Ron SmithPublished on AIP - The Home Assessment Series: Safely Entering and Exiting Your House
When considering safety factors, look for good visibility, excellent lighting, accessibility and no trip hazards. Be sure that your address numbers are clearly visible from the street to aid guests and first responders. Walkways to doors should be void of trip hazards, such as, uneven stones or raised concrete joints. Shrubbery should not interfere with walkways. Outdoor lighting should have sensors that can either detect motion or turn themselves on at dusk and off at daylight. Walkway lighting will help to avoid potential hazards. Lighting fixtures should point downward to avoid shadows and should be frosted to help reduce glare.
Stairs should have step risers of equal height with each being about 8 inches high. Sturdy handrails should be 1 ½ inches thick, be on both sides of the stairs and extend beyond the top and bottom steps to provide proper support for approaching or exiting. Steps should be deep enough and wide enough to accommodate the person and a mobility aid. Visual clues provided by proper lighting or color changes help to define each step. Individuals who cannot safely navigate stairs may need a ramp or a lift to reach the entrance. Ramps or lifts need to be properly designed and constructed by an experienced, licensed contractor.
The entrance door should be at least 36” wide or able to be that wide with the use of special offset swing clear hinges. The door should swing inward to avoid having to step backwards. The entrance door threshold should be flat or no more than ½” high on either side of the threshold to avoid surprises when stepping through or a tripping hazard when exiting. Note: that if you are able to achieve a zero-step threshold (i.e. a flat threshold) you need to be sure the porch/landing/pathway leading to the door slopes away from the door sufficiently for water to flow away from the door to avoid flooding. You might need to hire a contractor to improve the existing threshold or sometimes you can install temporary rubber transition threshold ramps to smooth out the transition. They should be wide enough and tapered sufficiently to provide a safe three-sided approach or departure on both sides of the doorway. ero-step thresholds are important to avoid tripping and permit easier access for wheelchairs and walkers for the resident or friends visiting the house.
The door should have a lever-style handle for ease of use. On the inside, the door should have a security slide chain and a peephole viewing port or a porch/doorbell camera for observing who is outside. Make sure that flooring inside and outside of the door is slip resistant. A key lock box for first responders is a great idea.
It is helpful if the front entrance is covered from weather to help avoid slippery or dangerous conditions in bad weather. A shelf or a chair near the front door can provide a place for a person to rest or put down packages while looking for keys to unlock the door. For some residents, an electronic lock may ease the entry process or provide a back-up when a key is lost or forgotten.
Keep in mind that some entrances may eventually require modifications, such as the ramp or a lift mentioned above when a person’s mobility becomes more limited necessitating a safer approach to the entrance. Also, keep in mind that an alternate entrance may be more feasible than modifications to the primary entrance. For example, it may be easier to enhance access by utilizing an entrance from the garage into the house instead of using the primary entrance. All entrances and exits should be analyzed for safety provisions and accessibility in case they may be needed as an alternate entrance or an emergency exit at some time.
(Source: AARP HomeFit Guide at aarp.org/homefit.)
Ron Smith is a Maricopa resident and an aging-in-place advocate. He is also a member of the Age-Friendly Maricopa Advisory Committee and a member of the Maricopa Senior Coalition.
