Being handicap is not easy; the same goes true with your loved ones who are afflicted with a disability. The most glaring difficulty actually comes with living daily life. Simply getting around without portable wheelchair ramps for homes can be extremely stressful, if not nearly impossible.
If you or your loved ones experience this kind of difficulty, it’s time to implement some critical changes to your home. Here are the top ways to ensure that your home is handicap ready and easily accessible:
Widen Doorways
If a wheelchair is necessary for mobility, then you know just how wide they are—wheels included. Even with more compact designs of wheelchairs, a lot of space is needed. The first thing you need to do is widen your doorways to adapt to the wide berth of the wheelchair. Make sure there’s an allowance of a few inches to avoid bumps. This should be applied to rooms where the wheelchair-bound is most likely to go. Naturally, the entrance is a must to allow for easy access.
Install Ramps
The biggest challenge to the wheelchair-bound happens when there’s a change in elevation. Naturally, they can’t take the stairs as normal people would. The solution to this would be to install a ramp. The incline of this ramp should be designed to ensure ease of passage. Make it too steep and your loved one will not be able to use your ramp. Another problem comes when there is no room for a permanent ramp. A better option would be portable wheelchair ramps, which can easily be put in and taken out as needed.
Place Grab Bars
Of course, there will be instances when an impaired person will need to get up off their wheelchair. This most often happens in the bathroom. The best solution for this is to install grab bars. These allow them to pull themselves out of their wheelchairs to use the toilet or even take a shower. Grab bars even find use in the bedroom, though a portable patient lift might be a better idea. These allow anyone to lift a person from a lying position to a sitting position with great ease.
Fix the Flooring
Another thing that you might not realize needs changing is your flooring. You can’t have rugs or carpets as these tend to catch on the wheels of the wheelchair. You can’t also have the floors too smooth, as they will make it very slippery to roll the wheels around. Getting one that provides some traction is ideal. Wood is a good material, as you can control the smoothness of the surface with controlled application of lacquer. This helps ensure that moving around the home would be easier.
The best way to deal with the challenges of handicaps is to create an environment that is friendly to them. Keeping your home safe and accessible is of utmost importance. If you follow these tips and work with a reliable safety equipment supplier, you can be sure that your loved ones are comfortable.
