Article - Making a House a Home From the Floor Up

For many of us, filling our first apartment or house with furnishings and creating our own decor was a statement of independence. The years passed, and now the carpeting is wearing out out, styles have change and we find ourselves reassessing our home surroundings. Because we're older and our families have grown, we start thinking about our environment differently, looking at designs more for comfort than for ambiance, convenience rather than character.

Gazing down the road a little further, instead of just changing the decor, you have an opportunity to assess your home for changes that could make maintenance and other daily tasks easier, like cooking or bathing. Making tasks easier now translates into greater independence later. Whether you are redesigning for yourself or for an aging family member, consider the physical and mental changes that are a natural part of the aging process. Then plan with those changes in mind. For example, include thinking about the flooring and pathways throughout the home. These are important decorative elements and even more important components for accessibility.

Redesign flooring for easier transitions from one room to another.

• Changes in floor surfaces require adjustments in gait that may present hazards. Therefore it is preferable to use the same flooring throughout as much of the home as possible.

  • Some experts recommend low pile carpeting, even in the bathroom. It softens falls and offers slip resistance, particularly in wet areas like the bathroom and kitchen. Thick carpeting is harder to maintain and it causes too much drag on wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, rollators and canes.

  • Tile flooring or wood treated with polyurethane may be lower maintenance, but could also be more slippery and have a higher glare level that could present visual problems. Consider rubber, cork, or matte wood surfaces instead.

  • Marble flooring may be beautiful but it is a very slippery surface. It just isn't safe enough to be considered luxurious anymore.

• Lower or remove thresholds. If there is still a difference in surface heights, consider threshold ramps that bridge the change in height more incrementally. This makes it easier to walk or roll from room to room.

• Eliminate throw rugs, area rugs and scatter rugs or at least use a non-slip backing underneath or tack them down to make them more secure. Replace worn carpeting, especially when it is frayed or has seams that have lifted.

Color and pattern on a floor can affect how we respond physically. Without thinking, we interpret visual flooring cues that tell us where to walk and when to lift our feet.

• Contrasting colors create the illusion of differences in height, providing a warning when the depth difference is real or creating a tripping hazard when it isn't. Shiny floors could appear slippery or disturb depth perception, making walking on these surfaces tenuous and therefore uncomfortable and unsteady. In addition, natural light from a window can cause glare on the shiny surface, making it difficult to see and navigate.

• Patterns can present an array of challenges. For people with impaired thinking, large swirls can be confused with rope, blotches of color can represent lint or trash to be picked up, contrasting blocks of color might confuse depth perception. These illusions can cause a person with Alzheimer's to hesitate when walking, sitting, or even become agitated or fearful. For people with visual impairments, these same patterns can make it difficult to tell where something begins or ends, causing tripping.

• Colors should be calming, rather than bright, preferably contrasting with the walls and molding to help prevent unnecessary bumps.

• Dark floors absorb a lot of light. A room with a very dark floor doesn't just feel darker, it is darker.

• It is difficult to see the edges on monochromatic steps. Make sure there are visual clues at the edge of each step and at the base of the stairs. For example, a railing the extends a little past the bottom step, providing a clue that there is another 'step' as well as something to hold onto for that step.

In addition to hallways, every room has a natural path that is traveled more frequently.

• Safety experts remind us to keep electric cords close to the wall and to remove small clutter from underfoot. For accessibility, however, clutter can also include large items that could be bumped into, like hampers, magazine racks, planters, hassocks, coffee tables and waste baskets. Find an out of the way place to store walkers and other mobility aids when not in use, so they don't create barriers.

• Furniture that has accumulated over the years can become a problem. If there are too many chairs, a pathway can become an obstacle course. Assess your true seating needs and eliminate the extra furnishings. Choose coverings that contrast to the flooring to provide visual cues and consider reducing fabric patterns that might cause confusion or distraction.

• If the furniture by the path presents a hazard, rearrange the room.

  • Furniture is sometimes used for support along the way, so be sure to clear the path of chairs that rock or swivel and furniture on wheels.

  • Lightweight dining chairs and standing lamps should not be relied on to assist with balance. Consider adding decorative handrails to the walls so you will have something that can't slip away from you if you start to lose your balance.

  • Padded furniture will provide more cushioning in the event of a fall.

• Remove or pad bumping hazards like sharp corners.

  • While concentrating on moving from here to there, it is easy to miss seeing things that protrude: door handles, counter and cabinet edges, shelves, poorly placed towel bars and grab bars.

  • Replace worn magnet closure mechanisms for cabinets in the kitchen and bath, so the doors stay closed.

• Don't trip over your own shadow! Even in the daylight, make sure that paths and hallways are properly lit to minimize false visual cues. Use photoelectric night lights or lamps on timers that automatically come on at dusk. Spotlights and lamp lighting can help to clearly indicate the right path.

• Make sure that all hallways and paths are accessible for you and your equipment or caregiver. This means a 4 foot radius to allow two people to walk side by side. Offset door hinges can widen doorway access to prevent scraped knuckles as you pass through with a walker. Or you might change room doors to pocket or French doors to maintain privacy while increasing access and making it easier to get to you if you fall behind the door.

Decorating your house to make it a home is a very personal thing. Sometimes the path between or within rooms is that last thing people think about. Don't overlook the contribution that appropriate flooring can make to your comfort and well being. Create pathways that are easier to navigate, easier to maintain and easier on the eyes. You'll enjoy the additional convenience, comfort and safety for years to come!

For other accessibility ideas, please take a look at our Home Assessment Surveys.

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