Low-To-No Cost Home Modifications For Wheelchairs

When adjusting to life in a wheelchair, one of the biggest challenges is making your home wheelchair accessible without breaking the budget. But, with the right modifications, it is possible to make a home accessible with just a small budget. If you are looking for ways to help your loved one by making their house more accessible for daily life, we’ve got you covered. Here are some tips & tricks that you can implement to increase your loved one's quality of life, provide them with a more accessible home, and keep costs low!

Doorway Accessibility

When it comes to accessibility one of the biggest factors is doorways. A door that is inaccessible not only cuts off the doorway, it cuts off the entire room! Making sure that doors are wide enough to get through, are able to easily be used, and that they don’t become an obstacle for day-to-day life is a key step in making a home accessible. 

For narrow doorways, consider removing the door from the hinges to increase the clearance area. This simple modification can greatly ease your loved one's movement from room to room without struggling with tight spaces. However, for essential doors such as bathrooms, bedrooms, or outside doors, this just isn’t a practical option.

One great solution for such doorways is a door-hinge extender. Designed to fit onto your doorway's current hinges, these extenders allow you to swing the door open at a wider angle, allowing you to create extra clearance. The extra inches afforded by an extender can make it so that a previously inaccessible can be reclaimed and reintegrated into your loved one’s daily life. 

Narrow entryways aren’t the only issue when it comes to doors and accessibility, especially if your loved one’s condition extends to more than just their mobility. Traditional rounded handles can be inaccessible to those with fine motor challenges, preventing them from opening up such doors. A lever handle requires less dexterity to operate, making it the perfect solution to their needs.

Some doors can also be awkwardly positioned, requiring those in a wheelchair to be in the doorway when trying to close the door - which is tricky at best and exhausting when it happens with a heavy or hard-to-close door. The T-pull door closer offers a practical solution for closing doors without requiring significant physical effort. The T-handle places a handle closer to the door hinge, allowing your loved one to get clear of the door before closing it - preventing awkward moments and folding back neatly when not in use. 

Ensuring that doorways are accessible to your loved one can help them feel comfortable in their home. Rather than having entire rooms suddenly cut off due to their wheelchair, they instead are able to continue to navigate their home independently and without hassle.

 

Flooring Solutions

Flooring considerations are crucial for ensuring smooth mobility within the home. Different flooring materials can cause strain, fatigue, and can even cause accidents and spills. Making sure that your loved one's floors are accessible will not only make it easier for them to navigate their home but also help prevent potential injuries

Hardwood floors are usually a safe bet for wheelchair users. They don’t require extra effort to navigate over and usually don’t present any major concerns when it comes to accidents. However, you will want to make sure that your hardwood floors (as well as any other flooring) are clear of obstructions - especially mats and rugs which can get tangled in the wheels. Another potential obstacle to keep an eye out for is cables, which not only can get caught up in the wheels of the chair but also can become damaged by being rolled over repeatedly. Cable protectors can keep your cables safe and your wheels free, but do come at a cost. You can also consider taping cables to your wall, keeping your floor free of them and preventing damage in the long run. 

For carpeted floors, vinyl mats can be used to create smoother surfaces, reducing friction and facilitating easier movement. While ADA-approved carpets are designed to be wheelchair-friendly, longer carpets can still pose challenges and are present in many households. We recommend talking with your loved one about any carpeted floors and seeing if they might need vinyl mats to help reduce the strain needed to navigate over them. If so, try to plan out how many mats you’ll need - will you want to cover the full floor, only a section, or just a pathway through? By keeping their needs in mind, you can provide your loved one with a solution that serves them without breaking the budget.

In the bathroom, safety can be significantly improved with a few simple adjustments. For ambulatory wheelchair users, installing grab bars and non-slip mats can prevent slips and falls during bathroom use. These additions provide stability and support, reducing the risk of accidents. For full-time wheelchair users, a raised toilet seat with handles and a shower chair can offer greater independence and ease of use. These modifications ensure that the bathroom remains safe and accessible while providing your loved one with the dignity and independence that they deserve.

Lastly, small steps between rooms can be easily overlooked, but they are a huge obstacle that you’ll want to address. A threshold ramp allows for wheelchairs to easily surmount these changes in heights between rooms. They are particularly useful in homes with small steps or uneven flooring between different areas.

