Ramps

Guidelines To Success In Building Ramps

• Width. At least 3'6" to give you enough space for the width of your wheelchair
• Curbing. A low curb (4" high) should be built on each side of the ramp to keep you from falling off the edge.
• Slope. The incline should not be more than 8%. Your best bet is using this rule of thumb: Make 1' of ramp length for each 1" of height it needs to rise.
• Turning Space. There should be a level surface at the top and bottom of your ramp. Each platform should be at least 5'0" by 5'0" in size to give you enough turning space to move around if you need to.
• "Pit Stop" Platform. Plan for a level platform (5'0" x 5'0") for every 30' or so of ramp. This will give you a pit stop to rest on before you go on. This can be changed to fit your needs (more platforms if you need more pit stops or your yard or room is not big enough for 30 feet of ramping).
• Handrails. Smooth handrails, about 2'6" - 2'8" high, can be built for those who will be propelling the chair by the rails. You also can use them like curbing to protect you from falling over the edge.
• Ramp Surface. Your ramp should be covered with a nonskid surface so you won't slide all over the place when it is wet.
• Overhead Cover. Give yourself a break by putting a roof or cover over the ramp. This will protect you from getting soaked if the weather gets nasty.
• Lighting. Make sure you have porch lighting so you can see the edges of your ramp.

Entrances

Guidelines To Success In Building Entrances

• Turning Space. There should be a level surface inside and outside of each entrance. They should be at least 5'0" by 5'0" in size to give you enough turning space to move around if you need to.
• Threshold. Leave no more than 1, 2" threshold at each entrance. Any more of a threshold will be too big a bump for you to pass through the entrance easily.

Doorways

Guidelines To Success In Building Doorways

• Width. All the doorways in your whole house should be at least 36" wide so your wheelchair can pass through without doing damage to them.
• Clearance. There should be a 1' 6" length of clear wall next to the door on the latch side (the edge farthest away from the hinges). This is space for you to be out of the way when the door swings open.
• Open Doors. Your days of slipping through the doorway are over. Doors must now open to at least 90-degree angle so your wheelchair can pass through easily.
• Opening Doors. Doors must be able to be opened in a single motion. Don't put in a spring action door that will work against you so you have to fight your way through the doorway. To add to the ease of this motion, a door should never be so heavy that it cannot be opened from a sitting position.
• Door Handles. The best door handle you can have is shaped like a lever. These can be found through some hardware stores, most contractors, and some decorators.

Bathrooms

Guidelines To Success In Setting Up Your Bathrooms

• Sinks.
  *To clear your armrests and lap, sinks should be at least 27-34" high.
  *Shallow sinks are best (8" deep). Wrap all exposed pipes to prevent leg burns when hot water passes through them.
• Faucet Handles. Faucet handles should be lever type. They should be set back no more than 1' 9" from the front edge of the counter.
• Mirrors. Mirrors work best for sitting if they are mounted on the wall tilting downward or no higher than 30" (bottom edge) from the floor.
• Knee Space. Leave knee space below sink that is at least 30" wide and 2'3" high.
• Turning Space. Since the turning radius of a wheelchair is a 5' diameter, a clear space of the same size is best in the bathroom.
• Fixtures. Ideally, bathroom fixtures (toilet, tub, sink) should be at least 4' apart from one another (if located on the same wall).
  * Toilet: Generally at a standard height of 1'8". If you use an installed shower seat, put it in about 1 '8" high with grab bars.
• Roll-in Shower.
  * Doorway to shower should be at least 3'6" and have no curb. Curtain closure or no closure at all is better than a glass or solid door.
  * The shower itself should be at least 4' x 4'.
  * The floor of your shower should be covered with a non-slip surface.
  * Thermostatic controls should be installed in your pipes so that when water is used in other parts of the house (say, a toilet is flushed), you won't get scalded. Some parts of your body may not feel the boiling hot water and not signal you to get out of the way -- this can lead to serious burns.
  * Faucet control, soap holder, handheld shower hose should all be put in at a height that is easy for your to reach from sitting.

Kitchen

Guidelines To Success In Setting Up Your Kitchen

• Ovens & Stoves. Wall-mounted oven and counter-mounted cook top (no more than 2'0" high and with front controls) is best for easy access to the whole appliance.
• Counters. Countertops must be no more than 2'6" - 2'10" high. Under them should be knee space at least 3' wide x 2' deep.
• Refrigerator. A side by side refrigerator with pull out baskets and shelves works well for people seated in wheelchairs. This gives them more complete access to both the refrigerator and freezer.
• Table. Tables in your kitchen should be at least 28 - 29 high from the floor to the underside of its surface so you can fit your wheelchair arms under it.

Work Areas

"Work Area" desks are counter tops with side knee space openings (at least 3') are best suited for wheelchair users.

