Most families really don’t have plans for a possible wheelchair ramp installation when their homes are being built. It is only when they have a need for a ramp that installation issues will be brought into the family discussions. Wheelchair ramps for home make it easier for those who are using wheelchairs to go in and out of their homes. If a home has stairs in its entrance or exit area, an individual using a wheelchair will find it very hard to navigate that entry or exit point. Relatives may resort to carrying the handicap person just to go in and out of those building structures. But that will not be the case always. What if there’s no one to carry that person? He will be stranded and confined in that area for some time. Some will resort to making temporary ramps just to let those on the wheelchairs move out of the area. But as the word implies, they are just temporary. Those makeshift ramps should be changed into more reliable ramps if the need for them will be for a longer period of time. Some homeowners will build temporary ramps that are unsafe to use. Those ramps may have slopes that are too steep which is a red flag for wheelchair users or some would not have railings because of cost-cutting. Ramps without railings are accident prone areas especially if the wheelchair user doesn’t have a human aid to guide him up and down the ramp.
Wheelchair ramps for home should be safe and easy to use. Keep in mind that the people who will usually use those ramps are individuals who don’t have all the control of their body parts particularly their legs. It’s a good idea to have the kind of ramp that will be able to support the weight of the possible user and his mobility device. Also, add in the weight of a possible caregiver who will help the handicap person traverse through the ramp to the total weight capacity of the ramp that you will have. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has some policies regarding wheelchair ramp installations for public usage. However, for home use those guidelines are not required to be strictly implemented by the homeowners. But for safety purposes, it will be for the best interest of the wheelchair users if the ADA guidelines will be followed when having home ramps. The ADA guidelines contain the necessary ramp angle or steepness of a ramp in relation to its length.
There are modular wheelchair ramps for home that are available now which are easy to install and don’t need more time for them to be truly functional. There are ramp choices which are made up of steel, aluminum or wood. In choosing for the right ramp, one must refer to the manual of the user’s wheelchair or power scooter. Some of these mobility devices have suggestions on the proper length of the ramp. Also, check with your local laws if there are implementing guidelines regarding installations of wheelchair ramps especially if the ramp that you plan to have is a permanent one.
Wheelchair ramps for home should be safe and easy to use. Keep in mind that the people who will usually use those ramps are individuals who don’t have all the control of their body parts particularly their legs. It’s a good idea to have the kind of ramp that will be able to support the weight of the possible user and his mobility device. Also, add in the weight of a possible caregiver who will help the handicap person traverse through the ramp to the total weight capacity of the ramp that you will have. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has some policies regarding wheelchair ramp installations for public usage. However, for home use those guidelines are not required to be strictly implemented by the homeowners. But for safety purposes, it will be for the best interest of the wheelchair users if the ADA guidelines will be followed when having home ramps. The ADA guidelines contain the necessary ramp angle or steepness of a ramp in relation to its length.
There are modular wheelchair ramps for home that are available now which are easy to install and don’t need more time for them to be truly functional. There are ramp choices which are made up of steel, aluminum or wood. In choosing for the right ramp, one must refer to the manual of the user’s wheelchair or power scooter. Some of these mobility devices have suggestions on the proper length of the ramp. Also, check with your local laws if there are implementing guidelines regarding installations of wheelchair ramps especially if the ramp that you plan to have is a permanent one.