How To Make Your House Wheelchair Accessible

Make your house wheelchair accessible snapshot

Ever wondered what it takes to make a house wheelchair accessible? The infographic below shows some really good guidelines that one can use in and around the house to make sure a person in a wheelchair gets to move around freely, has easy access to objects in different parts of the house, and can go around doing their day to day activities worry free.

How to make your home wheelchair accessible infographic

 

Bedroom

  • Phone/alert system near bed
  • Overhang lift/manual trapeze to get in/out of bed

Bathroom

  • Phone/alert system near toilet & shower
  • Bath tub lift (13”-30” bottom)
  • Commode lift
  • Grab bars next to toilet
  • Grab bars in tub & shower with 36” clearance

Exterior

  • Vertical platform lift for higher outdoor staircases
  • All-weather, outdoor stair lift
  • Portable ramp (front entrance)

Kitchen

  • Wheelchair-accessible countertop & cabinet height.
  • Table: 27” floor-to-table height & 30” x 48” seat spacing
  • Door (minimum 32” width)

Garage

  • Garage entry/interior door ramp for safe, quick car access
  • Wheelchair accessible floor area for easy car loading/unloading
  • Entry door (minimum 32” width)

Basement

  • A stair lift for easy basement access to washer, dryer, pantries, etc.

Accessibility Tips

1. Clear Pathways

Interior/exterior pathways should have accommodating widths for:

  • Mobility scooters
  • Rollators
  • Power wheelchairs
  • Standard wheelchairs

Standard Widths

  • 36” for hallways
  • 32” for doorways
  • Minimum clearance for 180 degree turns: 36” in all directions

2. Lighting

  • All rooms should be well-lit during evening, nighttime, and early morning.
  • Lighting controls should be easy to access and use.

3. Security

  • Phones & alert systems should be installed throughout the home for quick, easy access
  • A reliable security or alarm system should be installed to protect you & your home

Sources:

http://www.wilmington.va.gov/services/hisa.asp
http://www.adaptiveaccess.com/home_changes.php
http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/remodeling/how-to-make-your-home-handicap-accessible.htm
https://lifecenter.ric.org/index.php?tray=content&cid=2246
http://www.ada.gov/racheck.pdf


Infographic Source: KD Smart Chair

3 Comments

  1. A really interesting article. A good friend of mine recently went through Gainsborough to get a walk-in bath fitted in her home to make it more accessible. Would really recommend checking them out http://www.gainsboroughbaths.com/product/walk-in-baths

  2. Wow wonderful post and love the infographic! This is really helpful, thanks for sharing!

  3. This is helpful especially in the kitchen & bathroom area of the house. Thanks!

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