Handrails on both sides of stair-wells and on front and rear steps. Movable shower heads for those who must sit. Portable shower seats. Widened doors to accommodate wheelchairs. Ramps for those using walkers and wheelchairs.
Seniors fail to make such necessary home improvements for many reasons.
Obstacles to action include lack of awareness of the possibility or the need for changes, fear of contractors, inability to find help for small jobs, lack of knowledge, physical inability to do the work themselves, and denial or reluctance to admit that the layout of their home has or could become an obstacle to their continued functioning. Lack of money may also be a problem, but households may be eligible for services and loans from local government and housing agencies, and households with equity in the home can turn to a reverse mortgage. The First National Conference on Home Modifications, sponsored by the Center for Accessible Housing and the North Carolina Assistive Technology Project in conjunction with the 1993 National Association of Home Builders' Remodelers Show, spurred interest in these home design issues. AARP has developed an extensive resource guide on home modifications, complete with a video supplied free of charge to nonprofit and other organizations that reach out to seniors. The resource guide also identifies local agencies that are able to assist sen-iors in planning home modifications and finding resources to fund the modifications.