If your parents are still fit enough to live at home but are starting to need extra help, then you'll want to make things easier for them around the house. While your parents manage generally, they may be finding it harder to get around and to do things that weren't a problem in the past. Sometimes, it's the little things that are difficult. For example, your parents may have problems opening and closing their window blinds without help. Is it worth installing motorised blinds in key areas around your parents' home?
How Motorised Blinds Work
Motorised blinds are automated blinds. The blinds' opening and closing mechanism is controlled by a motor—you don't open these blinds manually by pulling a cord but you use a remote control to open and close them. This remote generally gives you graduated control, so you can open or close a blind fully or just to a certain level.
How Motorised Blinds Help Older People
While anyone will find motorised blinds useful, these blinds can be a boon to older people who have mobility or balance issues. For example, some older people find it hard to get a grip on blind cords and to pull blinds open or closed evenly. They may lack the fine motor control or strength to make a blind work the way they want it to.
In some cases, manually opening blinds can be hazardous for people who have balance and physical mobility problems. If they have to reach over something to open the blind, they might lose their balance and fall. Plus, if an older person finds it hard to get out of a chair or off a sofa in the first place, he or she may not want to try to open the blinds.
These problems can all be frustrating. If your parent has any of these issues, then your parent might not be able to open and close the blinds when he or she wants to. If you install motorised blinds, then your parent just has to push a button to operate a blind without standing up.
Where to Fit Motorised Blinds
You don't necessarily have to fit remote controlled blinds in every room in your parents' house. Focus on the rooms they spend a lot of time in, like their living room, kitchen and bedroom.
Contact local blinds companies to learn more about motorised blinds and other options.
