Open your doors to the disabled and let the good times roll
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| Image source: free digital photos.net/cooldesign |
A change of
scenery, new experiences, new people – vacations relieve the stress of everyday
living and energize the spirit. We all need them occasionally, but
none more so than the disabled.
If you are a vacation home exchanger who
welcomes disabled people – including the elderly -- with accommodations and
amenities suited to their special needs, you own a special place in their
hearts. And you know what it does for yours.
By all means highlight your accessibility features
in your property listing. Update your listing if necessary by revisiting the
tick options and checking “Disabled friendly.”
If you have a lift in your home, there is a new tick option for that.
There is a growing demand, stoked by aging
baby-boomers, for homes that are wheelchair or walker accessible. If you’ve
thought about modifying your home, perhaps for your own Golden Years, be
assured it’s a worthwhile investment that will enhance your property’s value in
addition to serving you well. And, of course, it will open new possibilities as
a home exchanger.
Assess your accessibility. If your house is single
story with no stairs, has enough room for a wheelchair to get through the
doors, roll down the halls and negotiate turns in the bathroom, you may only
need relatively minor modifications or renovations.
On the other hand, if your house is two stories
tall, has stairs inside and out, and no bedroom or full bath on the main floor,
you’d better call a good contractor. Or at least install an entrance ramp and
an inside lift.
Easy access,
convenience and safety are the bathroom considerations and may require the
greatest remodeling. The shower should be walk-in with a seat and
no doors. Tubs should be walk-in as well, also with a seat. Both need safety
bars, grips and non-slip floors. Wheelchair-high
toilets make for easy transfer on and off, along with handles and grab bars within
easy reach. And a low sink that a wheelchair can roll under is also a helpful
feature.
Adapting kitchens to allow someone in a wheelchair to
operate the stove, prepare food at the counter, or reach dishes in the cabinet
can also be an expensive proposition. But unless you plan to include all the wheelchair
aids necessary for independent living, you could minimize changes here; realistically
expecting that anyone who is wheelchair bound will be traveling with relatives,
friends or caregivers who can at least handle the kitchen duties.
This IVHE property on the Caribbean island
of Tobago
If you are a physically-challenged person, or have hosted
people with special needs, share some of your vacation experiences with us,
particularly regarding housing accommodations, in the comments section of this
blog.
If you are not a member of the International Vacation Home
Exchange, find out more about us at www.ivhe.com.
especially if you have a vacation home equipped for the disabled traveler.
Blogsmith: Mike
DiPrima
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