Accessibility

Making Your Home Accessible to Visitors

November 27, 2024
A person using a mobility aid approaches a walker on a ramp inside a building.

When it comes to welcoming guests into your home, you’ll likely want to ensure that you create an inclusive and safe environment for all. Whether you’re planning a large holiday gathering or just having coffee with a friend, you may be wondering if your home is accessible—particularly when it comes to senior visitors or those with mobility issues. 

Making your home accessible shows that you are caring and thoughtful. It also ensures your guests feel comfortable and safe—and that they’ll want to return. At 101 Mobility, we’re passionate about installing home modifications for visitors, making environments more accessible for those who need it most. From installing temporary accessibility modifications to considering more permanent adjustments, we’re exploring the ways in which you can make your home more comfortable for guests. We’ll also delve into the ways in which we’re here to help make it happen with our accessible home solutions.

Temporary Solutions for Accessible Home Visits

When it comes to making your home accessible to visitors, taking action doesn’t have to be daunting or overwhelming. In fact, sometimes the smallest of changes can make the biggest difference—and mean the most. There are a variety of temporary accessible home solutions capable of improving your home’s safety and comfort, particularly if a loved one or friend is visiting only for a short time. 

Portable Ramps

Portable ramps laid out on a concrete surface, near a raised step.

Portable ramps are a handy option when it comes to making homes wheelchair accessible. They can be moved to help with accessibility, particularly useful when dealing with hard-to-navigate obstacles such as steps or curbs. Installing temporary ramps for those who use wheelchairs, walkers, and power chairs shows you want to make it easier for your guests to navigate your home. Check out our multi-fold ramps, temporary accessibility modifications designed for easy transport.

Threshold Ramps

Black threshold ramp with a textured "Welcome" pattern placed in front of a doorway on a gray floor, next to a small plant.

Similar to portable ramps, threshold ramps are designed to help create a more accessible space. However, threshold ramps are usually smaller and better suited for locations with shorter heights, such as thresholds and doorways. They are also more of a semi-permanent solution, not typically meant for continuous relocation. Explore our rubber threshold ramps and aluminum threshold ramps that are perfect for making your home accessible to visitors.

Temporary Grab Bars

Split image showing a door grab bar on the left and a person holding a grab bar on the right.

Grab bars are an extremely practical addition to your space. Functioning as an extra area to hold onto, they provide stability and support for those who have issues with mobility. Temporary grab bars are often suctioned or clamped to walls or tiles, making them movable and able to be repositioned. They’re particularly a great addition for bathrooms, which can be especially dangerous locations for disabled guests. 

Additionally, renting or borrowing mobility equipment, like ramps and walkers, can be an easy and relatively inexpensive way to create a more accessible environment for visitors. At 101 Mobility, we offer a variety of rental options, so you can access the equipment you need, whenever you need it. Learn more or contact us for more information. We’re here to make this process as seamless as possible.

Permanent Home Modifications for Frequent Visitors

If you have a senior or loved one who struggles with mobility issues and frequently visits your home, you may want to consider implementing more permanent accessibility modifications to help with accommodating disabled guests.

Stairlifts

A stairlift installed on a residential staircase, featuring a seat with armrests and a control panel.

Does your frequent visitor struggle to get up the stairs? A stairlift can be an invaluable permanent option worth exploring. These mechanical seats are mounted to the staircase’s steps and ride along a rail, letting the user ascend the stairs in a much easier fashion. 101 Mobility has a variety of stairlifts available to meet a range of needs and homes, including straight stairlifts, curved stairlifts, and outdoor stairlifts

Platform Lifts

A person in a wheelchair uses a platform lift to access an elevated area next to a staircase inside a building.

If a close friend or family member uses a wheelchair, they will likely appreciate the availability of a platform lift. Also known as wheelchair lifts, these accessible home solutions are ideal for homes with space restrictions, allowing users to reach different levels and raised spaces with ease. Explore our inclined platform lifts and vertical platform lifts, ideal for making homes wheelchair accessible.

Grab Bars

While grab bars serving as temporary accessibility modifications may do the trick for short periods of time, permanent grab bars, like those offered at 101 Mobility, are often safer and more stable. As multi-purpose tools, grab bars can be applied to a variety of places in the home, but are a particularly useful option in locations where extra stability may be needed—including the bathroom. 

Ramps

Permanent ramps may also be ideal when looking for long-term accessible home solutions. Modular aluminum ramps are virtually maintenance free and can connect to a porch or directly to a doorway.

Elevator

Consider a home elevator when making your home accessible to visitors if you’re looking for a more convenient and aesthetically pleasing way for your guests to get up the stairs. 

