How to make your home safer for the visually impaired

Whether you're adjusting to visual impairment or loss of vision, or a blind loved one lives in your home, there are a few home modifications that can enhance their comfort and safety. 

A few modifications can go a long way in helping you or a loved one feel comfortable and safe. Many of these modifications can be done in a few hours, and other, more complicated tasks can be done gradually over several weeks.

Common types of visual impairment

Visual impairment is a spectrum that includes anything from eye disorders to a traumatic brain injury. The term visually impaired can be used to describe anyone whose eyesight can't be corrected with glasses or surgery. Another term many people prefer is "person with vision impairment or low vision." 

Someone who’s visually impaired can have low vision, including moderate to extreme low vision, partial blindness, or they could be totally blind.

Low vision vs total blindness

People with low vision have some degree of sight but can still be considered legally blind. Low vision visual acuity is typically at 20/70 or less. 

This means that someone with 20/70 vision can see an object from 20 feet away with the same clarity that someone with 20/20 vision can see from 70 feet away.

• Moderate visual impairment: 20/70 to 20/160 
• Severe visual impairment (legally blind): 20/200 to 20/400
• Profound visual impairment (legally blind): 20/500 to 20/1000

According to the National Eye Institute, low vision comes in four main types:

1. Central vision loss: Where you have difficulty seeing anything in the center of your vision.

2. Peripheral vision loss: When you can't see in your periphery or the outer edges of your vision.

3. Night blindness: Having difficulty seeing anything in low light or at night.

4. Blurry or hazy vision.

Causes of low vision

Low vision can be caused by health issues, specific eye conditions or genetics.

• Macular degeneration
• Cataracts
• Glaucoma
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Eye and brain injuries

Total blindness

If someone is totally blind, that means they can't see forms or light. About 15% of people that experience visual impairment are totally blind. 

How can you adapt your home if you're visually impaired?

Living with visual impairment or blindness can be frustrating. But there are ways you can adapt your home to help make it easier to navigate and more accessible.

Assistive technology

Assistive technology (AT) can help increase your ability to learn, work and live your daily life. Specific for anyone with accessibility issues or a disability, assistive technology is a broad term that can include appliances or speakers; anything that can help you navigate or enhance your life if you're living with a disability. 

AT includes low-tech options for high-tech software or electronics.

• Hardware or equipment: Wheelchairs, canes or prosthetics
• Tactile or analog: Using felt or textured upholstery
• Learning or cognitive: Audiobooks or podcasts or specialized learning curriculum 
• Hardware: Adaptive kitchen tools and utensils or specialized keyboards
• Electronic devices: Smart speakers, smart lights or power lifts
• Computer hardware or software: Text or screen readers like NVDA, Apple VoiceOver and ChromeVox

Organization

If you have housemates or a sighted spouse or family members, talk to them about preferred organization methods. This is especially important if you're cooking in the kitchen. When someone else moves your knives or replaces your spices, it can spell disaster for someone with sight loss. 

When creating an initial organization plan, work with everyone in the home to make sure you put everything back into its rightful place after using it. To help with organization, you can use a labeling system with a contrasting or tactile tap.

Another idea you can implement that isn't very costly is to give everyone their own drawer. And organizational racks or drawers to cabinets throughout the home, including kitchen and bathroom cabinets or closets.  

Furniture

You should be cautious about low furniture like coffee tables, ottomans or storage chairs. If you think they may pose a risk of tripping, consider switching these furniture pieces out for larger and taller pieces instead.

• You can tape down carpets and rugs that pose a slipping hazard. You can also switch them out with nonslip rugs or add a nonslip rug pad.
• Get in the habit of keeping shower rugs out of the way whenever you're done taking a shower to prevent low vision family members from tripping.
• Be careful about loose cords or wires coming from your electronics and eliminate any potential tripping threats.
• An open dishwasher could cause injury, so always close it after use.
• Don't forget to push chairs under the table after eating and try to place chairs in the same place.
• Avoid patterned upholstery, since the patterns can blend together for someone who is visually impaired.
• Create clear pathways throughout the home free of furniture someone can bump into.

