Factors to Consider
For anyone experiencing vision loss, the prospect of adapting a home to make it safe and manageable may seem daunting. It needn’t be. Expensive or cumbersome renovations are rarely necessary. More important when considering changes is to always keep three factors in mind: predictability, visibility, and touchability.
Predictability simply means organizing furniture, objects, closets, and cabinets in ways you find comfortable and can easily remember. Always remind family members and visitors to let you know if something’s been moved.
Visibility covers a broader range of adaptations, from simply making items bigger (large-print labels, clocks, etc.) to making things adjustable—such as increasing lighting, reducing glare, and employing strong color and contrast, different textures, or tactile markings throughout the home. Finding out what works best for you will take a little time and experimentation, so let’s explore the methods in more detail.
Touchability is another critical factor. Effective use of your tactile sense can increase efficiency and help reduce eye fatigue. You can use your sense of touch to supplement the use of contrast, such as a bright orange touch dot on the power button of your TV remote; or texture changes to help you navigate, such as wood flooring to carpet or tiles; and organize your home, such as containers that feel different to hold items within a cabinet. Different textures or tactile markings throughout an environment can help you locate specific rooms more easily, identify objects or organize your home more effectively. Finding out what works best for you will take a little time and experimentation. Suggestions for each room in your home are covered in this section.