Guidelines To Success In Planning Your Work Area

• Height. The height of a work area should make room for the armrests of your wheelchair. This would make it some where between 2'6" - 2'10".
• Depth. The work area should be at least 2'0" deep so you can pull your wheelchair all the way up to the counter without running your footrest into the wall first. At the same time, however, keep in mind that a comfortable forward reach is about 1 '9". Any counter space deeper is unusable.
• Front Cut. Work areas with a front cut are great for people who need extra support for their arms.
• Power. An outlet strip may be required for more power sources.

Safety Tips

Fire Safety

• Two exits at opposite ends of your home are needed.
• Install smoke detectors.
• Discuss models and placement of fire extinguishers with local fire authorities.
• Make yourself known to your local fire and police departments.
• Options you may wish to consider:
  * You may wish to discuss emergency escape routes with fire authorities.
  * An intercom, telephone jack or emergency call system can be placed at your bedside and/or bathroom, or keep a cordless telephone near you for emergencies.

Wrapping Pipes. Exposed hot water or drainpipes must be well housed or wrapped with insulated material to protect your legs from bums.

Swing Out Doors. The doors to any confined spaces, such as bathrooms, should SWING OUT. In-swinging doors pose a danger if you fall and block the door -- help will not be able to open the door.

Heating & Air Conditioning. Proper heating and air conditioning must be planned. With spinal cord injury, your body will have a little more trouble regulating temperatures below the level of your injury.

Telephones
* Wall mounted telephones should be installed no higher than 4'0". A height of 2'9" to 3'3" is best.
* Do not mount a telephone on the wall over a counter. This will block your access to it.
* Telephone extensions should be considered in the bedroom and bathrooms for emergencies. Another option is to use a cordless phone, which can be kept in your wheelchair.

Outlets & Light Switches
* Electric outlets should be placed no more than 4'0" above the floor but at least 1'6".
* Light switches and thermostats should be placed no more than 4'0" above the floor.
* If you have limited hand function, you may prefer rocker or pushbutton switches.

Interior Details
* Leave plenty of room in front of all closets so you can move your wheelchair in close to them.
* The clothing rod in your closet should be set between 3'6" and 4'0" above the floor. This is high enough for most clothing but will still be at an easy reach from your wheelchair.
* One-fold doors are best for inside doors. If your walls can hold them, pocket doors are a good option as well. Keep in mind, though, that if sliding doors are used that involve floor-mounted tricks, those tracks should not stick up so far as to limit wheelchair access.
* Shelves should be mounted no higher than 4'6". They should be no deeper than 1'4" so you can reach everything.

Solving Home Modification Problems Simply

Doorway Widths

A last resort for widening a doorway is to tear into the wall itself. This involves taking off the frame and cutting a larger opening and is really a job for an experienced carpenter. A clear doorway is made narrower by the thickness of the door itself when it is open. This gives you some simple, cheap options:
* Remove the door. This will widen the opening by as much as 2 inches.
* Replace the door hinges with 'handi-hinges". This will allow it to fold back out of the doorway.
* The door frame itself can yield extra space if you carefully pry off the door jamb strips an one or both sides.

Kitchens

You may wish to set up an alternate kitchen work area (see section on work areas for measurements of counter top).
* Meals can be prepared with a few portable appliances.
* An outlet strip may be required for more power sources.
* Pots and pans can be hung on pegboard or housed on open shelves.
* Store utensils and dishes that are used often on lazy susans or pull out drawers. Taking off low cabinet doors can increase your access to them.
* A rolling cart can be used to carry items around the house or to hold a microwave oven.

Ramping

You may not need to build a whole ramp system in or around your house. Rental or portable ramps may better serve your needs. Ask your therapist for details.

How To Arrange Your Furniture

You must leave yourself clear and direct routes around rooms and from one room to another. Let the SIZE of the room tell you where the furniture will fit.

One option in a small room: Arrange the pieces around the EDGE of the room, leaving the center open for that 5' turning radius you need for your wheelchair.

Bathrooms

A common bathroom plan includes a narrow doorway with a line up of fixtures in a small room. Try some of these ideas:
* First, widen the doorway as described above.
* Check with your therapist about bathroom equipment available, which may improve accessibility. In some cases, a small-wheeled commode chair will fit where a standard wheelchair won't. A transfer bench can be used in the tub.
* Place mirrors where they can be seen from a seated position.
* Use a small shelf within reach of the sink for personal needs.

New Construction

Getting injured didn't automatically make you an expert at dealing with contractors. What starts out as a simple change in your home can sometimes become a big mess full of unfinished work and costly mistakes. Bear in mind the following issues when you plan to modify your home:
* Shopping for and getting a builder will take less time and be less stressful if you go to him/her with a list of as many measurements and locations of features as you can pull together.
* Remember, you are the expert at knowing WHY you need things set up in a certain way. What you tell your builder is very important. For instance, make it clear to your builder that you need to transfer side to side from your wheelchair to the toilet and therefore 3'-4' clear space is needed there, To include some tips in looking for contractors from "How to Create Interiors for the Disabled".