Updated November 23, 2014.

Let's face it. Holidays can be a little stressful. Especially if you're the one who is opening up your home to the hordes of guests. You're in charge of planning and preparation. 

Appetizers ready? Check.

Main course and side dishes planned and timed just right for serving? Check.

Dessert course? Check.

But do you have a guest or two coming with some special needs? How have you prepared for their safe access into your home, their mobility throughout your home, and their comfort at the dining table?

Here are some medical supplies and some safety tips for entertaining guests with disabilities you can consider to ensure you have a safe home for your next holiday party.

Getting In To Your Home

Typically, if you or someone who actually lives in your home does not require a wheelchair, you most likely will not install a wheelchair ramp to get into your home. But some people do, so it's not completely out of the realm of possibility. Some healthy young adults will install a wheelchair ramp leading into their home if one of their parents, whom they hope and expect will be visiting often, is confined to a wheelchair.

But there is another option for your guests that isn't so permanent. A portable wheelchair ramp is a low-cost option for you if you want to have the capability of hosting a guest every once in a while who uses a wheelchair. Portable ramps unfold and set-up quickly, and can be stored out of the way without taking up much room when they are not needed.

Mobility Within Your Home

Ok, now they are in.

The guests have arrived. Perhaps you have a guest that uses a cane, walker, crutch, or wheelchair indoors. Did you know that according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, among older adults, falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injury? In 2010, 2.3 million nonfatal falls were recorded in the older adult population, and over 650,000 of those injuries needed emergency medical care.

Fatal and non-fatal injuries from falls are a big deal. So have you prepared your home so that they can maneuver through the rooms safely, with minimal risk of tripping and falling?

Let's see.

You can reduce the risk of slips and falls with medical supplies. Canes and walkers will most likely be brought by the person who uses them, but having some reaching and grabbing assistive devices in your home on hand may be an idea that the careful planner wants to consider. At the very least, I would imagine your guest would be very grateful for your thoughtfulness.

More detailed safety prevention guidelines can be found in "Slip and Fall Prevention for the Home." Here you'll find safety and mobility advice for:

• floors
• lighting
• stairs
• bathrooms
• kitchens

The Dinner Table

Once everyone is seated there may be a few final touches you can provide to help any guest you may have who struggles with upper extremity mobility control. For example, many people with certain types of arthritis struggle to close a type hand grip on their silverware. Offering them utensils, specially designed with thick handles for an easier clutch will go a long way toward reducing their frustration and embarrassment while eating.

Parkinson's disease is another common ailment that causes dining to be a challenge. Thick handled silverware, utensils with curved prongs to accommodate slicing from limited angles, utensils straps that secure the tool to the hand so that it doesn't fall from the user's grasp, and non-skid dishes and cups are all products that can help take some frustration out of the guest's dining experience.