Vision impairment is one of the age related disorders mostly felt by elderly. Still several elderly people wish to stay alone and independently even if they are suffering from vision impairment. Nevertheless, some elderly choose to make some alternate arrangements to stay along but it cannot be considered as the right solution for everyone.
The ideal way to combat this situation is to evaluate your regular surroundings and make changes in your house and surroundings and it will enable you feel secure and comfortable, in spite of your vision loss. First step is to take a round of your house and conduct a survey of your surroundings. Examining and making changes in your home ambience is entirely a personal choice and based on individual requirement. It doesn’t have a set rule or theory to follow. To enable your house more comfortable you would need to answer following queries that are related to your regular routine and lifestyle:
- How will your vision loss affect your day today activities?
- What are the primary theories you should take into account when evaluating your environment at home?
- What safety measures should you implement?
- What types of regular activities you use to perform?
- What types of common remedies can you implement?
- What changes should you take care of, if you are suffering with some other kind of disability also?
How to Improve Lighting at Home
There are many primary principles for transforming a home more comfortable and cozy for someone with vision impairment:
Improve Visibility
- Provide sufficient lighting for any task you do.
- Cut down glare—light reflected from smooth and shiny articles–that interferes with vision.
- Accentuate contrast between articles and their background.
- Facilitate bright colors to make articles and corners–like door frames–conspicuously more visible.
- Use big and bold-print reading substances and tools to catapult use of your visibility.
Be Organized
- Manage your belongings in groupings.
- Store devices and supplies close to the place for which they are used.
- Always keep things back to place.
- Diminish clutter by throwing away unnecessary articles and finding places for other things.
Use Other Senses to supplement vision
- Learn to recognize places and articles by their sound and feel – this helps in recognizing things even when lights are dim
- Use tools that are sound and touch driven like a ruler with increased markings or a talking clock.
- Reduce background noises to make best use of your hearing.
Use Labels to identify articles quickly
- Use right labels to recognize articles that are tough to identify.
- Use wide, thick markers to make print labels for substances like cleaning devices, cans and drugs.
- Mark appliances at the generally used settings manifesting a labeling product that have bright and/or bulged dots.
- Use everyday items – such as ribbon, rubber bands, safety pins and electrical tape – that can be felt or are available in bright colors.
Safety First – take these basic precautions
- Replace, shift, or eliminate objects that can lead to tripping hazard often, like throw rugs, low tables, worn carpeting, and clutter of all types.
- Take steps to catapult visibility in portions where accidents are more prone to happen like thresholds or doors and stairways.
- Ensure cabinets and drawers are completely closed when not in use and chair are kept back in place i.e. under the table to ward off collision.
- Keep all flammable articles away from the gas stove.
- Follow manufacturers' safety directions when using halogen lamps or high-intensity lamps that generate comprehensive amount of heat and never facilitate a light bulb that goes beyond the suggested wattage of any light fixture.
Implementing these few tips can greatly enhance comfort level at home even if you have minor vision problems. It is always adviseable to visit a doctor in case of sever vision problems.
Information Source: Homemods, internet research