Wellness Digest
Accessibility Equipment: Stair Lifts, Wheel Chairs, Scooters, and Lift Chairs

Automatic Curtains

When you are in a wheelchair or otherwise unstable on your feet it can be difficult to open and close your curtains and blinds. This is especially the case with kitchen curtains where you have to reach over the counter top (or even the sink) as a rule to get to the curtains themselves.

You can get a semi automated or fully automated solution to help you with this so that you can open and close your curtains whenever you like and not have to rely on anyone else to do it for you.

With a semi automated solution the curtains are drawn along the curtain track by pulling on a cord at the side of the window. This is easily reachable for most windows with floor length curtains whether you are in a wheelchair or not. Pulling one way on the cord loop opens the curtains and pulling the other way closes them.
If you don't have a lot of grip in your hands however or you need a solution for the kitchen or other windows where you could not reach the cord, you may prefer fully automated curtains and blinds that you open and close at the touch of a button.

You can buy automated curtain and blind systems online (a search for automatic curtains will bring up plenty of options) and have them fitted by a local handyman. Of course, like everything automated they don't come cheap but they are a wonderful solution if you have the means to buy and install them.

In both cases, you will need to hide the track that the curtains are hanging on as these are functional rather than decorative as a rule. (I have not yet found these solutions available  with those beautiful ornate curtain poles and rods but I'm sure it won't be long before you can get these too). In any case for now you can hide the curtain track quite simply by using decorative window valances over your curtains. You can get these in all kinds of styles from swags and tails for formal rooms to simple scarf valances for more casual areas. Be sure to hang your valance on a separate drapery rod which allows plenty of clearance for the movement of the curtains.