Category: Glen Miller The Home Doctor - page 11

There are three common layouts for handicap ramps.  They are; a straight line, an L-shape and a switch back.  When deciding what ramp is best suited to a business or home it is important to look at the access and height that needs to be maneuvered.  One thing that is true in all cases is that the ramp should follow the path of travel most frequently used.  It should also be built keeping in mind all of the traffic using the entrance and exit.  This means in some cases stairs will need to be accommodated for in the design.

The first ramp and easiest to install is a straight line or in-line ramp.  This style is most common for buildings and homes that are accessed from level ground or just a few minor steps up.   The next style is an L-shape or dog-legged ramp.  This ramp will change direction ninety degrees at a landing spot and then hug back around for entry.  When a porch is involved with more than a couple of stairs this type helps to ease the angle for a wheelchair, walker, individuals with bad knees by keeping the strain even.  Large businesses and public buildings with many stairs are common places to see the switch back design.  This involves a one hundred and eighty degree turn from one platform to another.  This makes getting into places with many stairs and high entrances much easier for those using mobility devices.

What happens if a home or business is in need of a handicap ramp yet the entrances are not designed to accommodate one?  In cases such as this the best option is to create a new entrance for the ramp location.   An easier way to go about this is to look for a window that is in the position needed for proper placement of the ramp.  Then the window can be removed and the structure for a door can be put in place.  If a garage or porch scenario does not work to make the business or home handicap accessible then it is important another option be sought out.

It is important to look into keeping accessibility for other family members while adding on a handicap ramp.    This is particularly easy with an L-shaped or switchback designed porch.  Using landscaping materials it is easy for homeowners to disguise ramps and allow them to blend naturally into the original flow of the homes entrances.

Another tip that is particularly handy when it comes to climates that are less than desirable three hundred and sixty five days a year is to face the ramp in a southern facing location.  This will ultimately help with snow and ice melt.  It is important to look up also.  It is not advisable to put a handicap ramp in a location that will receive a ton of fall leaves, pine needles or cones.  One option to help minimize these nuisances is a canopy about the ramp.  This will add a bit of expense to the ramp but could save a lot in headaches caused by slippery ice and snow.

What are your assumptions when it comes to how accessible businesses are for the disabled?   Before I got hurt and had issues with my mobility I thought that handicap access was abundant.  I would see the four handicap parking spots at the front of the mall, see the electric scooters strolling around and see the only empty stall in the bathroom was handicapped accessible.  Sadly I was mistaken.  Although you see what looks like businesses following ADA guidelines they are compliant does not mean they are handicap convenient.

After an accident in which my son helped break my leg with a sled I quickly learned how inconvenient living in our society with a disability was.  I always assumed that seeing a handicap ramp outside of a business meant that I would enter and access would be unlimited however I learned that is not the truth.   When I had to use a wheelchair I found the handicap ramps convenient.  However when I moved onto my walker I realized that really handicap ramps were put off to the side and no in direct proportion with the entrance.  I couldn’t believe how inconvenient I was finding out life was with a disability.

My concerns did not stop there.  At grocery stores the electric scooters were all located at the front of the store which was excellent.  I could leave my walker where the scooter was and went about my business. The mall however was a completely different story.  The electric scooter I needed was in the middle of the mall and not at all convenient for me to maneuver to using my walker.  By the time I reached the counter my stamina was depleted and I was ready to be done with this trip to the mall. You would think that in this day and age business owners would realize the importance of making shopping convenient for those that were elderly and/or disabled.  The population of older clients is rising and businesses need to meet their needs in order to attract their business.

Another thing was how merchandise was displayed.  I found that it was very difficult to maneuver around the racks without leaving disarray where ever I went.  One trip in particular was difficult.  I was with my daughter and we were trying on clothes for a wedding we were to attend. Wheelchair access in dressing rooms is a joke.  The amount of room they give you to maneuver is minimal.  It was easier for me to order online, try the stuff on in my home and have my spouse take back what I did not want.  Is this really how our civilized society wants those with mobility difficulties to feel when they are out?

My limited mobility lasted for only three months.  For that I am incredibly grateful.  Those three months were an eye opener for my family and I.  We don’t take pity on those with disabilities or handicapped needs but are more compassionate to their needs.  It is important that we learn that handicap access goes far beyond parking issues, bathrooms and steps.  It is important for our society to look at things from different perspectives to really see what types of needs aren’t being met for individuals with disabilities.  I never wanted anyone to wait on me.  I wanted to be independent and fend for myself I just needed that to be possible and what I experienced made me realize that access goes well beyond a handicap ramp.

As we get older and our kids start lives of their own I think it is common that we begin to think about the aging process and how it is going to affect our lives.  In thinking about aging I know it is my goal to live in my home with my husband as long as we possibly can.  I have no interest in becoming a burden to my children but realize that I like the idea of staying in a place I know as home with my belongings surrounding me.  I also realize when planning to age in place that certain criteria needs to be met in order to keep up with the changing needs that we will be met with.

For instance, my husband has completed five major knee surgeries.  The next step for him will be knee replacements.  In our home we have very minimal steps up but do have one that connects the living room to the kitchen area.  When looking at our aging in place needs I see this hurdle will need to be converted.  I am not sure how we will accomplish this but can see that either more steps with smaller inclines or a ramp will need to be installed to ease the transition for him.

