How to Build a House for People With Arthritis

People with arthritis commonly struggle with everyday tasks, such as opening doors, opening the refrigerator and opening and closing cabinets. People who suffer from arthritis who are lucky enough to have the opportunity to build a custom home should ensure that the home is built to meet their unique needs and to make their lives as painless as possible. This can be greatly beneficial for the quality of life of a person with arthritis.

Things You'll Need

• Oversized doorknobs
• Walk-in bathtub
• Wide, thick refrigerator and freezer door handles
• Oversized window locks
• Motion sensor lights

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Instructions

How to Build a House for People With Arthritis

• 1

  Install oversized doorknobs. Ideally, install knobs that are the size of a small grapefruit. A doorknob of this size does not require the joints of the fingers to bend very much, thereby making the door easier and less painful to open. Install a doorknob gripper on all the doors if the door knob is difficult to turn even with the large size.

• 2

  Install walk-in bathtubs. This allows the user to walk into the bathtub and take a seat. This reduces the required movement of the user, making it much more comfortable to use, especially on days when the user has a flare-up.

• 3

  Install wide, thick handles on the refrigerator and freezer doors to make them easier to open and close. People with arthritis tend to have a difficult time gripping thin, narrow things.

• 4

  Install oversized locks on the windows. These tend to be difficult to locate, so create an oversized lock by attaching a long, thick lever to the lock if necessary. This will make the windows easier to lock and unlock.

• 5

  Install motion sensor ceiling lights or lamps throughout the home. Tasks that involve working with small appliances, such as light switches, can be difficult for a person with arthritis.