, “A Therapist’s Guide to Caregiving”, and our caregiver training video courses.
*This blog was created in collaboration with Masters of Occupational Therapy Student Jamie Hunt, with Pfeiffer University.
A Therapist’s Guide to Caregiving
The book includes 170 pages of full-color, step-by step instructions, to provide you with all the skills you need to provide safe, thorough, and compassionate care at home.
This is your comprehensive guide to giving you with the skills you need to provide safe, effective, and compassionate care to family members, friends or clients in the home. This course includes 6 hours of instructional video covering client basic adaptive equipment, functional mobility, lifting techniques, transfers, self-care skills, bed level care, use of client lifts and transfer devices, and managing falls. Click "Preview Caregiver Course" below to preview the lessons and descriptions.