While making sure your guests are comfortable is often of top priority, there are many other benefits to installing more permanent accessible home solutions. These tools can help other disabled guests who may visit down the line. They’ll also be there for you when you age as well, ensuring you have comfortable and safe solutions in place if you need them in the future.  

Making Entrances and Hallways More Accessible

Hallways can be a tricky area for those with mobility issues. In order to help with making your home accessible to visitors, you should focus on removing obstacles wherever possible, ensuring passages are easier to navigate. 

When accommodating disabled guests, widening doorways can greatly enhance accessibility, particularly when it comes to those with walkers, wheelchairs, and other mobility aids. A larger doorway allows guests to pass through more easily—and reduces the risk of accidents. A width of 32 inches is generally the minimum target in terms of better accommodating wheelchairs.

Adjusting your flooring can also make a world of difference. If possible, remove bulky rugs and thick carpets, opting for wood or tile slip-resistant flooring instead. This can make moving around safer—and smoother. In addition, lever-style door handles are often better for those with disabilities as traditional knobbed door handles can be difficult to grab and use. Lever-style handles require less grip strength, are more flexible, and can usually be opened more quickly and easily, even with one hand.

Creating an Accessible Bathroom for Visitors 

The bathroom can often be a tricky and dangerous place for those with disabilities, but it doesn’t have to be. Adjusting your bathroom can be a huge step in making your home more accessible—and in showing your guests you care. There are several home modifications for visitors you should consider incorporating into your bathroom. 

Grab bars can be added to your bathroom to assist with bathing, balancing, and more. Placing them in or around your shower or tub helps guests get in and out, reducing the fear of a fall and assisting with weakness. Grab bars are customizable, so they can be tailored to your visitor’s unique needs. Since up to 80% of falls in the home occur in the bathroom, these can make a big difference. Learn more about the importance of grab bars. 

In addition, shower chairs can help mitigate risks and make showering more comfortable and safe for your guests. Being able to sit while showering can make all the difference for those with joint pain, fatigue, and other mobility issues. Shower chairs can help with independence and confidence or are a great resource if you need to help your loved one bathe. Explore our options for showers and tubs, including the Shower Buddy SB3-T, Roll-In Shower Buddy Lite SB6C, and the Bathlyft

Need a little extra help? Learn more about the importance of improving bathroom safety in your home with accessible home solutions. 

Why Choose 101 Mobility for Your Accessibility Needs

We’re proud to be your local trusted experts when it comes to providing mobility solutions designed to make your home more comfortable and accessible. From professional installation and product rentals to customizable solutions and ongoing service, you can count on us to help make your home a more accessible place for all. Learn more about the solutions our experts can help install in your home. Plus, hear from customers who turned to us for help when enhancing their homes for accessibility:

“We just purchased a home, and needed a stair lift for a family member. Got the estimate and measurements done before closing, and accepted the estimate right after we closed. 101 was out within 2 days, and Michael had it installed and operational before noon. Really could not be more pleased with the 101’s service and the quality of the Bruno lift. I can’t recommend the Braselton office of 101 enough for their responsiveness and ease with which the whole transaction was accomplished.” -Gary E., 101 Mobility of Atlanta 

“This is a top notch team. From start to finish you know they are focused on customer service and delivering a high quality, safe product to meet your needs. We installed a ramp with a platform for my mother. She is thrilled with the outcome! Our installer, Matt, discussed each step before he started the work and because of his attention to detail, it’s just perfect. Thank you Donna, Tom, and Matt! You made this an excellent experience for my family.” -Debra L., 101 Mobility of Omaha 

Ready to get started with making your home accessible to visitors? Reach out to us for a free in-home consultation. We’ll help with accommodating disabled guests by making your home more comfortable and safe, one modification at a time. 

Making Your Guests Feel Welcome

When welcoming guests into your home, you’ll want them to feel comfortable. While this can be a bit trickier when it comes to preparing for disabled visitors, there are accessible home solutions that can help make this process much easier. At 101 Mobility, we have a wide range of temporary accessibility modifications and permanent solutions available to help improve your house’s comfort level—and make your disabled guests feel more at home. Explore our variety of products to find home modifications for visitors right for your situation and guests. Plus, learn more about accommodating disabled guests and loved ones this holiday season. 

You’ll never regret making your home more accessible to visitors, as you’ll ensure those you care about most are comfortable and protected. We’re here for you every step of the way with guidance and support, so you can make your home a safe environment for all. Schedule your free home assessment or contact us to get the conversation started. Upgrade your home today to give guests a helping hand—and give yourself peace of mind.