Common Home Upgrades for Wheelchair Accessibility

Home should be a place where you can move around comfortably and maintain your daily routine. For people who use wheelchairs, the layout and features of a home play a crucial role in how easy it is to move from room to room.

Improving home accessibility can include projects of all sizes. Some changes are as simple as rearranging furniture or moving everyday items within reach. Other homes may benefit from wider doorways, different flooring, or installing a ramp.

The right changes depend on the person, their wheelchair, and the layout of the home. When improving wheelchair accessibility, it can help to start with simple changes before tackling larger projects.

Your Wheelchair and Your Space

Before making changes to your home, consider the mobility equipment you use every day. Wheelchairs vary in size, turning radius, and how they move. The right home accessibility modifications should take these factors into account.

For example, a power wheelchair uses a motor and is typically controlled with a joystick. This can reduce the physical effort needed to move throughout the day. Many models have a tighter turning radius, which helps when navigating hallways, kitchens, bathrooms, and other small spaces.

The type of mobility equipment you use matters too. Electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters are both motorized options but have different designs and fulfill different needs. Learning about the differences between mobility scooters and power wheelchairs can help you see how each works in daily spaces.

Overall, knowing the size and movement of your wheelchair gives you a good jumping off point for finding the accessibility solutions you may need.

Start With Simple Home Accessibility DIYs

A good place to start is with the areas you use every day. Look at the paths between rooms, note where the furniture sits, and identify where you keep common household items.

Here are some accessibility solutions that you can do on your own or with help from a friend or family member.

Create Clear Pathways

Move furniture to create wider paths and more space for a wheelchair to turn. Removing extra furniture from busy areas can also make rooms easier to navigate.

Area rugs are another thing to consider as they shift, bunch, or catch wheels. Thick carpet can also require more effort to move across. Removing loose rugs can create a smoother path throughout the home.

Keep Everyday Items Within Reach

Think about the things you use every day. Keep kitchen supplies, clothing, toiletries, and other common items where they are comfortable to reach.

Pull-down closet racks are another useful option. They allow you to use higher storage space while bringing clothing down to a more accessible height.

These simple home accessibility modifications can make daily routines easier without requiring major construction.

Small Home Modifications for Wheelchair Users

The next step is looking at features around the home that can be updated or replaced. Many of these projects are relatively small but can make a noticeable difference.

Look at Doors and Thresholds

Small thresholds and transitions between flooring can make it harder to move smoothly across the home. Reducing these height changes can create an easier path for wheels.

Door hardware is another simple upgrade. Lever-style handles may be easier to operate for someone with limited hand strength or dexterity.

Add Bathroom Features

Bathrooms are a great place to focus on home accessibility modifications. Grab bars provide extra support near a toilet and in the shower. A handheld showerhead makes bathing easier from a seated position.

Nonslip flooring can provide better traction. Depending on the person and bathroom layout, other changes may be helpful as mobility needs change.

Accessibility Remodeling Projects

Some upgrades require more time, planning, and investment. Entryways, floors, kitchens, and bathrooms are common areas to consider when making a home wheelchair friendly.

These projects may involve a contractor or another professional who can help plan the space around your needs.

Choose Wheelchair Friendly Flooring

Flooring makes a significant difference for home accessibility. Firm, smooth surfaces are generally easier for wheelchairs to move across than thick carpet.

Durability is important too. The weight and movement of a power wheelchair can cause more-than-normal wear on flooring, especially where it turns.

Improper installation or an unsuitable space can cause some floating luxury vinyl floors to shift or separate. Commercial sheet vinyl and porcelain tile with thin grout lines are two options to explore. Talk with a flooring professional about durable options when getting new floors.

Widen Doorways

Narrow doorways can limit where a wheelchair can go in the home. Widening an opening provides more clearance and makes it easier to move between rooms. This project includes cutting into the drywall, framing out a wider doorway, and installing a new door or barn door.

Before starting this type of accessibility solution, make sure you know the dimensions of the wheelchair and the space needed to approach and move through the doorway. Also, note any light switches or outlets you need to move.

Make Kitchens Easier to Use

Traditional kitchen layouts can put counters, sinks, and storage out of reach from a seated position. In many cases, a total kitchen remodel is necessary to get full use out of your kitchen.

An accessible kitchen may need a new layout. Other upgrades include lowering countertops and opening space beneath a sink or counter so the wheelchair can roll under. Pull-out or pull-down storage can also make cabinets easier to use. Accessible appliances, such as microwave drawers and side opening ovens are also helpful kitchen features.

The best kitchen layout depends on the person using it when they cook, clean, and move through the space.

Create an Easy-to-Use Bathroom

Larger bathroom projects may include a roll-in shower, accessible sink, repositioned fixtures, or additional space around the toilet.

Plan these kinds of home modifications for wheelchair users with the person who will use the bathroom. Everyone has different routines, abilities, and mobility needs.

Add a Ramp to the Home

Steps at an entrance can limit access for someone using a wheelchair. A ramp can create a smoother route into and out of the home.

A ramp may need expert planning based on the entrance height, available space, yard slope, landings, and local building rules. The entrance is an important part of creating an accessible route through the entire property.

Find a Power Wheelchair That Fits Your Daily Life

There are many ways to improve wheelchair accessibility at home. Starting with smaller changes can help address everyday challenges. Larger renovations can make important areas of the home easier to use long term.

The right home accessibility modifications depend on your home, routines, and mobility equipment. Taking these factors into account can help create a space that works better for daily life.

The same is true when choosing a power wheelchair. Sonshine Medical carries motorized wheelchairs for a variety of mobility needs, including lightweight and portable options.

Come visit our showroom, fill out our Request Form, or give us a call at 330-491-0041. Our team can answer your questions and help you find the right wheelchair for your needs.