Motorized Blinds and Shades Benefits Seniors and the Disabled
BWS Design • November 3, 2016

It’s no secret that technology has improved lives. Seniors and the disabled especially have embraced technology. They can now find their way around with the aid of the GPS on their smart phones, work online from their tablets or laptops to pick up extra money, and they use their home automation systems to their best advantage. The elderly and disabled, however, might consider how motorized blinds and shades benefits them. The limitations of seniors and the disabled are being brought to the attention of everyone. Businesses and manufacturers are busily producing items that will help. We, too, are aware of the health problems and limitations of the elderly and disabled. We appreciate a chance to help.

Motorized Blinds and Shades for Arthritic Hands

As the body ages, things like arthritis, osteoporosis and other conditions distort the body’s joints and limbs. Oxygenated blood doesn’t always reach the muscles, limiting their operation. Muscles and joints stiffen up from lack of exercise. Chemical medications might slow the pain, but their side effects are just as bad as the illness they treat. Seniors and the disabled, therefore, need specialized items such as special cell phones with large buttons or lever door knobs instead of regular door knobs. Motorized shades and blinds come with a remote that is easy for seniors and the disabled to operate. These items also can be made to operate by flipping a switch on the wall in the room in which the blinds and shades are located. This also keeps seniors and the disabled with little to no range of motion in their arms or shoulders safe from damaging already damaged limbs by stretching to reach the cords to raise and lower the blinds and shades.

Motorized Blinds and Shades for Hard-to-Reach Windows

Many seniors and disabled move from their present homes into smaller (or larger as the case may be) homes in order to be closer to family members or their health management facilities. Newer homes are being built to make use of windows on all sides of the house for light and architectural beauty. These windows aren’t always designed, though, with seniors and the disabled in mind.  Some are floor-to-ceiling windows, windows over the front door or even skylights. These present special problems for the elderly and disabled, for they must either reach or climb onto something in order to open or close the window treatments. While senior eyes need all the light they can get in order to see, they don’t need the potential for an accident reaching for window treatment controls like cords or wands. We welcome the chance to cover these windows with blinds and shades complete with remote control to help the seniors and disabled manage their window treatments safely.

Motorized Blinds and Shades for Privacy

It is a sad commentary on our life today that there are those who prey upon the elderly and disabled with an eye toward illegally removing their belongings. These people canvass neighborhoods for likely prospects and then plan their move. They look for open windows, piled up newspapers on the doorstep, mail over-running the mailbox, toys left out for days or weeks and so forth. These people also check for closed curtains and blinds. If the week passes without the blinds or curtains being opened, they think the house is ripe for a visit. However, when we install blinds and shades for the elderly or disabled, the remote will be used to open, close or adjust the window treatments at various times of the day. Nefarious planners will move on to the next unfortunate homeowner.

Motorized Blinds and Shades for Reflection or Glare

No one likes to get into the greatest part of the story when all of a sudden the sun decides to reflect off the TV or computer screen. Many people hook up their computers to the TV in order to have a larger surface upon which to read or work online. Nothing irritates people more than having their screen go blank due to excessive light reflecting off the screen. We can take care of that for the seniors and disabled using their TVs and computers by installing motorized blinds and shades with remote control. No more glare!

Seniors and the disabled face so many challenges that it just makes sense to make their lives easier any way we can. We can, and when you contact us to learn more about it, we’ll be happy to help.

