If you are a senior citizen, you know that aging brings challenges. One frequent challenge for elders is limited mobility. Some seniors are looking into accessibility products, such as handicap signs or license plates. Although those items don’t increase your mobility, they provide awareness of your need for additional assistance.
A product that provides additional features for mobility is purchasing new golf carts. These vehicles are less expensive than cars and are popular in retirement villages. According to Evolution Electric, these carts are safe because they don’t exceed 20 miles per hour. Other accessibility tools for disabled persons include a door opener button, which allows you to open handicapped entrances from your seat in a motorized wheelchair or golf cart.
In addition to mobility aids, many seniors need accessible products such as magnifiers to improve their reading ability or reaching devices to help them get to items on high shelves. Some seniors with a high fall risk will use bed rails to prevent them from falling from the bed. Elderly people who need more accessibility for bathing will often find it helpful to use a shower chair or bench to help them be safer while bathing.
There are many decisions that a senior needs to make when mobility becomes an issue. Perhaps one of the biggest decisions is that of transportation. Will the mobility struggles affect their ability to safely commute? In some cases, mobility concerns do not have to prevent transportation abilities. The following vehicle options can allow even those, with mobility concerns to hold onto their transportation abilities.
Handicap signs and plates
Handicap signs and plates can be obtained with a physician notice. If you can get your physician to provide you with a medical note, you can receive a handicap plate or sign from the DMV. This plate allows you to park in closer parking spots. Accessibility standards require that you always show your plate when parking. Otherwise, you are at risk of receiving a ticket and a large fine. This plate will allow you to park closer and in many cases, will give you a larger parking space which can be helpful for the bigger SUVs and vans that chair lifts for seniors require.
Wheelchair lifts of vehicles
Wheelchair lifts for vehicles can be helpful for easy transportation of wheelchairs and other mobility devices. Approximately 6.8 million Americans use assistive devices to aid their mobility. Wheelchairs tend to be larger and heavier and can be difficult to transport. The medical lift chair is similar to patient lifts, except that seniors can also operate the vehicle. They can use the wheelchair lifts for vehicles to get in and out of their vehicle.
Handicap door opener buttons
As technology continues to improve, so do mobility devices. Today, many wheelchairs are equipped with advanced technology. You can connect your vehicle, your wheelchair lift, and your garage door opener. When you pull into your driveway, you can open the garage with a single button, and pull in. From here, you can safely get back into your wheelchair and maneuver back into the house. The technological ability of today?s wheelchairs and wheelchair SUVs has greatly increased mobility for those with mobility difficulties.
On person emergency call systems
Another important advance in technology and mobility today is the on person emergency call system. For one thing, most people always have some type of technology on them at all times. Those with mobility problems can easily call for help from their cell phone. Additionally, emergency call systems are installed in the mobility device and the mobility SUV or van. By 2030, older adults (seniors) will account for roughly 20% of the U.S. population. These safety features will increase to include even more amenities and will become more important than ever before.
Handicap access ramps
Handicap ramps are very important for home and vehicle use. Many wheelchair lifts for vehicles are also equipped with onboard ramps. These ramps can easily be pulled out and pushed back into the SUV, improving the use of the mobility device. Additionally, handicap access ramps need to be built onto the front and back doors of the house. These ramps make for easy entrance and exit, especially for those seniors that come and go a lot.
With so many seniors relying on mobility devices today, handicap features are improving. In fact, seniors can even hold onto transportation abilities with handicap accessible SUVs and vans. Homes can be renovated to make handicap accessibility easier. According to HomeAdvisor?s 2016 Aging in Place Report, home service professionals say the top aging in place projects they have been hired to do include installing grab bars (71%) and adding entryway wheelchair ramps (54%). With increasing senior numbers, we can expect even more handicap accessible renovation projects.
