Handicap Accessible Trials and Tribulations

If you follow this blog, you will know  Charlie  and I have been building a new home. We designed our home to be wheelchair accessible. We did this in anticipation of my mother, who may need handicap accessibility to our home at a future date. (Believe me she does one hour of aerobics a day and is in better shape than Charlie and I)

Anyway, we did not forsee Charlie breaking his leg and needing wheelchair access. So what have we learned from actually using what was deemed to be "handicap accessible?"

If you are building or adding on a porch deck; definitely put a wheelchair ramp in. We don't use the wheelchair to get out; however the gently sloped ramp is very easy to negotiate on a walker. The ramp has been handy for moving in furniture and appliances. Our elderly guests find the ramp easier to negoiate than the stairs. The ramp is also easier to keep clean during winter ice storms than the stairs. (Our dog got caught in a steel trap and had a "to the bone" wound in his front paw. He too prefers the ramp to the steps)

Our front entry is french doors; so the wide width of wheelchairs and furniture has been no problem. However, there is about a six inch step-up, designed to keep rain from coming under the doors. The step-up is a bit of a trick to use the walker, or to ease the wheelchair up and down. In hindsight, would have made it a smaller step.

All of our interior doors are thirty six inches wide. Charlie can easily maneuver himself throughout the first floor of our home. Our cental hallway is four foot wide, with space enough that he doesn't mar my walls.

Our bathroom, which we put the most thought into accessibility before construction has had a few hiccups. We made it plenty wide enough to accomodate the wheelchair or walker. A potty chair easily fits over our existing toilet. However, the potty chair has to be moved out in order to get enough room to maneuver into our shower. Oh! for six more inches of room!

We did have the forsight to install a shower with seats. We thought it was handicapped accessible, but it is not wide enough to accomodate the walker. UH! That was a problem. There was one grab bar on the long wall, but it is low and not that great when one is hobbling on one leg. We had our contractor install a couple more grab bars; one inside the shower and one at the entry so it is a little more easy to get in and out of the shower. However, it is still tricky. I would mention that it is a real challenge to find grab bars that can be retro-fitted into a shower. Most are intended for new construction. If you are remodeling the bath, go on and spend the money to get those grab bars installed before you need them.

Have you had similiar experiences? Would love to hear from you.

Kentucky Insurance

Joyce Pinson  is a Kentucky insurance agent as well as marketing director for  Charlie Pinson Insurance KY.  She looks forward to Kentucky Derby Day; when Charlie promises to be out of his wheelchair and dancing a waltz.