As an adult with disabilities, making your home and other places you frequent accessible is a great help in your everyday life and a signal to others with accessibility needs that your spaces are safe and welcoming. But, as you no doubt know, getting accessibility features installed or added in any space can be time-consuming, difficult for you to do on your own, and above all, expensive. Luckily, there are many budget-friendly accessibility features that you can purchase, find, or make yourself available to make your home more comfortable and convenient for you, your loved ones, or your guests. To help make your spaces more inclusive without breaking the bank, here are four budget-friendly DIY accessibility projects to check out—
Ramps
One of the simplest and most important accessibility features you can add to your home is a ramp. This will help provide easy access to your home for individuals using wheelchairs, walkers, or anyone who has trouble navigating stairs. While there are professional options for installing a ramp, you can make one yourself using easily found items from your local home improvement store. All you need is some plywood or lumber of the right size and thickness to create a sturdy and reliable ramp. You can either secure it permanently to the ground or make it a transportable ramp for on-the-go accessibility. Remember that you should set the ramp at a gentle incline to ensure it is easy and safe for all who need it.
Non-Slip Flooring
For many individuals with disabilities, slipping and falling is one of the biggest concerns regarding their homes and other spaces. While you can use your mobility aids to help keep you steady, a way to help prevent this at all times is to install a non-slip flooring option. The most budget-friendly options take the form of non-slip mats under rugs to keep them from moving and prevent you from tripping on them, as well as grip mats that go right over your current flooring. These mats, often made of rubber, can help your feet and mobility aids grip the ground and keep you safe. They can be found at nearly any home improvement store.
Furniture Risers
Another concern many individuals with disabilities may have is having to bend down to access tables, chairs, and couches. This can be a safety hazard for folks with back injuries, vision inhibitors, mobility issues, and much more. A great way to help with this is to install furniture risers. These are often small plastic or rubber stilts that slip right onto the legs of your existing furniture to raise them to your desired amount. These can help make your lower surfaces more accessible so individuals in wheelchairs can easily transfer to another chair or couch.
Rearranging Your Home
When going around your home, do you often feel like you have to be extremely careful? Are there rooms you tend to avoid because they feel cramped or difficult to navigate? While you may think there is nothing exactly ‘inaccessible’ about these places, it is possible that the very setup of your furniture and rooms altogether is the problem. A good way to address this is to go through each room in your house and analyze your pathway. Would it be better if the furniture was closer so you have something to grab? Is your path too small and not allowing your mobility aids to get through easily? Consider these things, and once you’ve concluded, go ahead and rearrange your spaces with a loved one or on your own to make sure each room is as accessible as possible.
Whether you are living with disabilities, taking care of a disabled loved one, or want to make your home more inclusive, these budget-friendly accessibility projects can make a huge difference in how independently you or your loved ones live their lives. At Delta Center, we believe that everyone deserves the care and accessibility they need without the steep costs. This is why we created the Durable Medical Equipment Exchange Program, where low-income individuals with disabilities can access lightly used, high-quality medical equipment at no cost. If you fit the income guidelines, this program allows you to access all kinds of equipment that would normally cost hundreds to thousands of dollars to rent or buy. This includes equipment like wheelchairs, safety rails, walkers, wheelchair cushions, and so much more. Please see our page here for more information on the equipment exchange program. We are committed to making accessibility and independence reachable for everyone, regardless of their disabilities or limits.