Room by Room: Evaluate and Modify Your Home Environment

To make your home safer and to make it easier for you to perform everyday tasks, first read Home Modifications [1] for tips on lighting, color, and contrast, and then use our Home Evaluation Survey [2] to find tips and suggestions on making each room safer and more accessible.

After completing your home evaluation, use the following General Safety Considerations and Room By Room Hints to modify specific areas within your home.

Steps and Stairways

Try to keep your stairways free from clutter and don't use your steps and stairs as storage areas.
Use non-slip treads on step surfaces.
If you have low vision, mark the leading edge of the first and last steps with bright paint or light-reflecting tape that contrasts with the background color of the flooring.
If you use tape, change it frequently and keep it in good repair.
A brightly colored and/or textured advance-warning strip can also indicate the presence of steps.
Please note: In many instances, it is not necessary to adapt each step. Placing a mark or indicator on the first and last steps is usually sufficient to indicate where a staircase begins and ends.
Cover the landing areas at the top and bottom of the stairs with carpeting or non-slip material that provides contrast with the texture of the stair treads.
If you have low vision, you can paint staircase handrails in a bright color that contrasts with the walls and flooring.
If possible, try to make handrails continuous on both sides of all staircases and make sure that they extend from the top step to the bottom step.
Place a tactual mark, such as a piece of masking tape or a rubber band, on the handrail at the top and bottom of the staircase to give advance warning of steps or stairs.
Use solid, brightly colored, and/or textured hallway or stair runners to clearly define walking spaces.
Keep runners in good repair, since frayed or uneven edges can create potential tripping and falling hazards.

Lighting, Glare, and Windows

Try to maintain continuous lighting levels throughout your home. If possible, install supplementary lighting in entryways, hallways, and at the top and bottom of each staircase to eliminate shadows or excessively bright areas.
Whenever possible, try to use a combination of fluorescent and incandescent lighting.
Install fluorescent ceiling fixtures for general room lighting, supplemented with incandescent, LED, or halogen lighting in desk lamps, table lamps, and floor fixtures.
Please note: Use precautions and follow the manufacturer's instructions when positioning halogen lights or lamps close to your body, curtains, or furniture. Halogen bulbs produce intense heat and can cause fire, severe burns, and personal injury if used incorrectly.
Use flexible-arm lamps for close work, such as reading, meal preparation, and writing.
Use nightlights to create a lighted pathway that can help you move from one room to another at night.
The position of each light source is also important to note. Since cutting the distance in half between the light source and the task creates approximately four times more light on the task or activity, examine your existing light sources and determine whether any can be moved closer to your work space or activity.
Install dimmer switches on incandescent lamps and ceiling fixtures to control illumination levels and glare.
Use mini-blinds or vertical shades to control direct sunlight and adjust for changing lighting conditions, according to the weather and time of day. They can also be used in combination with sheer or lace window coverings.
Try to avoid using light fixtures with uncovered light bulbs. Instead, use lamp shades that are light-colored and translucent; generally, this type of shade allows the maximum transmission of light.

Room By Room Hints and Suggestions

Kitchen and dining areas

Use white plates on a dark tablecloth, or place dark dishes on a white or light-colored cloth. If possible, avoid using clear glass cups and dishes.
Use brightly colored fluorescent tape to increase the visibility of drawer pulls and the edges of cabinet doors.
Use a large print timer with bold, black numerals on either a white or bright yellow background.
Paint cupboard or cabinet doors in a solid bright color to make them stand out against the walls and counters. Replace cabinet hardware with brightly colored contrasting handles.
Use brightly colored raised marking dots on the stove, oven, and microwave controls to allow you feel and adjust them more easily. These markings can also create contrast with the background color, if you have low vision.
Wrap brightly colored contrasting electrical tape around pot handles to make them more visible.
If you're ready to buy new pots and pans, select them in colors that contrast with your stovetop.
Reduce glare by using a non-glare floor wax, installing mini-blinds in windows, using non-glossy placemats and tablecloths, and placing rugs (with the edges secured) over glare spots on high gloss floors.
Use a reversible black and white cutting board to provide contrast. For example, onions, potatoes, and yellow squash will show up more clearly on the black side, while the white side will provide greater contrast with tomatoes and green vegetables.
You can find this reversible black-and-white cutting board at Adaptive Technology Consulting, Inc. [3]

