What are typical modifications that I can add to a house to increase the accessibility and make it more “user friendly”?
Modifications are often installed to increase the safety of the home, and to help older residents maintain their independence. People most frequently make modifications to their bathrooms, followed by installing ramps, widening doorways, and changing features in their kitchens. Bathroom modifications include installing grab bars around the bathtub, the shower and the toilet; adding hand-held showers; adding transfer benches to the tub or shower; replacing bath tubs with curbless showers; and replacing knobs on water faucets with levered handles. If a person can no longer negotiate steps into a home, then a ramp can be installed at one of the entrances. It needs to be located where the door is wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair or other mobility aid, and where it will provide access to parking.
