The holidays are when many families notice that Mom or Dad is moving a little slower than last year. Most people want to stay in their own home, and a handful of small, well-built upgrades can make that safer without turning the house into a hospital. Here is the list we work through when families in the Hudson Valley and western Connecticut call us before the winter sets in.
1. Grab bars where they actually help
A grab bar is only as good as what it is screwed into. A towel bar or a suction-cup bar will not hold a person's weight. Properly installed bars go into framing or into solid blocking, at the tub or shower entry, beside the toilet and anywhere someone stands up or steps over a ledge. Placement matters more than quantity, so we like to look at how the person actually moves through the bathroom first.
2. Handrails on every set of stairs
Inside and out, stairs should have a sturdy rail on at least one side, and two is better. The rail should be easy to wrap a hand around, run the full length of the flight and be anchored into framing. Front steps and basement stairs are the ones we see skipped most often, and they are the ones that get slick or dark in winter.
3. Better lighting, especially at night
Dim hallways and stairwells cause a lot of falls. Brighter bulbs, motion-activated night lights between the bedroom and bathroom, and switches at both ends of stairs and long halls make a real difference. Outside, a light at each entry means nobody is feeling for the lock in the dark.
4. Doors, locks and hardware that are easy to use
Round knobs are hard on arthritic hands. Lever handles are a quick swap. Sticking doors, loose thresholds and balky locks are also trip and frustration hazards, and they are usually simple to adjust or replace.
5. Remove trip hazards
Loose rugs, raised thresholds, cords across walkways and wobbly stair treads are all fixable. Anti-slip backing, flush transitions, cord management and tightening or replacing worn treads take care of most of it. If a room needs a brand-new floor, we install new flooring.
6. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Check that there is a working detector outside each bedroom and on every level, and replace any that are past their expiration date, which is printed on the back. It takes minutes and it is one of the most important jobs on the list.
7. Easier reach and a safer bathroom
Lowering a shelf, adding a shower seat or a handheld shower head, and installing a raised toilet seat are simple changes. If a larger bathroom remodel is on the table, a curbless shower is worth discussing.
We handle all of this as part of our indoor handyman services for homeowners in Putnam, Westchester, Dutchess, Fairfield and Litchfield counties, and we can knock out several items in one visit. Tell us what you are worried about and we will walk the house with you. Visit our indoor handyman services page or request a free estimate.