How do I Remodel a House to Make it Accessible After Hip Replacement Surgery?

As people get older, body parts often need to bet replaced. More than 168,000 people get a hip replacement every year. Hip replacement surgery can leave a person in a wheelchair or unable to get around their home for quite a while. Adaptations to the home are necessary in this situation. Modifications to a home can help the patient be more independent. It can be somewhat overwhelming to remodel a house for such a purpose. Many modifications, however, are inexpensive and easy to install.

Things You'll Need

• Ramp
• Safety grab bar
• Hand rails
• Assistant hand rail
• Safety rugs or mats

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Instructions

• 1

  Ramp

  Install a ramp at the entrance closest to the patient's transportation vehicle. If you have steps leading to your front door, you will need a ramp to make the entrance accessible for a wheelchair or a walker. The ramp should be about five feet wide to make sure there's room for the walker or wheelchair.

• 2

  Convert a lower room into a bedroom. If you have a two-story home, and all the bedrooms are upstairs, transform a downstairs room into a bedroom.

• 3

  Rugs

  Move any obstacles or furniture around to make enough room for a wheelchair to get through. If your home is cluttered with furniture, or you have a lot of obstacles like pet toys, make sure they're moved out of the way. Wheelchairs typically need a 60-inch circle to turn around. Rugs should be removed, as they can be a dangerous obstacle for someone using a walker.

• 4

  Safety medical equipment is necessary for the bathroom. One safety bar should be installed in the shower or tub to make it easier to get in and out. Assistant hand rails should be placed next to the toilet. These safety rails will assist the person as they sit down and when they stand up. A shower seat allows the person that has had a hip replacement to sit down while showering. A shower seat will ensure that the person does not slip and fall.

• 5

  An assistant handrail should be installed on the patient's bed. This rail will make it easier to stand up or transfer to a wheelchair when they have to get up.

• 6

  Install tread material to stairs. Stairs that have a tread on them will be easier for the person to get up and down stairs if they absolutely have to use them.

• 7

  Bath mat

  Place rugs around sinks and bathtubs. These are the only areas where rugs should be. Tile floor get very slippery when wet and can be a hazard for a person who has just had a hip replacement. Rugs should have a rubber or other nonskid backing to prevent sliding.