Furniture Adjustments

Adjusting the height of furniture is another crucial aspect of home modification. For desks and tables, you’ll want to make sure that the table clearance is high enough to allow their chair to comfortably sit underneath, but not so high that they can’t access what’s on the table. This can be achieved using adjustable height tables or table leg extenders, making activities like dining or working more convenient and accessible. Proper table height ensures they can perform daily tasks without straining.

For beds, chairs, and sofas, raising them to be the same height as the wheelchair can make transferring easier and safer. A piece of furniture that’s not set to the proper height can be difficult to get into and out of, posing a risk of falls. Furniture risers are a great tool to help make whatever piece of furniture you already own accessible. These risers can also be used for tables and desks, ensuring that all furniture is at an optimal level for your loved one’s use, thus enhancing their overall comfort and ease of movement within the home.

But it doesn’t just stop with setting furniture at the right height. Creating open spaces within the home is essential for easy maneuverability and furniture can be one of the biggest obstacles to this goal. By rearranging furniture to allow wide, obstacle-free pathways, you can enhance their mobility and independence. Consider the layout of the rooms, common paths & areas that they use, and daily tasks. From there, you can remove any furniture that is unneeded and rearrange needed furniture to create larger unobstructed paths throughout the house that will allow them more space as they go about their day. This not only improves their ability to move around freely but also reduces the risk of accidents and falls.

If they live in a smaller home where rearranging isn’t possible, consider looking into narrow and maneuverable wheelchairs that can help overcome this challenge. These specialized chairs are designed to fit through tighter spaces, ensuring that even in a compact environment, your loved one can navigate with ease and comfort. This adjustment can be a game-changer, providing them with the freedom to move around without constant hindrance.

Enhancing Lighting

Lighting plays a big role in home accessibility. Traditional light switches can be difficult to reach or operate for someone in a wheelchair. Instead of hiring an electrician to rewire your switches to a lower position, there are some easy ways to make lighting accessible, including touch-based lamps and voice-controlled lighting. 

Using Bluetooth lights in combination with a smart home device can allow your loved one to easily control the lights just by asking their device to turn them on or off. But, the downside of these devices is that they are reliant on the internet, meaning an outage can impact your ability to use them. Touch lamps are another great option, and while they do require more effort than a voice-based system, they don’t face the same issue of internet outages. Whichever option you choose, both can make it so that your loved one doesn’t need to stretch and strain for out-of-reach light switches. 

Organizing Storage

Organization is key to maintaining an accessible and clutter-free living space for your loved one. Reorganizing storage areas to place commonly used items within easy reach can significantly improve their daily life. This includes adjusting the height of shelves in the bedroom, kitchen, and office, as well as the placement of appliances such as microwaves, toasters, and more. Keeping frequently used items on lower shelves or countertops makes it easier for your loved one to reach what they need without straining or requiring assistance.

You can also use pull-out shelves, baskets, and bins can allow for easy storage and retrieval of items. If your home lacks sufficient shelves or cabinets for this, modular shelving and storage products offer an affordable way to create additional accessible storage spaces. These products can be tailored to fit specific needs and spaces, ensuring that your loved one can store and retrieve items conveniently.

In addition to shelving, consider installing lower hooks, rods, and bars throughout the house. This includes closet rods, coat hooks, key hooks, towel bars, and hooks in the bathroom. By lowering these fixtures, you ensure that your loved one can easily access towels, clothing, coats, and keys without difficulty. This not only improves their daily routine but also fosters a sense of independence and ease within their home environment.

Consider A Daily Living Wheelchair

We know that when it comes to your loved one, you want to make sure that they are well taken care of and that they can continue to live with the comfort and independence that they deserve. These helpful tips and tricks can help you make sure that their home is set up in a way that provides them with the accessibility that they need.

If you want to provide them with even more accessibility in their home, consider a Daily Living Wheelchair. Designed for day-to-day life in a home, the Daily Living Chair provides your loved one with comfort, safety, and maneuverability. With four base models to choose from, our chairs support a wide range of needs. Discover what makes our line of wheelchairs so great and discover which chair is right for your loved one.