Practice safety drills

Plan out your route and rehearse it until you feel comfortable that you can quickly leave your home. Before you even prepare for a fire drill, it's important that you know where smoke detectors are and how to change the batteries or which button to press to turn off a false alarm.

A monitored fire security plan can come in handy for people who are visually impaired. A monitoring agent will call you to confirm whether you need to alert the authorities or if you’re experiencing a false alarm.

Pro-tip: Avoid high-decibel smoke alarms since they can be disorienting or block out voices or other clues about where the fire might be located.

Lighting

According to Science Daily, light is beneficial to the brain, alerting it when it's day or night and affecting everyone's "physiology, metabolism and behavior." Additional lighting can also be beneficial if you're legally blind or experience low vision. 

You should test out the lighting with your contrasting color scheme. Bright lighting that casts minimal shadows works best, especially if it's a more natural light.

• Add glare-reducing blinds or curtains so you can easily adjust the amount of light that comes into your home.
• Always make sure that staircases, hallways and entryways have plenty of light.
• Avoid pointing lights at surfaces that could cause excessive glare, like polished or chrome accents.
• Adjustable lamps make it easy to point the light where you need it.
• Add lights to small, dark places, like corners and nooks, closets and kitchen cabinets, but make sure to install lights so they point away from your eyes and towards the wall or items you need. 

Contrasting colors

Many people who have visual impairments can still see colors and shapes, which makes adding contrasting colors to your home even more important. Solid, bright, non-patterned colors are best since they can reflect light better than something dull. 

For example, think white text on a black background when labeling items or choose contrasting solid furniture that can pop against a lighter wall.

Add color-coded tape or borders to items

This helps create a visual break or emphasis and can make items easier to see for someone who’s visually impaired.

• Create borders around light switches with tape.
• Paint doorknobs or cabinets a contrasting color, so they're easier to see.
• Add tape or paint around doorway borders to help prevent someone from bumping into the door frame.
• Designate a specific, bright color for hazardous furniture or areas around the home, like kettles that might retain their heat or an area where cords may be present.

Create color contrast against furniture

Adding visual contrast throughout your home can make it easy for someone with low vision to figure out where they are in the home, and even help reduce potential injuries.

• Keep darker items like chairs against a lighter wall so they stand out more.
• Choose brightly colored vases or lamps when decorating.
• Select pillows or throws that stand out against your sofa. These accent pillows can also help someone with low vision see the furniture better.
• Mark the most used stove and oven dials with contrasting tape, or use different colors to represent low, medium and high temperatures; mark the back burners with dark tape to discourage someone from using them.

Add textures 

Adding texture to smooth items can go a long way toward helping someone navigate and recognize objects. You can get creative with how you do this, using anything from textured dots or stickers to stitching on clothes.

• Buy furniture that has a texture to make it easier for someone who’s visually impaired to know where they are by recognizing the different textures. 
• Bump dots or bump pads on smooth buttons, like the microwave, dishwasher, washing machine or other appliances. 
• Use rubber bands as an affordable way to label spices, beauty products or other items with similar packaging. For example, you could add one rubber band to your moisturizer, two to your toner bottle, etc. 
• Add puffy or raised letters to spices, like a Cm for Cinnamon or Ca for cardamom. 
• Mark personal items like clothes with tactile clothing tape, iron-on patches or homemade large print labels.

What to avoid in a home modified for the visually impaired

Adding a few home adjustments throughout your home can go a long way to help create a safer home for anyone with a visual impairment. Since many people develop low vision later in life or after an injury, they may struggle to maintain their independence. A home that works with someone's disability, instead of against them, can help you or your family feel safe.

• Avoid using patterned or striped rugs or tapestry, or checkered tiles, which can be difficult to navigate for people with low vision. 
• Don't use clear glasses or dishes. Get both dark and light-colored mugs and use contrasting colors when drinking coffee or milk. 
• It's a good idea to remove any furniture that's close to the ground, like an ottoman or coffee table. But if you keep items like this, make sure your furniture has rounded edges and isn’t glass. 
  
