Vol. 7, No. 4 Fall 1999	Previous Issues Subscribe to AT Messenger Download PDF Viewer
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Making a House a Home: Ideas for Making a Home Wheelchair Accessible

by Amy Bowles and Michael Meyreles, AT Specialists, Sussex and New Castle County ATRCs

What areas do you need to consider when making a house accessible to a person using a wheelchair? In this article, we will examine this question using a hypothetical case-a man in his late 20s who uses a wheelchair following a car accident-to illustrate the task of home modification.

Background Information

The first thing you need is background information: the more you can get the better. Our subject lives alone in a two-bedroom, two-bath one-story home. He is paralyzed from the waist down, has good upper body strength, and can transfer independently from his wheelchair to a bed, toilet, and bath. Prior to the accident he worked as a carpenter. He has some money in savings, but most has gone to his medical expenses. As we gather background information, it's important to consider the goals of the consumer, which are very pragmatic ones. He is realistic about his abilities and has structured his goals accordingly. His goals include returning to school to obtain a college degree and securing employment in a computer-related field.

Home Assessment

The next item we tackle is the home assessment. When conducting a home assessment, work from the outside to the inside. The driveway surface should be firm to allow a smooth ride in a wheelchair. Negotiating a path to the front door is determined by the change in height from the driveway to the entrance. Our subject's home has an approximate two-foot change in height between the driveway and the front door. Two approaches can be considered. The first is a ramp. It is generally recommended that for every inch in rise, a corresponding twelve inches in length is added to the ramp (1:12). However, a 1:16 slope is becoming more widely accepted. Therefore, our subject's ramp, using the 1:16 guideline, has to be thirty-two feet long. The second approach is changing the grade to allow a small but steady incline to the front door.

The next area of concern would be the entrance. Two items to consider are door width and threshold height. Most exterior doors in today's homes are three feet wide and would be sufficient to accommodate an individual in a wheelchair. Threshold height should measure no more than 1/4 inch (1/2 inch if tapered) to allow easy access through the door.

Inside the Home

Now that we are inside the consumer's home, areas that need to be examined include: changes in level, furniture arrangement, floor coverings, and doorway widths. Since his home has only one floor, change in level is not a problem for him. In all other ways, his home is a typical one. The furniture needed to be arranged so that he can enter and exit any room without obstruction. There also needs to be enough floor space for him to move about within any room. When considering floor coverings, the surface needs to be firm and smooth. A low pile carpet can also be used for easier mobility. Most interior doors measure thirty inches in width. While the consumer can negotiate these doors when using his wheelchair, he does tend to scrape his knuckles once in a while. One inexpensive solution to this problem is offset hinges. These allow the door to open away from the doorjamb for easier passage through the doorway.

Bathrooms are a challenge

Bathroom access can be a problem for people using wheelchairs. Older homes typically have a narrower door-one that measures only two feet-entering the bathroom. In this case, architectural restructuring would need to take place to allow entrance. If the door were located in a load-bearing wall, major reconstruction would be needed. Also, bathrooms in older homes tend to be smaller in size. In this consumer's home, major reconstruction is required because the size of the bathroom does not allow for easy maneuverability of the wheelchair. The first thing to consider is the clear floor space. Clear floor space allows unobstructed turning of the wheelchair. Generally, a five-foot turning radius is recommended.

The bathroom sink should be easily accessible, and this can be achieved by using either a pedestal sink or a wall-mounted sink, making sure that the hot water pipe and drainpipe are insulated to guard against burns.

To transfer from a wheelchair to a bathroom toilet, the toilet seat height should be as close to the height of the wheelchair seat as possible. Typically, this means that the height of the toilet seat should be eighteen inches above the floor.

When addressing the bath/shower needs, personal preferences should dictate whether a roll-in shower or standard bath is to be used. Our subject prefers to transfer to a tub bench to take a shower. Therefore, a standard tub can be used with a tub-transfer bench, but a hand-held shower would be preferable to one that is wall-mounted.

Grab bars are usually placed behind and to one side of the toilet. They are also placed both horizontally and vertically within the shower at predetermined heights based on the individual's preferences.

Kitchen Concerns

The kitchen is the other major area to be addressed. Since this consumer lives alone, he needs to be able to access every area of the kitchen, including cabinets, appliances, countertops and the sink.

Wall-mounted cabinets should be lowered to allow for easy reaching. Usually, floor cabinets with countertops measure approximately thirty-six inches above the floor. For someone using a wheelchair, this height is too high. Therefore, when making accessible countertops, some work areas should be built to be approximately thirty inches above the floor. This also applies to the height of the sink, again making sure the wheelchair can roll under and that the drainpipe and hot water pipe are insulated. The top of the stove should be approximately thirty inches above the floor, with the controls in front to protect against burns. Ovens should be placed within easy reach. The most accessible oven is one that has a side-opening door. The side-by-side refrigerator/freezer is considered the most accessible. Personal preferences should be taken into consideration when deciding on appliances. Front-loading washers and dryers with front mounted controls are the most accessible.

Finding Funding

The last item on the list is funding. Finding the needed funding to make an existing home barrier-free can be a daunting task. However, for the person who perseveres, the reward can be satisfying. Local and state agencies such as the Housing Authority, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation or Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities can be resources. Civic organizations can also be a source for funding, and many banks offer low-interest loans for making a home barrier-free.

Individual abilities and limitations need to be considered on a case-by-case basis when deciding what is needed for home modifications. For more information, contact your local Assistive Technology Resource Center.