There are many reasons to celebrate the fact that we are all living longer. We all have our own little reasons, whether they might be spending time with grandchildren, retiring somewhere quiet or finally having the time to take up the hobby that you could never find the time for before during our hectic working lives. It is no mystery as to why retirement is so often referred to as a ‘second childhood’!
It is a sad but inevitable truth however that over time performing the simplest of things will slowly become more difficult. Getting up out of a chair, taking on a flight of stairs or carrying shopping up a hill will become more of a challenge than it used to be. It is a perfectly natural part of the aging process which despite being ultimately unavoidable should not take your independence or lust for life from you prematurely.
The Disability Discrimination Act was originally implemented in 1995 and paved the way for all public places (with few exceptions) to be accessible to people with mobility issues including wheelchair users. This was undoubtedly a real landmark ruling with big implications for people who wanted to go shopping, pop out for a meal or have a drink down the pub but struggled with getting there.
Unfortunately, it is not only outside of the home where mobility issues can strike. One in five people with disabilities who require adaptations to their own home believe that their accommodation simply isn’t suitable.
There are steps that can be taken to improve your home and make it more 
suitable for whatever needs you might have. Stairlifts have become increasingly common in recent years and have meant that older people have been able to stay put in their own homes whereas once they would have had to move.
It is also now possible to have an outdoor stairlift fitted that is weather proof to take you up to your own front door when ramps are not viable. Converting your bathroom into a walk in shower makes showering not just a whole lot safer but quicker too. Ramps can be easily fitted into most homes to do away with small and unnecessary steps and handrails are easily fitted to any wall.
For some people independence is everything. It means having the freedom to eat what and when you want, going where you choose and making all your own decisions.