In the bathroom

When towels, washcloths, and bath mats need replacing, purchase solid colors that contrast with the tub, floor, and wall tile.
Select a toothbrush with a dark handle that contrasts with the white or light-colored sink and countertop.
Float a brightly colored sponge in the bathtub to help determine the water level and avoid overflow.
Transfer soap, shampoo, and other bath products to brightly colored plastic bottles or wall-mounted containers that contrast with the tub and wall tile.
Use soap-on-a-rope or a wash mitt with a soap pocket to help you locate your soap more easily and prevent you from slipping on it or dropping it in the tub or shower.
Place a contrasting non-skid mat in the shower or tub to prevent falls. It can also provide a cue for judging depth perception. Check the mat regularly for signs of wear.
Drape a dark towel over the seat of a light-colored bath chair to make it easier to see.
Use a contrasting, non-slip rug immediately outside the tub or shower and keep non-skid slippers nearby.
Drape a contrasting bath mat over the edge of the tub or apply a strip of contrasting colored tape along the entire edge of the tub to make it easier to see.
For additional safety and security, install grab bars by the toilet and in the shower and tub area. Wrap them with brightly colored non-slip contrasting tape to make them more visible in case you need to reach out quickly.
Don't use the soap dish, towel rack, or toilet paper holder in place of grab bars. They can pull out of the wall if you lean on them too heavily.
Replace a white toilet seat with a brightly colored one that contrasts with the walls and fixtures.
Hint: To adjust the water temperature, turn the cold water on first, and then add hot water until you reach a water temperature that comfortable for you. You can also lower the temperature on your water heater or use a scald-free adapter for the shower or tub.
Hint: Don't store medications or medical equipment in the bathroom. Heat and humidity can affect their safety and reliability.

Bedrooms and closets

Use a bedside lamp with a "clap-on" feature, or one that you can activate by simply touching the base.
Place a small lamp just inside the door of your bedroom and switch it on to help you find your bedside light.
Install flexible-arm lamps wherever you need them for reading or identifying clothing and medication.
In closets, install battery-operated lights that can be mounted on the wall.
Attach a bed caddy to the side of the bed to hold your eyeglasses, medication, and tissues.
Anchor all of your lamps in place so that you won't knock or pull them over.
Make it a habit to close closet doors or dresser drawers immediately after you use them.
Maintain a clear, clutter- and obstacle-free pathway between the bedroom and the bathroom.

In the living room

Is the lighting too dim, too bright, or does it cover too small an area? If so, consider increasing the wattage of your light bulbs (within recommended limits), repositioning lamps, or adding additional lighting.
Add dimmer switches to your lamps so that you can vary their light intensity as needed.
If your living room drapes block natural daylight, consider using adjustable blinds or lighter translucent curtains.
Try rearranging the furniture so that your reading chair is positioned to take advantage of the natural sunlight.
Reposition your television to reduce glare on the screen.
If your coffee table or end tables have glossy surfaces, cover them with a cloth or placemat to minimize glare.

Making Life More Livable: Simple Adaptations for Living at Home After Vision Loss (Paperback)

The essential guide for adults experiencing vision loss is an invaluable resource for families and friends.

Full of practical tips and illustrated by numerous photographs, this easy-to-use resource shows how people who are blind or have low vision can continue living independent, productive lives at home on their own.

Useful general guidelines and room-by-room specifics provide simple and effective solutions for making homes accessible and everyday activities do-able for individuals with visual impairments. Find ordering information in the VisionAWARE Bookstore [4].

Resources for Home Modification

The following links and resources can help you when you begin to modify your home: