If a senior loved one is moving in with you, getting your home ready for them can be stressful, especially if they have a disability. If, for example, your loved one has a visual impairment, some of the needed modifications will quickly become obvious, but others may not be so obvious. In order to systematically address the full range of changes that need to be made to the home before the newest resident arrives, explore these resources to help the process:
Home Evaluation Checklist
VisionAware created the Environmental Evaluation Questionnaire to assist homeowners in making their homes safer and handicapped accessible. The online form is quite extensive and explores all areas of home safety including links for more information for each area of the home.
Areas addressed in the online form and attached links include safety in each room of the home, the use of color contrast, basic safety tools, and lighting. Beyond this form, the overall website is also very informative for families looking to make their homes accessible for those with visual impairments.
Making Life More Livable: Simple Adaptations for Living at Home After Vision Loss (paperback)
Maureen A. Duffy created this large print guide for home modifications that the average homeowner can do on their own. The book includes full-color illustrations of each modification as it explores a room-by-room home makeover. The third edition of the book also includes a detailed discussion about new technology to assist home living a guide to help avoid falls, and independent living products.
Livable Communities Tool Kit
The AARP has created a full set of online tools to assist homeowners in creating spaces that are livable for those who have disabilities or are aging. These tools include guides for home modifications, directories for local professionals to help with building needs, and community organizations that help connect families to resources.
Resources for Living
The National Federation of the Blind created a database of resources that support community living for the blind. The resource lists cover just about anything you can think of from finding a place that can help create labels in braille for your home to home appliance guides.
Community Resources for the Aging
For those of you that are preparing your home for a parent or other family member to move in, resources from the National Association of Area Agencies of Aging include local agencies that may provide support for home modifications and durable medical equipment for the home.
If you are preparing to move an aging parent with a visual impairment into your home, creating a safe and livable space for them starts with a careful exploration for the needed modifications. Connecting with local resources can help ease both the evaluation of needs and the actual process of making your home accessible for someone with a visual impairment.
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