Expert Advice by Just Blinds

What Your Window Treatment Says About You: A Personality-Based Guide

April 23, 2025
Your selection of window treatment products and services is not merely about getting a job done. Rather, if you look hard enough, you can find direct correlations between the type of person that you are and the window treatment that you select. We have created this personality-based guide to help you best discover what kind of window treatment truly matches your spirit. The Dependable Type: Wooden Blinds You are the person that all of your friends can count on. You are the type of person who truly sticks to your plans when you make them, and you are the type of person who will choose wooden blinds for your home. Privacy is important to you when selecting your blinds, and that is why you find yourself pulled into the idea of putting up wooden blinds. Besides that, they happen to be highly functional, and that's not something that you are willing to pass up either. The Planner: Blackout Curtains Those who value truly getting the most value out of their blinds or anything else that they install in their homes will think very carefully about their options. For those people, going with blackout curtains makes a lot of sense. They want to gain as much value as possible out of their options, and they know that they can significantly improve their quality of sleep and so much more when they opt for blackout curtains. These also happen to be a great option for those who work night shifts or other odd hours and yet still want to enjoy their sleep. They need blackout curtains to help increase the quality of that sleep and allow themselves to get their day started right. The Tech Enthusiast: Smart Shades They roam among us: The type of people who are quick to adopt any new technology and get to work figuring out how it can improve their lives. These people are great because they are not afraid to take a risk and because they help to move our society forward. They simply want to get more out of each day, and they often do so by adopting and using the latest technologies. These individuals will gravitate towards smart shades for the following attributes: Innovation - Who wants to stick with the boring old ways of shading one's house? Smarter options are now available, and you better believe that the tech enthusiasts among us are willing to latch on to them. Efficiency - These shades are a more efficient option for those who care about that kind of thing. They can be easily activated and set up to open or close automatically (how cool is that?!). Progressive - The "cool" factor is a big deal for people who fall into this category as well. They might not admit to it right off the bat, but they care deeply about what others think about them. As such, they want window shades that have that cool factor attached to them. The Dreamer: Sheer Curtains Finally, we land upon the dreamer. This is the person who views every day for the possibilities that it can bring. They are not scared off by those with a negative attitude. If anything, they believe that they can change those people! Instead, the dreamer wants sheer curtains because they bring in soft light, open spaces, and bring about a feeling of possibility all throughout the house. Sheer curtains are the ideal option for someone who classifies themselves in this way. They will receive plenty of compliments on their curtains, and they will appreciate how open they are to the world.  Which kind of person are you and which window treatment option makes the most sense for your personality? For more inspiration and ideas, reach out and contact us today.

5 Unexpected Places Homeowners Are Installing Outdoor Shades

March 13, 2025
We all know and understand the concept of installing outdoor shades on a patio. It is the classic way to create a cool and comfortable space for yourself and your friends to spend some quality time together outdoors. There is nothing wrong with that, but it is limiting to think that the patio is the only part of one's property where outdoor shades are appropriate. There are some surprising and unexpected places where homeowners have taken to installing outdoor shades recently. We want to take a look at some of these to provide you with ideas for your next home improvement project. 1) Balconies Some homes are built quite close together, and some homeowners naturally feel like they would like to do more to protect their privacy. Although their neighbors might not intentionally be looking through their balconies, it is easy for the human eye to drift. Thus, some city-dwelling homeowners have made the choice to install outdoor shades in this area. On top of keeping prying eyes off of your property, outdoor shades also block the sun rays from your balcony as well creating a more comfortable space to spend some time. 2) Outdoor Kitchens One of the most delightful social experiences that someone can have is to invite over a large group of friends for a meal cooked outside. It gives everyone the opportunity to share stories, laughes, and a bit of food all at the same time. Of course, this is best done in an outdoor kitchen. Your outdoor kitchen is a space where you should feel comfortable and have the ability to entertain a large group of people all at the same time. This means looking at installing outdoor shades to provide an extra layer of protection from the heat of the sun. Thus, this has become another area where homeowners are quickly installing outdoor shades. 3) Poolside Lounges Now we are really talking! Who doesn't love to kick back with their favorite cold beverage and spend some time relaxing next to the pool? That is what you can enjoy more completely when you set up a poolside lounge with outdoor shades. Poolside lounges are meant to be a place where you can spend several hours at a time. However, it can get pretty hot while doing so if you don't put some outdoor shades in place. Get those shades up so you can let all of your worries melt away as you take in the smell of pool water and sunscreen. 4) Garden Areas Do you enjoy a little gardening in your downtime? You might like it even more after setting up outdoor shades that protect you from the excessive heat of the sun. Gardening is labor-intensive work and can take several hours of diligent labor to do it properly. However, you don't want to overextend yourself and end up getting physically overworked. Keeping some of the sun away is an excellent way to ensure that you don't overdo it. Just make sure that you check up on the sunlight needs of the various plants that you intend to put into your garden before installing outdoor shades. 5) Exterior Windows Did you know that it is possible to reduce your energy bills by installing outdoor shades? It's true! If you place outdoor shades on the exterior windows of your home, you can reduce the strain placed on your air conditioning by naturally reducing the overall temperature within your living space. This means less money out of your pocket and more money for working on your next project.  There are many interesting places where homeowners are installing outdoor shades these days. For more creative ideas on what you can do with yours, reach out and contact us now.