This article is incomplete.
¶ Introduction
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¶ Entryways and Access
The path from the outdoors to the main floor is one of the most important considerations when evaluating a home for its suitability in housing a disabled individual that uses a wheelchair.
The elevation difference between the outdoor level and the main floor is the cumulative height of all stairs, thresholds, inclines, or other variations. The larger this total elevation change, the greater the length needed for a wheelchair-accessible ramp with a gradual slope.
In addition to the elevation change, the path from the outdoors to the main floor must be accessible. Doors must open wide enough to accommodate the wheelchair, and any turns along the way must offer sufficient space for the wheelchair to maneuver around them.
Elevation changes and navigational obstacles that are too difficult to overcome may compel an individual to relocate to a different residence when they require the use of a wheelchair.
¶ Stairs, Steps, and Thresholds
¶ Stairs
Climbing and descending stairs demands considerable strength from numerous muscles in the legs. The hip flexors must be strong enough to lift the foot from one step to the next. Moving the body up to the next step requires adequate strength in the hip extensors, quadriceps, and gastrocnemius (calf) muscles. Steeper steps are more challenging to ascend than shallower ones. The use of railings and grab bars is required when lower limb strength alone is insufficient to overcome gravity.
Falling backward down a flight of stairs is highly dangerous and can result in severe injury or even death. It's important to lean slightly forward while climbing, maintaining balance so that, in the event of a fall, it is more likely to be forward rather than backward.
Stair lifts should be considered when climbing or descending stairs requires more than moderate adaptations.
¶ Steps
Many homes and other buildings have one or two steps to ascend between split level flooring. These steps often do not have railings or may not be near walls or other touch points to help maintain balance. The same precautions taken when climbing flights of stairs should be taken when climbing or descending a few steps.
¶ Thresholds
A threshold is a piece of material that forms the bottom of a doorway, or a transition between different floor surfaces. Thresholds can be difficult to traverse for a person walking or a wheeled device such as a wheelchair. Care should be taken when crossing thresholds, as with staircases and steps.
Thresholds as shallow as 1 inch (25 mm) may require the use of a ramp or threshold riser to safely traverse them.
¶ Doors
¶ Knobs
Door knobs with a circular profile can be difficult to grasp and rotate for individuals with muscle atrophy in their hands and forearms. Knobs which have a prominent handle that can be pushed downward are easiest to operate. Knobs which lock may be impossible to operate if they require the use of fingers to operate the locking mechanism.
¶ Doorways
Doorways must be wide enough for a walker, wheelchair, or wheeled commode to pass through. Often, the door itself reduces the effective width of the doorway when the door is open. Measurements of applicable doorways should be made before purchasing equipment that is intended to pass through them.
¶ Decks and Balconies
Sliding doors used to access decks and balconies may be too narrow for a wheelchair or a walker to pass through. Modifications to the door handles may allow for some valuable increased opening width in some cases. Many sliding doors in North America have a standard overall width of 5 feet, or 6 feet. 5-foot models will almost definitely need modifications to provide clearance for a large wheelchair.
Sliding doors also have a threshold on the bottom that must be cleared. Commercially available products exist that make going over the threshold much smoother. A ramp is placed on either side of the door, and a removable bridge is placed between them when passing through the door.
A power wheelchair with an individual sitting on it may weigh as much as 600 pounds (270 kg). A deck or balcony that is not able to bear that amount of weight should not be used by anyone at all.