Being able to live at home without restrictions for as long as possible. That is the goal of many people. Barrier-free living space is becoming a pioneering topic in this respect.
As the average age of our society increases, so does the need for living space that fulfils the needs of older and physically impaired people. According to According to the German government there will be a shortage of around two million homes that meet their needs by 2035.
This is in stark contrast to the current proportion of age-appropriate housing. According to a study by the bfb, only around 2 per cent of the houses and flats surveyed are study by the bfb barrier-free.
What does accessibility actually mean?
Accessibility is understood to mean unrestricted access to spaces and environments for all people in all situations - in their own four walls, in public life or when using digital services. Accessibility benefits not only older people or people with limited abilities, but everyone. A simple example: a lift that provides access for elderly and disabled people also helps parents with pushchairs.
Living in your own four walls for a long time
Even people in need of care often wish to remain in their own four walls. This is possible today, as living space can be remodelled to be barrier-free. Structural alterations to rented properties are subject to authorisation by the landlord, while property can be converted immediately.
Age-adapted conversions - but how?
Remodelling a home is often a challenge. The existing living situation is often not so easy to remodel, especially if certain accessibility standards need to be met. The personal living situation is particularly important for age-related conversions. People who are dependent on a wheelchair, for example, require threshold-free door transitions, doors with a special width or a larger radius for their freedom of movement, so that they can move freely and independently in all rooms.
Thresholds and access points are also often major hurdles in the everyday lives of people with physical disabilities: It is often simply impossible for those affected to overcome these thresholds. There is also a high risk of tripping and falling. Barrier-free doors are a simple solution here.
Barrier-free everyday solutions with doors from PRÜM
Barrier-free doors from PRÜM make your rooms accessible and usable without any particular difficulty and without the help of others. We have the right door solution for many requirements and fulfil important standards for barrier-free doors in accordance with DIN standards 18040-1 and 18040-2.
Eye-catching visuals and tactile surfaces provide orientation for visually impaired people. High-contrast doors and frames are particularly helpful here. For people with sensory impairments, colour-coded frames, door leaves or fittings provide good guidance in the rooms.
Barrier-free PRÜM doors are also adapted to the needs of physically impaired people. Thanks to their special ergonomics, they can be opened and closed with little effort. Door thresholds are also dispensed with and door operating heights and door peepholes can be adapted to special seat heights on request. Systems and buttons for automatic operation are also available.
Door technology in use: how to create barrier-free entrances
- SCALA electric sliding door fitting
- swing door with DORMA radio remote control
- FSB lever handle barrier-free
- Finger pinch protection for doors
- Automatic door operator for swing doors DORMA ED100
All information on our barrier-free functional doors and the different variants can be found in our product brochure.
Here you will also find everything you need to know about fittings, locks, floor seals, hinges and door handles, which, in addition to their functional benefits, also fulfil the aesthetic design requirements of all PRÜM functional doors.
A wide range of grants and support for your conversions
Rehabilitation organisations often support barrier-free conversions and cover part or all of the costs.
- The Federal Employment Agency
- The statutory accident insurance
- statutory pension insurance
- public youth welfare services or
- social welfare organisations.
The funding opportunities offered by care insurance are particularly interesting for age-related conversions. Up to four thousand euros per year can be paid for barrier-free conversions if a care degree exists. Subsidies are available for lifts, stair lifts or ramps, for example. Barrier-free bathrooms or a home emergency call system are also subsidised.
The KfW also supports conversions with subsidies. You can receive up to 6,250 euros for the reduction of barriers in your home. Here read more about this:
Consultancy options: on the web and on site
Planning barrier-free conversions is rarely a simple undertaking. Many people are particularly overwhelmed by the legal requirements, standards and subsidy conditions. Add to this the individually customised building concept and the planning can quickly become overwhelming.
Help is available from local advice centres in many towns and municipalities. There are also specialised senior citizens' offices. The local counsellors will inform you about barrier-free building and also specifically about how much money you can receive as funding for your building measures.
Welfare organisations and outpatient care services can also help you with your planning.
The website of Barrierefrei Leben e.V. even offers online advice. As experience has shown that bathrooms are one of the most complex and difficult conversions, you can even use a 3D programme to plan your bathroom.