(Collaborative post) Regular readers will be aware that I write about property quite often having plenty of experience in the field. This post combines two topics, property, with a medical theme. Decorating Tips for those with Brain Injuries is both important and helpful as information for this topic appears to be lacking online.
A brain injury can completely turn a family’s life upside down. As one might imagine, it doesn’t just affect the person to whom it happens, it also has an impact on their friends and family too. There will be many things in their life that will never be the same again. Naturally, changes will be required. One of the areas that alterations will need to be made are within the home to allow it and it’s contents to be easily accessible and useable.
Brain injuries can be pretty scary, and for anyone that has suffered one, or has a family member with one, it can be quite terrifying. Although life will change, there are ways to make things less of a struggle. They can still live a happy and fulfilled life, despite the changes.
How Can a Brain Injuries Impact Daily Life?
The types of brain injury, be it from birth or later on in life can range from mild to severe. Those with moderate cases may have trouble with motion in certain limbs, they may struggle to talk as easily as they once used to, and may find it difficult to move around and pick things up. That said, they may not require many home adaptations and should be able to get on just fine in the average home.
For those that have a more severe injury, the symptoms are far more life-changing. It may result in partial or complete paralysis and possible mental deficits. Not only might they require a wheelchair and adaptive technology, but they may also need round-the-clock care. Living in a “normal” home might be tricky. For example, some individuals might struggle to:
Get through doorways and hallways with a wheelchair.
Work switches, be it light switches, plugs, or home appliances.
Use the bathroom or shower without help.
Enjoy their usual downtime activities, like reading, gardening, or watching television.
Get to and from home for any appointments, engagements, and errands.
Home Adaptations for those with Brain Injuries
These are important to enable the individual to start living their life as independently as possible again. Changes such as furniture, home layout, technology, and new installations can truly be the difference between living and LIVING!
This post will look at the various ways that the home can be adapted to make day-to-day life for a person with a brain injury easier.
Useful home adaptations to help might include:
Handrails and Shower Seating
First and foremost, they may have trouble with their motor skills. This means they can struggle to use the toilet or shower without assistance. Handrails and shower seating will provide just that. This way, the person can get in and out without the risk of slipping, and can hopefully do so without human assistance.
Providing a Properly Working Heating System
Studies show that a traumatic brain injury can lead to changes in blood flow. This can cause poor circulation and they’ll feel colder than the average person. Installing a good heating system, or making sure your current system works properly, is vital. Doing so will ensure the comfort and safety of the person is prioritised.
Installing a Stairlift
Someone who is disabled will obviously find it difficult to get up and down stairs without any assistance. They may choose to live in a bungalow or ground floor flat. However, it can be pretty hard to find something appropriate at the drop of a hat. Instead, installing a stairlift may be the answer. This way, you can stay in the home you’ve always been in, maintaining the comforts you know and love, but can get up and down each floor a lot easier.
Widened Doorways and Hallways
Whether you can get around yourself with a wheelchair, or you’re a 24-hour carer of an individual and need to push them around the home, accessibility is essential. Most homes, however, don’t have very accessible doorways and hallways, so widening these for a wheelchair may be required. This can be expensive, which is where any potential benefits or compensation will come in handy to renovate.
Adding Ramps Throughout the Home
Similarly, ramps also improve accessibility, especially for those in a wheelchair. For example, you might have certain rooms that change flooring between doorways, and it can be stiff to get your wheels over it. Or, you might have a step out of the house to get outside. Installing ramps, small and large, throughout the home will address any accessibility issues. This is probably one of the cheapest ways you can adapt the home, rather than having to move.
Accessible Power Outlets
For someone with partial or complete paralysis, the usual home appliances, like light switches and plugs, might be too difficult to access. In many homes, plug sockets are tucked away low down behind furniture, and light switches up high out of reach. Rejigging the system, so that both can be easily and safely accessed is paramount, even just an extension cord for plugs can be invaluable.
A Smart Home System, and Other Assisted Technology
A smart home system might be extremely useful for those with restrictions. Such products use voice recognition to control household gadgets. They can really help make life far easier. Some smart home systems can even control household appliances, like blenders and ovens.
Not everyone has the budget for a smart home, so installing assisted technology throughout the home is a great alternative. Some great examples of these sorts of technology include book stands, voice recognition software, hand grips for picking things up and closed captioning for movies and TV programmes etc.
