Five House Modifications to Make to Improve Mobility Accessibility
You are stuck to a wheelchair while you recover over the next couple of months. As you head home, it is likely that you will have to make some design changes to better get around your house. It can be difficult to evaluate all of the changes you need until you attempt to maneuver around your house. However, these are the changes that you will find to be the most helpful when considering accessibility standards.
Entrance and exit ramps
Once you arrive at home, you will need to find a way to get into and out of your house. Fortunately, adding a handicapped accessibility ramp is an easy project. Have someone in your household add one or hire a local contractor to create a ramp that will allow you to easily wheel in and out of the front and back door. You will find that there are many contractors that are familiar with this project, as approximately 53 million Americans currently live with a disability, and according to a recent study, the most common disability is associated with limited mobility.
Automatic door openers
When you are resigned to a wheelchair, it can be difficult to open and close doors while also wheeling yourself into a room. Automatic door openers work similarly to a garage opener. You carry the opener with you at all times and when you need to open and close a door, you push the button. You can set every door in your house to respond to these automatic openers for easy navigation from room to room.
Chair lifts for home
Climbing the stairs is not a possibility when you are required to use a wheelchair or scooter. Instead of being stuck on one floor of your house, consider installing chair lifts for home. These lifts are attached to the stairways and lift your chair, and you, from one floor to another. Because home chair lifts often require making permanent changes to the stairways, like with custom bent rails, this modification should only be made if you are going to be using the wheelchair for an extended period of time.
Bathroom modifications
You might be able to get away with not going to the upstairs bedroom while you recover, but you will still need easy accessibility to the bathroom. Redesigning your bathroom for a more durable design can simplify the process. According to HomeAdvisor?s 2016 Aging in Place Report, about 48% of homeowners over age 55 say the bathroom is the top area in the home that they have considered modifying for aging in place. Modifying the bathroom to a more durable design can improve your abilities to remain at home, despite being required to use a mobility device.
Scooter lifts for SUVs
If you intend on being in a wheelchair or scooter device for a long period of time, it can be helpful to also consider driving modifications. Just because you are in a wheelchair or scooter does not mean that you have to also give up on driving. Scooter lifts for SUVs allow you to still operate a vehicle and get in and out of the vehicle by yourself. According to AARP and the National Conference of State Legislatures, 90% of people over the age of 65 want to live in their home as long as they can. Increasing mobility, both in and out of the home, are important factors in this ability and scooter lifts for SUVs can help to hold onto that independence.
Relying on a wheelchair or scooter mobility device does not necessarily mean that you have to give up your independence. With durable designs to the house and scooter lifts for SUVs, you can reclaim your independence and remain in the comfort of your house. Improve the navigation and safety of your home and you will be able to do many of the same things you were able to, before the use of the wheelchair or scooter.
