Living with a loved one in a wheelchair can require some changes to your home. Accommodating their needs will become the forefront of your construction choices, as you need to provide them with a safe and suitable environment that is wheelchair friendly. As a reliable disabled transportation service in Orlando, we understand all about the accommodations for wheelchairs and those with limited mobility. These are a few changes you may need to make to accommodate a wheelchair in your home.
Slippery surfaces can pose risks as you age and your coordination becomes more compromised. If you do not take the proper safety measures, you may encounter trip and fall accidents that result in broken bones or muscle sprains. By installing a shower chair or tub and shower rails, you give them something to stabilize them and enable them to bathe while sitting down.
Exterior stairs are no longer a suitable option for those living in a wheelchair. They can also pose hazards for those who have limited mobility or a lack of balance. To prepare their home for them, you may need to build ramps over the stairs, which allow access for wheelchairs or easier walking access. You may also need indoor threshold ramps if there are a few stairs to travel from room-to-room in your home. These ramps prevent any accidents and also allow easy access throughout the home.
You may find that appliances are no longer suitable or safe for your senior loved ones. Those living in wheelchairs may no longer be able to reach the top of the counter or wash their hands in the sinks. You may need to remove dangerous appliances, lower countertop heights, and lower sinks to areas that are safe and easy to access for your loved ones. Move highly used appliances, like microwaves, close to the front of the counter to make these easily accessible.
Flooring is also important to preventing trip and fall accidents and promoting the mobility of wheelchairs and walkers in your home. If you have shaggy carpet, it may need to be replaced with laminate or vinyl flooring to have a smoother surface. If you need to keep carpet, consider carpets with less nap to prevent snagging or difficulty moving.
If your loved one relies on a walker or wheelchair to get around, you may need to widen doorways to allow enough clearance for their assistive technology. Widening doorways can be both cheap or expensive depending on the level of cushioning and placement of electrical near the doorway. To prepare a budget for this job, you will want to talk with a professional contractor.
These are just a few accommodations that you need to make when you are living with someone who needs a wheelchair. If you are looking for the best and most reliable way to transport your loved ones from destination to destination, you will want to trust our disabled transportation service in Orlando.
Contact Comfort Ride Transportation to make your reservation today!