Rehabilitative Equipment, Inside and Outside
Someone with a moderate brain injury may require the need for rehabilitation. This way, they can train the body to get back to some sort of normality. This can require months of tailored exercises. No one wants to be travelling to and from the physiotherapist all the time for this. Installing the correct equipment into the home, where the person has the means to do so can be of great benefit. Then they can rehabilitate in the comfort of their own home and keep up with exercises as much as possible daily on their own or with assistance depending on severity.
Gardening Equipment for Disabilities
Getting outside is a great way to enjoy a change of scenery, get some fresh air, exercise and destress. There may be certain tools that are of value to aid in gardening. Examples include a seated lawnmower, a garden seat for planting, long-reach tools etc.
To Summarise
There are various things to consider when adapting a home for an individual with a brain injury. These adjustments can make day-to-day life easier. Sometimes it takes a while to decide where to make these changes so don’t rush into them too soon.
What changes would you suggest to make daily living easier for anyone with such an injury? Or, which of these suggestions do you think would be most helpful to those with brain injuries?
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Written by Melanie Edjourian.
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There is so much to consider. My nan had a fall a couple of months ago and has had to have a few modifications at home. This is a very useful post.
There sure are. I’m sure some were considered when adjusting things for your nan. I hope she recovers soon.
This is really great advice. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to live with a brain injury but by adapting so well, life could be much more manageable x
Changes to the home can really make life much easier for these individuals.
Some fantastic ideas here. We’ve had a family member go through this and it’s amazing what adaptions can be made.
I’m sorry to hear that. It really is amazing what can be done to make their lives easier.
Seems like there is plenty of adaptations you can make to your home to allow for those with brain injuries to lead a semi normal life.
There are a number of adaptations that can help. They make recovery/daily living easier.
This post is really detailed ad very informative. I had no idea about how to make life easier for those suffering from brain injuries till now.
Hopefully, it won’t be something that you’ll need to worry about. If you do though there is now some information that will prove useful.
Wow, there is so much to think about in terms of making everyday things accessible and usable for those with disabilities that I just wouldn’t have thought about before! You know, you go out to a shopping centre and see ramps, rails and disabled toilets and think that’s it, but it’s really not.
They need space for wheelchairs to get through as they can come in all shapes and sizes, and I NEVER would have thought about voice control for TVs and things like that, for those who struggle to use their arms and hands.. and easy to use garden tools to allow them to still continue their favourite hobbies too! This truly is such an eye opening post!
For someone like me, who is trying to get brain surgery in the future to fix my epilepsy, and runs the (very slight, but still there) risk of ending up with an injury from the surgery, it’s good to know that these items exist – but also quite a shock at just how life-changing a brain injury can be, to the person with the injury, and to everyone else around them.
It’s not something most even think about. Hope the surgery goes well Indya x
There are a variety of ways to help aid someone with a disability or an impairment. I would probably say that the smart home system would be a great for those adapting to their everyday life.
It sure is a great way to make things easier.
It’s thoughtful of you to share this post. The various ways that the home can be adapted to make day-to-day life of a person with a brain injury easier, warrants good attention. The details are engaging.
There are many things that can help. These are the main areas but you can do so much more.
I wouldn’t have thought of this, so you gave me some much-needed perspective. Thank you! Great post.
Thanks for visiting Nkem.
I could not even think how hard a brain injury would be to deal with so anything that makes things easier is a plus x
It sure is. It helps to know what may help make their lives easier.
I love this post. My husband has mobility issues and because of that, he can no longer go up and down the stairs.We have moved to the bedroom on the first floor which is half the size of the room we had upstairs. I also keep everything he needs near his bedside so that he won’t be trying to get up and risk a fall.
Aaahhh thanks Kristine. It is important to make sure everything is easily accessible.
A very informative post. You have incorporated a lot of information and covered lots of areas.
Thanks Frankie x
I can imagine you need so many adaptions if you have a brain injury. So many things here that you would not have even thought of!
Tell me about it. We don’t even think about how much life can change. It’s good to have ways to make daily activities easier.
These are great decorating ideas. My first job in the nursing field was in a brain trauma unit. Their lives have changed drastically and this is so nice of you to bring life to these decor ideas.
We don’t really think about these sorts of things unless they affect us or someone we know. There doesn’t seem to be much useful info online so I thought with my property background I may be able to help.
I enjoyed reading this post because it was so informative. Thank you for sharing!
I’m glad you found it interesting Aaliziyah.
I can’t even imagine how hard it must be to have a brain injury, your life would completely change. Great tips for those that need it.