Navigating Accessibility with Care

A 5-Part Guide to Supporting Independence & Comfort

Jan 14, 2025

Introducing our Caregiver Support Series

When friends and families come together, it’s an opportunity to connect and create new memories. But these moments also have a way of highlighting subtle changes in our loved ones—from mobility challenges to struggles with everyday tasks—that may indicate a need for home updates.

At Capella, this is something we hear regularly from our community—and something we’ve experienced in our own families. Seeing these challenges can bring up difficult emotions, and starting a conversation about accessibility isn’t always easy. It can feel awkward or even overwhelming.

That’s why we did the work.

We spoke to experts in design, occupational therapy, and caregiving to understand how to make these conversations and the steps that follow constructive and empowering. From practical tips to thoughtful insights, we’ve gathered the tools you need to navigate these moments with confidence and care.

What to Expect from the Series

Over the next two months, we'll be sharing tips and guidance around important topics in caregiving:

Part 01: Recognizing the Signs – How to identify subtle changes in your loved ones that might indicate accessibility needs.

Part 02: Starting the Conversation – Tips and strategies for approaching sensitive topics with empathy and respect.

Part 03: Small Changes for Big Impact – Simple modern updates you can make to improve mobility without major renovations.

Part 04: Overcoming Resistance with Design – How thoughtful design can ease concerns and highlight the beauty of accessible updates.

Part 05: The Professionals Who Can Help – A guide to experts like occupational therapists, interior designers, and aging-in-place specialists who can provide valuable support.

We want to empower families to take meaningful steps toward creating homes that support safety, independence, and dignity. We hope what we've created will help make these conversations and updates feel approachable, rewarding, and, most importantly, impactful for everyone involved.

Whether you’re new to the Capella Design community or not, we thought folks could use an update on what we’ve been up to this year. And was it ever a lot! From joining the permanent collection of a museum to winning a design award, here’s what you need to know about how Capella Design is creating distinction in the design-forward mobility product category.

Incorporating premade food, whether that means ordering out or store bought sides and desserts
Opting for gift bags over wrapping paper
Sending calls or texts instead of holiday cards
Saying no to gatherings causing caregiving strain (or that you just aren’t excited to attend!)

Put Yourself First

Prioritize your well-being this holiday season by scheduling regular self-care activities—whether that is a long walk, your favorite treat, or some uninterrupted time alone. As the saying goes, “put your oxygen mask on first before assisting others.”Remember that taking care of yourself is not selfish; it's an essential part of being an effective caregiver, so carve out time for activities that bring you joy and relaxation.

Let Your Home Help You Out

Organizing and preparing the home for a more accessible holiday season will create an environment that is both festive and conducive to caregiving responsibilities.Check out our post with tips on how to make your home more accessible for the holidays. These small changes can help you ensure a safe and comfortable space for you and your loved ones, alleviating a significant factor in caregiving stress.

Get customer attention by clean visual and video

Make it easy to buy by eliminating stumbling blocks to purchase. Don’t assume customers know which item you’re talking about in your post. Provide a link directly to the product page or just link the product to your blog so they can buy if they want. If it relevant give readers more than one way to get to the product.