• Remove or organize cords to minimize tripping. 
  
• Adjust pictures and artwork higher on the wall in case someone needs to use the wall for support or navigation. 

Can a visually impaired person live alone?

A visually impaired individual can absolutely live alone! They may need to modify their home a little to help make their life easier, however. Visually impaired people can do many of the same things anyone else can do, including cooking, reading and watching TV. 

If family members are worried about their independent, visually impaired relatives, there are a few options you can discuss with them that are non-invasive and affordable. 

Handheld alarms can give your sighted family members peace of mind while allowing you to go about your daily routine. These alarms can also be used as panic alarms when someone injures themselves or experiences a home invasion.

ADT has several Medical Alert System options, from a basic system perfect for moving around the house to an on-the-go system for active people. Each option allows more independence to move around, knowing ADT has your back.

Download software or apps.

For example, the Be My Eyes app makes it easy to see if something like your yogurt or milk has expired. Just connect with a sighted person via video to receive visual confirmation. 

Other apps are available that can do anything from reading text out loud to telling you what color something is.

Install a video doorbell at your front door

A video doorbell can send an alert straight to your phone as someone approaches your door. You can speak to them without having to get up or even without having to be at your home through 2-way audio. If it’s a delivery driver, you can request that they drop the package off in a certain area that’s easier for you to access.

Resources for a person who is visually impaired

Education:

1. American Foundation for the Blind.

2. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

3. The Hadley School for the Blind.

4. Perkins School for the Blind.

5. American Council of the Blind.

Assistive Technology and Audio Resources:

1. Assistive Technology Industry Association.

2. Bookshare members get access to free audio books, large print books and braille books.

3. NFB-Newsline® offers free audio resources for hundreds of publications, job listings and more.

4. Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America.

5. Smartphone Apps for People New to Vision Loss.

6. Best Android Apps for People with Low Vision.

7. Be My Eyes is a free, downloadable app that connects sighted people, in real-time, with low-vision folks using video.

8. Use Accessibility Options to Set up a new iPhone or iPod.

9. National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled Library of Congress resource includes a list of accessible mobile reading apps. 

Transportation, Travel and Resources:

1. A Transportation Guide for Persons Who are Blind or Visually Impaired.

2. Uber, Lyft or a local taxi service. 

3. Mobile apps can be helpful for walking, driving and using public transportation. These include Google Maps or MyMoveo.

4. Paratransit service is a door-to-door, shared-ride transportation service for anyone that has difficulty navigating transit lines on their own. Search your city and "paratransit" to see your specific local paratransit options.

5. Long-distance bus or train travel across or over state lines is possible with several providers that offer accessibility options, including Amtrak, Megabus or Greyhound.

Delivery and Shopping Resources:

1. Target is working with Aira to create a more inclusive- shopping experience in-store and online.

2. Instacart makes it easy to order same-day groceries.

3. Postmates can deliver many different things directly to your home, including groceries and food.

4. Some pharmacies can deliver prescriptions to your home in as little as a day or two. These include Walgreens, CVS, Target Pharmacy and Walmart Pharmacy.

5. Many grocery stores deliver, including Safeway, Publix, Wegmans, Kroger and Whole Foods.

Memberships and Sports Clubs Resources:

1. American Council for the Blind is a national organization that advocates for and with Blind and visually impaired people. The organization has its own bi-monthly publication, scholarships and an annual convention, among many other member services.

2. Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired is for professionals who "provide services to persons with vision loss" through dedicated conferences, publications, webinars and more to enhance knowledge and skills. 

3. National Federation of the Blind.

4. NBF has a Free White Cane Program.

5. United in Stride brings together runners that are visually impaired with sighted running partners. 

Everyone deserves to feel safe in their homes

Assistive technology from ADT can help you and your loved ones with vision loss or blindness feel safe and secure in your home. Indoor and outdoor cameras can help you keep an eye on your low-vision relatives, while smart speakers make it easy to utilize AI to improve independence.

ADT's security experts can help you choose the perfect smart home security solutions for your low vision needs.