{"id":1024,"date":"2016-05-19T18:00:16","date_gmt":"2016-05-19T22:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.freedomshowers.com\/?p=1024"},"modified":"2023-05-18T16:10:26","modified_gmt":"2023-05-18T20:10:26","slug":"home-welcoming-guests-disabilities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freedomshowers.com\/blog\/home-welcoming-guests-disabilities\/","title":{"rendered":"Is your Home Welcoming to Guests with Disabilities?"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

The crockpot has been stewing since this morning. Your partner should be home any minute with that fancy bottle of wine you “asked”\u00a0them to pick up. It’s only a matter of time until your old college friends\u00a0arrive from out-of-state. <\/strong><\/h4>\n

*Ding<\/span>, Dong<\/span>*<\/em>\u00a0you rush to the door, and open it with a smile. But that smile quickly fades\u00a0as you look down your steep\u00a0porch steps and realize Heather’s partner\u00a0Adam is still\u00a0recovering\u00a0in a wheelchair<\/span> from his trampoline accident\u00a0last July.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Maybe that scenario struck a familiar chord. Probably not, since it’s a bit rare for a loved one to show up in a wheelchair without your knowing! Even more rare that they injured their\u00a0leg on the trampoline. That said,\u00a0what isn’t rare<\/span><\/em> are the changing needs of friends, family, and loved ones as we age.
\n<\/p>\n

As we age\u201a we need to consider the homes we live in and how our changing needs will be accommodated. However, sometimes it\u2019s not just about our accessible\u00a0needs.\u00a0 As we age\u201a so do the people in our lives.<\/span> Our parents, other relatives, friends, and even our pets are becoming older. Your own health levels might not require an accessible home quite yet\u201a but you may want to consider making your home visitable for\u00a0the important people in your life.<\/p>\n

Visitability is a growing consideration when doing home renovations\u201a building a new home, or buying\u00a0a house. Not only are handicapped accessible home renovations a smart investment for aging in place, but they can even add to your resale level, and most pertinent to this article – your home will be welcoming to friends and family of all abilities.<\/p>\n

Always wanted Thanksgiving at your place? Implement these three solutions for a handicapped accessible home<\/span> and you’ll be hosting every year. Never want to host Thanksgiving? There are a lot of good deals on cruises that time of year.<\/p>\n

Three Solutions for a Visitable Home:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. No step entrance<\/strong><\/span>. Even a couple of steps at the entrance of your home creates enough of a barrier to those in wheelchairs. A permanent\u00a0solution would be a\u00a0ground levelled front porch and\u00a0doorway. Home owners with this feature also appreciate the easy access they have\u201a especially when moving furniture or appliances into and out of their home. Alternatively, a flat entrance through the garage or side door could work just as well. Or a small portable wheelchair ramp could work wonders.<\/li>\n
  2. Wider doorways<\/strong><\/span>. Wheelchairs require a minimum 32\u201d wide doorway to easily pass.\u00a0 Wider is always better. This applies to all doorways on the main floor\u201a including the main entrance\u201a transitions between rooms, and bathroom doors.<\/li>\n
  3. Accessible first floor bathroom<\/strong><\/span>. A main floor powder room should have a wider doorway\u201a but also requires\u00a0the sink to be either adjustable or wall mounted\u201a so there is at least 27\u201d of knee clearance underneath. The top rim should also be at maximum 34\u201d high.\u00a0 There should be a grab bar<\/a><\/span><\/span> to the side of the toilet\u201a as well as a 30\u201d x 48\u201d space for a wheelchair to maneuver\u201a clear of any interference.\n