When it comes to making your house a home, many people focus on hanging pictures or selecting the perfect furniture. Some people may be concerned with the colours of the walls, others need to look deeper—considering the width of doorways, the height of counters, or the placement of furniture.

However, for individuals who are elderly or living with disabilities or mobility challenges, a comfortable home is about much more than aesthetics. It’s about accessibility and ensuring the property is tailored to individual needs, helping to reduce risks in their living environment. This is where a home safety risk assessment is recommended, helping to identify and address potential hazards that could compromise accessibility or independence.

What is a home safety risk assessment?

A home safety risk assessment is a process which helps you identify potential hazards in your home, specific to your physical needs. It can be big things, like the hallway width or height of your kitchen bench, as well as smaller things like unsupportive chairs or furniture.

Some things a home safety risk assessment will look at include:

  • Any obstacles inhibiting your access or liveability
  • Any trip or fall hazards
  • Areas which are difficult to use or navigate
  • Furniture or aides which are causing pain or discomfort
  • Areas which could be improved to support further independence at home

A good home safety assessment should look at how well your home accommodates your unique needs. The goal is simple: to make your home more accessible to help you move around with confidence and independence.

Home safety checklist

You might already be aware of the big areas of your home which need modifications, but often the smaller things can make a big difference as well. Sometimes though we don’t know where to start or what to fix first, which is why we’ve created this home safety checklist for you to complete.

The questionnaire should take you 10 minutes to complete and covers all areas of your home to better assess and resolve your safety hazards at home.

How safe is your home?

Receive your free home safety checklist

Why choose Enabled Designs?

Once you’ve completed your checklist, we go beyond simply assessing risks—we partner with you to create a home that meets your unique needs.

Here’s what sets us apart:

  • Tried and tested: Our team of skilled Occupational Therapists focuses on disability and aged care, bringing over 15 years of experience to achieve exceptional solutions.
  • Tailored recommendations: We recognise that no two homes—or individuals—are the same. That’s why we offer fully customised plans that meet your specific needs to help accessibility.
  • Client-focused care: Your independence and well-being are at the heart of everything we do. Every recommendation is designed to support your quality of life and make daily tasks easier.
  • Informative advice: Navigating the NDIS or aged care systems can be challenging, we’re here to guide you through the process and aid you in accessing the support and funding you need to create a home that truly works for you.

How Enabled Designs can help?

The Enabled Designs team is made up of passionate and dedicated Occupational Therapists who work alongside people with disability and the elderly to help improve their everyday living and maximise their independence.

We work in peoples’ homes to identify risks and hazards and provide recommendations to support your accessibility and independence at home.

Here are some examples of how our team can help:

  • James* identified his bathroom as a fall hazard for him due to his unsteadiness on his feet. Our team can assist James by recommending grab rails be installed throughout his shower and bathroom to aid him move around the room with confidence.
  • Ashleigh* has trouble using the bathroom because of the height of the toilet, which causes her discomfort in sitting and standing. Our team can support Ashleigh by installing higher toilet seats to help reduce the distance she needs to sit and achieve safety and maintain independence.
  • Amber* lives alone and finds it hard to get up and down to adjust her appliances and amenities, including lights and fans. Our team can guide Amber by recommending assistive technology throughout her home so these adjustments provide assistance to do life with ease.

We can support you through every stage of understanding your home assessment, making the required changes and providing documentation and support to navigate and claim eligible upgrades and products through your NDIS or aged care package.

Contact our friendly, qualified team today.

 

Disclaimer

All information is general and not intended as a substitute for professional advice.

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