For those senior residents who are struggling with internal entrances, an internal door operator combined with modern interior door handles can help to make their home more accessible and safer. As people get older, there are some everyday tasks, those things that most of us take for granted, that can become a little harder to deal with.

While we often think of tasks like cooking and cleaning as the ones that seniors need more help with, these are not the only things that can make staying at home less accessible.

Simple tasks like getting around and even opening and closing internal doors can be a challenge for those who have mobility issues or are struggling with conditions such as arthritis that make gripping modern interior door handles something more complicated.

There are, fortunately, things that can be done to make home accessibility better, and these are not just practical solutions for older people but also for those with a range of disabilities as well.

What is an internal door operator?

One of the things that can help senior residents when it comes to making their homes more accessible is an internal door operator. This is a device that allows the user to open and close any timber or steel internal doors through the use of a hand transmitter or button.

It is a low-power consumption device that offers greater freedom to those who are struggling to open doors either because they are too heavy to do manually or because they struggle to grip the handle of the door and operate it effectively.

What problems might people have with internal doors?

People often think that door operators are only useful to those who are in a wheelchairs, allowing them to open a door when they are not able to get close enough to it to open it manually. However, there are several other reasons that people may find opening internal doors in their property difficult.

These include:

• Having limited strength, grip, and power in their hands
• Only being able to use one hand
• Limited reach – this doesn’t just apply to those in a wheelchair but also anyone who uses some form of walking aid as well
• Full or partial sight loss
• The door itself is too heavy to open or too stiff to be easily opened

Considerations for installing internal doors

For those who are struggling to open and close doors internally it is also handy to consider all of the following, any of which can cause issues:

• Can they get close enough to the door to open it from either side?
• Are they able to hold and turn a key?
• Can they reach and operate the door locking mechanism if it has one?
• Does the existing locking mechanism/opening mechanism need two hands to operate?
• Can they push the door open and close it behind themselves?
• Does the door close before the individual can get through it and be clear of the threshold?

Enhancing Home Safety with Modern Interior Door Handles for the Elderly

When it comes to internal doors, some people prefer to leave them open to allow easier passage. However, for the elderly, looking to keep the rooms in their home as draught-free as possible, this is not always an ideal solution. Open internal doors contribute significantly to the loss of warmth within a home. An internal door operator avoids all of the issues listed above.

There are no difficulties in operating the opening mechanism of the door, and there are no concerns about closing a door or having it close too quickly behind a person – something which may cause an elderly person, who is not stable on their feet, to have a fall which may result in injury.

For those senior residents who are struggling with internal doors, an internal door operator combined with modern interior door handles can help to make their home more accessible and safer.