How To Make a Wheelchair Accessible Home?

Friday, October 29th, 2021, 1:52 pm , Posted by MED +

Wheelchair accessible homes remove common physical barriers from your home. If a family member or you need the regular use of a wheelchair, retrofitting your house to make it accessible can make it significantly easier to get around. Dealing with an injury, illness or mobility issue is challenging enough to deal with. Making sure your home is wheelchair accessible can improve your quality of life.

Below we’ll outline some of the ways you can make your home wheelchair accessible:

A Checklist to Make a Wheelchair Accessible Home

Here are the key areas you need to check and update to make your home more accessible for wheelchairs:

Entrance: Making your home easy to get in and out is an essential part of improving your lifestyle if you need the use of a wheelchair. Every home is different. Assess your home and choose a way that makes the most sense considering your home design. For some, this may mean a movable ramp, a permanent ramp or even an outdoor chair lift. It is also important to make sure you have access to exterior spaces such as patios, decks, and your yard. Do the walkways around your home give you enough space? Is your driveway safe for wheelchair use?
Doors: Check all doors in your home to ensure they are wide enough to accommodate your wheelchair. Doors should be 32 – 63 inches wide for a wheelchair to pass through. If your doors are narrow, consider removing the door, trim, or installing “Z” hinges.
Flooring: Slip resistant flooring is ideal if you are going to use your wheelchair indoors. You will also want floor that is durable. Note any uneven areas or locations that may require you to add a transition between rooms.
Hallways: The bigger the hallway the better. Hallways are common areas where clutter can build up. Ideally, all hallways should be clear of all objects.
Open space: It is important to create as much open space in your home as possible. Go room by room and ensure you have enough space to maneuver your wheelchair.
Bathrooms: The bathroom can be the most challenging rooms in the home to make accessible. You are working with a smaller space that has limited options to adjust the footprint. As with other rooms, remove any unnecessary objects to free up space to move. Retrofitting the size of your toilet and sink and installing a more accessible shower or tub can significantly improve your ability to use the space.
Kitchens: Like other rooms, its important to remove anything that can function as a barrier. If possible, you will want to move items to lower cabinets to make them more accessible. Adjusting countertops, sinks, and other elements to make them more accessible is also a choice.