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

5 Ways to Beat the Summer Heat With Eye-Catching Window Treatments

June 18, 2025
When the mercury soars, never underestimate the power of blinds, shades, and other window treatments to keep your living space cool. With the techniques that follow, you can limit demand on your air conditioner, lower your energy bill, and maintain stunning aesthetics both inside and out. 1. Go For the Layered Look If you don't want blackout blinds that completely block out light and heat, consider layering your window treatments for the summer months. This is a great way to add depth and texture to your rooms while still maintaining a tight home envelope and limiting solar heat gains. Use wood or faux wood blinds to create a solid base layer. Then, add sheers and custom curtains to finish the look. Layering creates levels of flexibility and adaptability that single window treatments cannot match. You can close all three layers for maximum heat blocking, slant your blinds and close your sheers to let limited sunlight in, or open your drapes and your blinds and use your sheers for light filtering. 2. Beat the Heat With Outdoor Window Treatments Some of the best window treatments for blocking heat and light during the summer months belong on the outside of your home. If you haven't done so already, consider investing in shutters. Shutters can vastly improve the efficiency of your home while providing excellent UV ray protection. This will keep your flooring and furnishings from fading while offering a fair amount of skin protection. In addition to tightening home envelopes, shutters provide excellent noise reduction and offer added protection against the natural elements. With your shutters standing guard as your home's first defense, you'll still have one or more window treatments at the interior of the building during the next big heat wave. Outdoor Shades Work, Too If shutters aren't the right look for you, opt for lightweight, retractable shades. Installing outdoor shades gives you yet another way to safeguard your home from solar heat gains whenever temperatures spike. You can use outdoor shades with layered indoor window treatments to create an airtight space and reduce stress on your AC during the hottest portion of the day. Once the sun sets, you can easily draw them open. 3. Optimize Airflow According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air can be up to five time more contaminated than outdoor air. Even though air conditioners and heat pumps filter the indoor air during operation, they don't extract volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or other gaseous chemical contaminants. When the sun's out and you're running your air conditioner non-stop, all the contaminants introduced into your home by off-gassing building materials, cooking, room freshening sprays, and chemical-laden self-care products and cleaners remain trapped indoors. Blinds are great for optimizing airflow. When the sun sets, the mercury dives, and a cool breeze rolls in, you can turn your blind slats upwards to reflect light from the setting sun and slightly crack your windows. This technique works well for giving ACs an early evening break. It's also an excellent strategy for improving indoor air quality (IAQ). As natural light decreases, you can open your blind slats wider and let more fresh, outdoor air flow in. This easy air exchange will get your home and your IAQ ready for the challenges of the next sweltering day. 4. Keep Indoor Moisture in Check With Shades With a high-functioning air conditioner or heat pump, you'll get reliable humidity regulation whenever your cooling system is on. The right shades can support this by keeping outdoor moisture outside and preventing the buildup of condensation on your windows. Cellular shades are made for high-moisture areas, and they're the perfect addition to any other southern home. You can get similar benefits from faux wood blinds, vinyl blinds, and aluminum blinds. Moisture-resistant blinds or shades are an essential upgrade if you currently have heavy fabric drapes or multiple layers of sheers. Some materials capture and retain moisture. They're also prone to problems like mold and mildew and can lower IAQ as a result. 5. Go Motorized Don't worry about dragging your ladder out to draw your outdoor shades or running through your home to manually adjust your blinds. Shop for motorized window treatments that you can open, close, and adjust with just the touch of a button. This way, as lighting and temperatures change, you can quickly adapt your window treatments to reflect your most current needs. At Just Blinds, we're all about comfort. We want your window treatments to look amazing, but believe that you should feel amazing too. We offer a fantastic selection of blinds, shutters, shades, and custom draperies to help our clients beat the heat in the summer months . Let us help you stay cool in style. To speak with our design consultants, contact Just Blinds today!

How to Use Windows to Make Your Home Cozier

May 29, 2025
Windows give a home warmth, light, and a view of the outside world. But with the right treatments, you can also use your windows to make your home feel cozy. Coziness is a semse of comfort and familiarity. It defines a charm that feels like home, whether it's the coziness of a warm room in winter, your movie den in the summer. When we think of coziness, we often think of couches, candles, and throw blankets. But your windows play an equally important part. After all, it's your window treatments that frame the light, add softness to your walls, and set the mood for every room. The right window decorations can make your home feel warm and inviting. Using Windows, Drapes, and Shades to Create Coziness  Window treatements create a vibe for your entire room. Drapes, shades, and shutters can be used to create a backdrop of texture, color, and style. They also allow you to control the light levels in your home and even the color of the light. This means that your windows are the best place to start when making a room feel cozy. Layering soft drapes in rich colors is a great way to add that sense of comfort and warmth to a room, while cheerful blinds in soft neutrals can help a room to feel relaxed and welcoming. You can also use drapes or blinds to add a splash of color as a bold accent in any room. These touches combined with glowing sunshine during the day create a cozy and comfortable space. Plants as Cozy Window Decor You can use other types of decor to evoke a sense of coziness, too. We particularly love plants. Leafy green plants love the sunshine as much as you do and thrive when placed in a sunny window. Place an elegant snake plant in the windowsill or hang creeping ivy from a hook near the top of a window frame to make your room feel cheerful and alive with green energy. Plants make a home feel natural and vibrantly lived-in which is perfect for your cozy vibe. For a cozy kitchen, you can even grow fresh herbs in a box on the windowsill that add a delicious aroma and tasty fresh seasoning along with their natural visual appeal. Enhance Your Space with Aromatherapy Speaking of aromatics, you might be surprised how much your windows can take part in cozy aromatherapy. Window treatments like drapes and blinds are fabric that can help purfumes and essential oils linger in the room for days. Cozy scents are often warm aromas like cinnamon, vanilla, lavender, almonds, and coffee. But fresh fruit or floral scents that smell like "home" to you can also add a sense of coziness to each room. Simply spritz your curtains with your favorite scents and each room will subtly carry that comforting smell of home that makes you want to snuggle into the couch and relax at the end of each day. Moody Shade and Maximizing Light When we visualize coziness, light levels often play a role. Your minds eye may see a sun-drenched cottage or a gently lit library as your mental idea of a room that is perfectly cozy. Window treatments allow you to set the mood by reducing or maximizing light to the perfect levels. Well-designed shades and drapes can pull back attractively to maximize light, bathing your room in the warm welcoming glow of sunshine. Or if you prefer a more relaxed coziness, you can use translucent drapes or cellular shades to filter the light exactly the right amount. Diffuse and reduced light filtered through fabric of a warm color can make you feel safe and at peace. Increase Your Happiness with Window Design Your home should feel welcoming, relaxing, and cozy. The right window treatments can help set the stage for a delightful welcome home each night, rejuvinating weekends, and an overall feeling of at-home coziness when you are relaxing in your favorite place. To achieve this goal, you can experiment with home decor changes, including your windows, to achieve your ideal at-home bliss. Contact us today for custom drapes and blinds to complete your cozy room design.