We all love the comfort and privacy of living in our own home, but for visually impaired people, a few changes might need to be made for them to enjoy an independent life fully. Choosing the right location is a critical factor. People with low vision can be more vulnerable to crime, and the neighborhood shouldn’t be too crowded. Las Vegas offers a wide range of options with every facility you might require and properties to suit every budget. Neighborhoods such as Silverado Ranch or Solis at Flamingo Road are well-established communities offering a safe, secure environment for visually impaired people
Whether you’re buying a home in Silverado Ranch in Las Vegas or remodeling your existing property, it’s pretty easy to make your home more convenient and accessible for partially sighted people. Here are some budget-friendly DIY ideas that will help someone with low vision enjoy their home.
Living rooms, stairways, and bedrooms
- People with low vision often find strongly contrasting colors very helpful. Painting the doors and door frames a paler shade than the walls will help a partially sighted person see them and whether a door is open or closed. Take extra care with glass doors: add colorful stickers or strips so that someone with low vision will see if the door is shut.
- It’s best to avoid rugs as they can cause people to trip. If you choose to have rugs, make sure that they don’t slide and that the edges are visible.
- Stairways: paint any banisters or handrails in a contrasting color. Make sure the steps are as visible as possible. How you do this will depend on the floor covering. For wood or concrete, you could paint a stripe on the side of each step. For a similar effect on carpet, apply heavy-duty tape in a color that stands out well.
- Avoid too many busy patterns. Simple blocks of color will be less confusing for people with impaired vision. Choose high contrast colors for bed linen, drapes, and soft furnishings so that a person can easily recognize them with a visual impairment.
Kitchens
High contrast helps to make your kitchen safer and more user-friendly. Opt for a countertop that contrasts with the utensils, cutting boards, and pans you place on them. Appliances such as stoves, washing machines, and dryers should also contrast with their surrounding work areas. For cabinets, dark handles on light cabinets or vice versa make it easier for anyone with low vision to identify them.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms can be a challenging area for the partially sighted, especially if the tiles and fixtures are all white. But these hints will help a person with low vision to retain their independence. Add colorful decals or stickers to the edges of sinks, tubs, toilets, and showers. A wooden or dark-colored toilet seat is another practical tip. Use accents of bright color with towels, mats, and blinds to make the room more accessible for the partially-sighted person.
Outside
One of the attractions of buying a property in Las Vegas is the pleasant climate, so it’s essential to make most outdoor spaces. The yard should be well cared for, with spacious pathways and no broken or cracked areas that might cause the person to trip. Cut back any overgrown plants or hanging branches that might cause an obstruction. Install an entry phone system if you don’t already have one, and make sure that the door handles contrast well with the woodwork. Solar lights along the pathway are an excellent idea to make it easier to identify after dark.
