Most houses aren’t constructed to include the wants of wheelchair customers. Commonplace doorways aren’t large sufficient, bogs don’t include handrails, and steps don’t have ramps.
Consequently, this weblog goals to assist owners who want to make their non-accessible property extra wheelchair pleasant by outlining the primary areas to renovate with a purpose to guarantee your private home is protected to navigate in a wheelchair.
Doorways, hallways and stairs
For a wheelchair to go by way of a doorway, it needs to be a minimal of 32” large (36” large to go by way of comfortably). Nonetheless, many commonplace residential doorways are below 30”, so you could must widen your doorways to make them accessible for a wheelchair person.
Thresholds will also be difficult for wheelchair customers, as they should construct momentum with a purpose to recover from the edge, and this may trigger accidents or added pressure. Lowering the peak of thresholds or changing them with cushioned ones might help minimise this drawback.
As with all doorways round your home, you may need to contemplate getting door handles which are wheelchair person pleasant, since doorknobs are troublesome to make use of for these with muscle atrophy. Lever type door handles are the most suitable choice, particularly when they’re lowered for a wheelchair person. To make issues even simpler, you may also contemplate getting automated doorways put in, which fully take away the necessity for handles that may be difficult to navigate with mobility issues.
If your private home has stairs, then you will have to put in a staircase carry to assist the wheelchair person entry the upstairs space. Staircase lifts are available a spread of fashions, and might accommodate a variety of several types of staircases, so don’t fear if yours has plenty of bends or may be very steep. When you’ve got steps going as much as your private home or inside it, then ramps are one of the simplest ways to assist a wheelchair person transfer round.
You may also need to clear your hallways of any obstacles, together with shoe racks and aspect tables, particularly in case your hallways are slim, as this can additional assist the wheelchair person navigate their means round the home.
Loos
Commonplace bogs usually are not designed with wheelchair entry in thoughts. In truth, retrofitting a wheelchair pleasant toilet can generally be difficult, with potential plumbing adjustments if there are immovable limitations in your toilet.
For a wheelchair person to have the ability to flip 360 levels, your toilet must be no less than 59”, or 1500mm. Greater bogs are simpler to transform for a wheelchair, although it’s best to nonetheless have the ability to make a small toilet accessible, regardless of the obstacles.
In terms of bathrooms, 17-19” is taken into account a cushty peak to permit for straightforward motion to and from a wheelchair. So as to flip your bathroom right into a wheelchair pleasant one, you might contemplate shopping for a taller bathroom, or a wall mounted bathroom which you can have put in at your chosen peak. Bathrooms with an elevated base are additionally good right here, as are plastic seat inserts that increase the general peak of the bathroom.
It’s additionally really useful that you simply set up two seize bars on both aspect of the bathroom, no additional than 36” aside. Attempt to accommodate as a lot area as doable round the bathroom to make it simpler for the wheelchair person to switch to the bathroom and again of their chair.
If the bathe you have already got is accessible (no less than 36”), then you’ll be able to modify it for a wheelchair person by including a bathe seat and seize bars to permit for protected motion across the bathe. In some instances, you might need to bolster the wall across the seize bars. The ground of the bathe needs to be a non-slip, textured floor. Ideally, go for a handheld bathe head, and have towels and different private objects saved close by.
When you’ve got area for a bath, then a walk-in tub is the most suitable choice, permitting the wheelchair person to enter the bath with out having to climb over the aspect.
The lavatory sink must have sufficient area beneath it to permit the wheelchair person to suit their legs beneath and get shut sufficient to the sink (no less than 27” is really useful). Arms-free or single lever taps are preferable, as are side-mounted ones. You may also need to contemplate taps with sensors.
Lastly, ensure your hand towels are at wheelchair peak and that your mirror is simply above sink peak.
Bedrooms
There are a number of methods you can also make a bed room extra accessible for a wheelchair person, in order that they will navigate their non-public area comfortably and safely.
As an example, you may need to contemplate remodelling your bed room storage areas, particularly your wardrobes, which are usually too excessive up for a wheelchair person. Pull-down rods are the most suitable choice for hanging garments, although you might additionally transfer your rods fully and have them fastened at a decrease peak. Ground shelving can be a good suggestion for folded garments and different objects. You may also need to take away the doorways out of your wardrobes in order that they’re much more wheelchair-accessible.
The mattress itself needs to be between 17″ and 23” above the ground, and shouldn’t have any borders, as this may make it tougher to align a wheelchair proper subsequent to the mattress. Transportable lifts or handrails might help a wheelchair person get into and off the bed, as can putting in an electrical mattress which could be adjusted by peak.
A nightstand close to the top of the mattress with a contact lamp or conveniently positioned gentle swap will even make it simpler for a wheelchair person to modify the lights off when they’re in mattress. You may additionally need to contemplate putting in a panic button or one other kind of contact system, in case of an emergency.
Flooring
In terms of flooring, there are a couple of elements that you simply’ll need to contemplate. An important is that the ground is simple to manoeuvre in a wheelchair. Straightforward to keep up and slip resistant supplies are greatest, as is flooring that doesn’t put on down simply.
The most effective choices are:
- Laminate flooring
- Hardwood flooring
- Vinyl flooring
- Ceramic tiles
These accommodate for a spread of budgets, in addition to types and tastes. They’re additionally sturdy supplies that don’t scratch simply.
Carpets could be exhausting to navigate, and are sometimes a foul selection for a wheelchair person, relying on the thickness of your carpet’s padding. We suggest you take away rugs, as they will act as obstacles.
Lighting and electrics
Take into consideration how accessible your electrical retailers are. Conventional gentle switches are sometimes too excessive up for a wheelchair person to have the ability to attain them. Equally, plug sockets are sometimes too low to be reached safely from a wheelchair.
To maintain them in attain, why not rent an electrician to decrease your gentle switches and lift your plug sockets for you?
Kitchen
The kitchen additionally must be spacious sufficient to permit a wheelchair person to comfortably navigate and switch round. To attain this, a circulation area of 59” is really useful.
You may need to take into consideration decreasing your work surfaces in order that they can be utilized from a seated place. Inserting home equipment decrease, and shopping for fashions that open from the aspect, will assist maintain every part in attain. Adjusting the peak of counter tops is the most important job you are able to do to your kitchen to make it accessible. You can additionally look into adjustable counter tops, which could be lowered or raised in accordance with the wants of the person, or just decrease solely a piece of the kitchen surfaces, in order that your kitchen can be utilized by all.
It’s best to ensure there may be area beneath your lowered sink, so {that a} wheelchair person can roll beneath the sink and get shut sufficient to make use of it comfortably. The identical applies to all of the sinks in your home.
Lastly, storage also needs to be put in proper above the bottom. Wider, compact fashions and pull out drawers are preferable. To maximise area, contemplate shelving lifts that may be lowered and raised when wanted. A talented tradesperson can construct accessible shelving for you.
