The easiest way to make your home more wheelchair accessible

If a relative who uses a wheelchair comes to visit you, or if someone in your family suddenly finds you needing to use a wheelchair, even temporarily, you can look around your home with fresh eyes. I can do it. Is the location accessible?Is everything he needs within reach? extreme home makeover where it shines, Full accessibility example arrival If it is urgent, some steps can be taken fairly quickly to make it as welcoming and friendly as possible.

measure the doorway

Around South Bay Residential, maintains a landing page with details for home buyers to look for when considering whether a property is wheelchair accessible. Doors must be at least 32 inches wide to facilitate wheelchair passage, but a doorway of at least 36 inches provides comfortable passage. width. A typical residential doorway is 23 to 30 inches wide, so measure to see if a person using a wheelchair can pass. Doorway trim may need to be removed to accommodate passageways. Whether you leave it alone for a short period of time or have it professionally redone your home door more permanently is up to you.

You can use offset hinges to allow the door to swing away from the doorway. This will add up to 1 inch of clearance or you can remove the door and cut it out completely. Note that even 32 inches may not be wide enough if there are sharp turns before or after your doorway. Prolonged use of the wheelchair may require a professional extension of the doorway.

Consider lighting

Lower the lamp position if possible. Glare is a serious problem for people in wheelchairs. This should be relatively easy. When someone in a wheelchair arrives at your home, have them take a tour with you and point out areas where they are experiencing bulb glare or other lighting problems. Installing the lamp at a preferred height is an easy way to help them feel more comfortable.

But you also need to be able to turn on these lamps, so consider the location of the light switches as well. Lots of options for turning lights on and off without a switch in high places. smart outlet It’s relatively inexpensive and allows you to turn the lamp on and off using your phone or by voice using your Echo or Siri-enabled device. Have plenty of these outlet plugs so you can easily control all your electronics remotely. Work with your guest or family member who uses a wheelchair to ensure that SmartHis adaptations are installed correctly on their personal devices and that they know how to use them. Wrapping a string around a lamp drawstring is another easy way to make lighting more accessible.

inspect the lugs

You may not have the time or reason to redo the flooring of your entire home before a visitor or family member temporarily uses a wheelchair.under Americans with Disabilities ActADA-compliant floors must be “stable, firm, and non-slip.” Per Flooring Co., Ltd.If you have tile, vinyl, laminate, hardwood, or rubber floors in your home, you’re already ahead of the game. If your rug is particularly plush and luxurious, keep it rolled up for the duration of your guest’s stay. The more flat and smooth surfaces available, the more mobile you will be.

remove obstacles

Hallway tables with family photos are often beautiful, but can be a headache for someone in a wheelchair to navigateAccording to South Bay Residential, corridors should be at least 36 inches wide, but the ideal minimum is 48 inches. Look around your home to identify items that may be weighing down valuable space, especially hallways. Baskets, side tables and shoe racks that seem like no big deal can eat up inches that are the difference between effort and ease for someone navigating your space in a wheelchair. , in the closet or storage for the time being. (Even artwork that is low can be difficult to move, so move it up if possible.)

Sort frequently used

Head to the kitchen and bathroom.aItems in the cupboard that are used every day should be moved within human reach. Cups, plates, toothpaste, pens, etc. should be able to be moved down and easily accessible. Place snacks and beverages on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator and move infrequently used specialty items to the top.

These aren’t perfect or long term solutions, but they will help you get your home up and running in no time Please be more welcoming while we work on bigger renovations in case people in wheelchairs will be there for extended periods of time.