Making Your Home Low Vision Friendly

Imagine going from one room of your home to the next and the next without ever bumping into, knocking over, or breaking … anything. Every room’s well-lit and organized. There’s a nice balance of color contrast. It all feels custom made just for you and your level of vision. Well, this doesn’t have to live only in your imagination. Let’s make things easier to see, prevent injuries and make your home fit your needs, by making some simple changes. First of all, you don’t have to break the bank. Look for the simplest and most cost-effective ways to customize your living space.

Sometimes, just rearranging furniture or adding lighting can make a tremendous difference. Moving or getting rid of low tables, tables with sharp, pointed edges and all clutter goes a long way toward avoiding injuries, too. Keep delicate or valuable objects out of common pathways and areas so they are less likely to be knocked over or broken. And make sure everyone in your household knows not to move or rearrange any furniture or objects without letting you know. Ask them also to put things back in the same place whenever they remove them.

Naturally, lighting plays a very key part. Place lights in hallways, entry ways, tops and bottoms of stairways to get rid of shadows and tone down bright areas. And having continuous lighting throughout the home will prevent your eyes from having to readjust when moving from a dimly lit area to a brightly lit area.

Using dimmer switches also helps. You can then adjust the intensity of your light as needed. Also, pay attention to colors. Using highly contrasting colors throughout your home is a great way to make objects or furniture pieces stand out. For instance, if your bathroom walls are white, use dark colored towels. Use light colored containers on dark countertops and place a lamp or uniquely shaped, bright colored object on a nightstand or end table.

Another thing to consider is painting doorknobs, handles and door frames a contrasting color will make them easier to see. Take a look at Hadley’s workshops on lighting and contrast for other tips and ideas.

As you organize each room, do so one section at a time to make the process easier and more manageable. In your living room, rearrange furniture so that the back of your reading chair is against the window to use natural lighting.

To prevent tripping, tape down area rugs or get rid of them altogether. And, replace or repair worn flooring. For your hallways, use runners that contrast with the floor. Placing a chair closer to the television will make it easier to see. And you should position the TV so that it prevents glare on the screen.

Now, if you have stairs in your home, paint the top and bottom stairs and landings a contrasting color from the other steps. Remove or tape down electrical cords from pathways to prevent tripping. If they aren’t already there, install railings by all stairways. And if the existing handrails aren’t already a contrasting color that works for you, use paint or special anti-slip tape or hazard tape on the handrails. Do the same thing to the edges of the stairs and ramps. This special tape can be purchased online and in hardware and home improvement stores. Take a look at the resource list for additional information.

Moving into the kitchen, applying bright, contrasting colored tape to drawer handles and the edges of cabinet doors will make them easier to see. Another option would be to paint cabinet doors or cupboards a color that contrasts with the walls and countertops, applying contrasting tape on the handles to easily identify them from the cabinets. Make the settings on kitchen appliances easier to adjust by placing raised marks that you can feel, like bump dots. Take a look at the resource list for more tips like these.

If there’s one room that should be relaxing and stress free, it’s your bedroom. Now, if you have difficulty finding the light switch in the dark, use a touch lamp or wireless sound activated light switch to turn the lights on or off. Take a look at the resource list for more details about these options.

To hold lamps in place and avoid knocking them over, use heavy-duty Velcro or other heavy-duty adhesives. Velcro can be purchased online or in your local hardware store. See the resource list for other information.

And let’s not forget about the bathroom. There may be a few changes to consider here too. For instance, you can install a toilet seat that contrasts in color with the toilet and wall. And using soap of a contrasting color to your sink will make it easier to find if, or make that when, it gets dropped. Use containers of contrasting colors or different shapes to store your soap, hair products, and other bath products. Another idea is to use a wall mounted shower organizer that contrasts with the tub and shower walls.

Make the tub easier to see by placing a bathmat inside it that contrasts with the color of your tub and floor of your bathroom. Of course, the mat should have a textured surface to prevent slips, and suction cups on the bottom to keep it in place. You could also place a strip of contrasting tape along the edge of the tub.

As always, contact a learning expert if you have questions or your own tips to share. Of course, as with anything new, give yourself time, patience, and practice and you’ll get there.