House Wheelchair

My mother-in-law is in a wheelchair and we'd like to have her over to our house for dinner. The problem is, we live in a raised ranch. There are 6 steps inside (about 4 feet of rise) to the dining room. We only have about 9 feet of room for a ramp. Any suggestions?

Electric wheel chair will require ramps, regular wheelchair may be able to be lifted up the stairs or pulled up, leaning her back, with some strong assistance.
Good Luck, ;-)

2008-10-12 18:13:26 by yussi1870

How to perform diverse house chores from a wheelchair.

For someone with cancer, they are getting worse, it is hard to move them, but in a small house and it is hard to get around, and hard to lift the larger type chair into a car if you are not super strong

Kuschall do a number of lightweight wheelchairs. My husband has two. One folds easily but remains whole so when I am with him, I can easily put it in the boot of the car. The other folds and the wheels can be removed so he can take it apart himself when he is alone and put it on the seat next to him (he has an adapted vehicle).

Check out ;
http://www.spinlife.com/bid-155/k/Kuscha ll-Wheelchairs

2009-03-28 20:15:28 by greengo

Hi there. We are looking into possibly adopting a child who uses a wheelchair. It would be a domestic adoption. What would we have to do to our home in terms of accessibility to pass our home study? Thanks for any advice.

I'm not sure about a home study, but my sister is in a wheelchair, and there are a few things that we needed in our home, and that you should remember to be sensitive to your child.

First, and obviously, ramps are crucial. Please be sensitive, and realize that if there is a part of your house that is functional (like a family room or rec room), make it accessible. It is very difficult to have limited mobility and it is worse to be isolated from parts of your own home.

Doorways. Very old homes sometimes have narrow doorways that wheelchairs can't fit through. Some chairs also have different types of wheels that are at different angles, making them wider. Please check a local medical supply store for the maximum width on a wheelchair.

Depending on the age and size of the child, check on your toilet seats. We had to have toilet seats that were higher up, and then we had a bar next to our toilet seat so that she could pull herself out of her chair. It will depend also whether the child is a paraplegic or a quadraplegic.

Also make sure that they are able to sit in a regular chair at the table if they choose. My sister is a paraplegic, and resents when people in restaurants, or at other people's homes, take away her chair, assuming she wants to remain in her wheelchair. She prefers to move from her wheelchair to a regular chair at the table. Make sure they have a seat at the table on the "outside" of the table.

Make sure that a bathroom is accessible from where they sleep. It takes them a long time to get situated in a bathroom, so it helps to at least have it a little closer if possible

There's plenty more I could tell you, but it would depend on the age and severity of the needs. Good luck, and if you have any other questions, let me know. :-)

2009-08-13 10:37:52 by AO

Price: $4.99

I've installed grab bars in the bathroom and had to take the bathroom door off it's hinges to accomodate the wheelchair. What else should I be doing to make it easier for her? My mother had a heartattack and stroke in January and now she can only do things while in the wheelchair. We live in a one-story single family home. What more should I do?

Have floor coverings that are smooth, hard and flat. It is hard to move a wheelchair around on thick carpet. Have a ramp leading from at least one doorway to the outside. Move furniture so she can wheel in and out of rooms. Set up a dining table where she can wheel right up to it. Locate a television so she can sit and watch in comfort.
You are a wonderful child. God bless you.

2007-03-03 13:52:42 by Christy

You will probably have to widen the doors. Remember to allow for the width of the chair AND allow an extra amount for people to be able to guide the wheels, unless it is wholly electric.
Light switches lowered, wall plugs raised. Slopes instead of steps, thresholds levelled out. An electric bath seat are a few ideas.

You can get wheelchairs with integral lifts which lift the seat to reasonable height to allow the user to reach things more easily which might help.

2007-10-29 15:18:15 by sandra h