When did you realise your home wasn’t quite right for an ageing parent?

Daniel_otis

I live with my parents in a fairly ordinary house and it’s only in the last couple of years that I’ve started to notice how many little things make life harder for my dad as he gets older and less steady on his feet.

Nothing feels “terribly wrong” with the house, but there are stairs, awkward corners and a bathroom that clearly wasn’t designed with someone his age and mobility in mind. I sometimes find myself wondering if we’re adapting soon enough or just reacting whenever something becomes a problem.

PracticeWotUPreach

We left it far too late with my dad, if I’m honest. For a long time he was just “a bit unsteady on his feet” and had the odd trip or fall, but we didn’t realise how quickly things can change. One day he had a bad fall that injured his lower leg, and sadly it couldn’t be saved. He ended up needing an amputation. He was diabetic which made his recovery even harder.

While he was recovering in hospital, we finally adapted the house — rails, bathroom changes, safer flooring, clearer walkways, all the things we should have done earlier. I suppose I can’t help thinking that if we’d acted sooner, maybe things would have turned out differently.

I don’t say this to scare anyone, I just want to share my own experience. Making small adaptations early on can make such a big difference to someone’s safety, dignity and independence.