As most people age they have different needs that need to be met.  Obviously we don’t know what those needs will be until we are in the thick of it.  There are things though that are universal and should be looked at as your children leave the nest.  When you are remodeling you can jump start the aging in place process with simple, discreet solutions to getting older.  One thing my husband I have done is removed the carpet from our home.  Not only are hardwood floors beautiful but they are also friendly for walkers and wheelchairs if the need should arise.

Another thing we do as we remodel the rooms in our home is look to make sure that door handles are replaced with levered handles.  I know that when we remodel the bathroom my husband has requested a shower that has a removable shower head along with a barrier free entrance and built in seat.  The designs that we have seen are beautiful and really turn the bathroom into a spa.  This along with the higher toilet and levered faucets should allow us to ease into our golden years in this space.

We have discussed the obstacles with our children of routine items such as yard maintenance and snow removal.  We will keep up on this ourselves as long as possible and then will look into service companies to maintain it when we can’t or don’t want to any longer.  The last thing we want to do though is be a burden anymore than we already will have to be to our adult children.  Aging in place often leads to placing a bigger burden on family and that is not our hopes.

If we need care on a daily basis and can no longer function with grab bars and other home modifications we will need to look into either an assisted living facility or at home care that lives with us or comes in regularly to assist us with our needs.  We would like to live in our home as long as possible and with that in mind plan on reviewing each room with aging in place remodeling in mind.

Looking for a new home is time consuming and downright painful.  Imagine however if you were looking for a home that needed to be handicap accessible. Your laundry list of requirements is totally different than the average homeowner.  It is important to find a home that can be easily altered to become wheelchair accessible if you have not found one that is already suited for the needs a wheelchair imposes.

Requirements to make a home more wheelchair friendly start with the entrances and exits of a home.  In order for a home to be accessible there must be at least one entrance equipped with a wheelchair accessible ramp.   It is a good idea that you make all of the homes exits and entrances safe for wheelchairs to provide comfort for the individual to get in and out easily.  It is easier than one might think to add a ramp off the deck in a backyard and to add threshold ramps to garage entrances and exits.  Also, wheelchair accessible ramps are made to enhance the beauty to any front porch area.  The more ways to get in and out of the home the safer and more comfortable a wheelchair bound individual will feel.

In dealing with exits and entrances it is important to remember the width of a wheelchair and the turn radius required to move freely in and out.  Make sure all door and hallways, including vestibules are at least thirty-six inches to provide adequate space for wheelchairs and walkers to maneuver.  If hallway doors are too tight it can help to reverse the swing of the door out to provide an extra few inches through the doorways to rooms throughout the house.

Wheelchair access throughout the home is only one issue that handicap people face within their own homes.  Issues that are just as important are items such as accessible electrical outlets, accessible smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, along with making sure fire extinguishers are all within reach of a wheelchair user.  Simple tweaks can make sure that items are made to be convenient for all household users.  Smoke detectors can be wired into the wall and outlets can be placed higher up making the reach less of a burden.

I mentioned earlier wheelchair accessible ramps and think it is important to also mention that outside ramps will need to be maintained in regards to snow and ice.  There are two ways in which this can be done, manually or by installing special heat coils designed especially for the prevention on snow and ice build-up.  Otherwise ramps become obstacles not only for the member of your household in a wheel chair but also those maneuvering the ramp by foot.  Keeping a clear path in and out of your home is of up most importance.

In keeping your home accessible for wheelchair use it is important to remember that rugs and carpet add to the difficulty of maneuvering.  Furniture should be place so that a thirty-six inch path is clear with a turning radius of at least five feet.  The more open the floor plan, with the least amount of clutter is the best option for a home that needs to be handicap accessible.  Threshold ramps can be installed to make transitions less difficult from room to room.

A home that is wheelchair compatible would have a wish list of a thousand things to make life easier.  Levered door handles, roll in showers, removable shower heads, grab bars and appliances only those with front controls and front access however we know this is not always going to be possible right off the bat when purchasing a home.  When the search begins narrow your must haves down to include a list of things that a home can have that can be easily converted.  The house might not come all together but at least make the work that you need to put into it minimal with purchasing a house that comes with tools that will make it easier.

When we found out my father had a stroke we were devastated.  As the patriarch of our family he always provided support for all of us.  How in the world are we going to be able to take care of him? Seeking out the right support was important for my mother and fathers needs.  We needed to make sure the house was in order and accessible for his wheelchair and that he could be as independent as possible.  Multiple times he told us that he would rather pass away then to become dependent on anyone else.  We knew in order to keep his sanity along with moms things in the house needed to change.

We got advice from other wheelchair users and found many independent people that are mobile dependant on a wheelchair.  Their tips help narrow down specific targets for us to take care of out of the gate.  Knowing that we will have other modifications down the road does not scare us it is just the knowledge that his perception upon coming home has to be that of an independent lifestyle or he will fall into a depression.

The bathroom was the first area of interest.  We knew this is where my father would want the most independence and privacy.  We started by removing the bathroom door and replacing it with a curtain that easily glides closed.  Next we replaced his low lying toilet with a new toilet designed with extra height for the ease of transferring it would provide him.  Installed on the side of the toilet was a grab bar that was actually bolted to the floor for the ultimate amount of stability.   Next a removable shower head was put into place along with a bath chair and new easy to maneuver faucets.  The sink was at an acceptable height already but the turn knob faucet was replaced with a levered one and removed the cabinet doors so that we could “pull” right in.

People warned us that carpet would be difficult for his wheelchair to maneuver on.  To remedy this we went out and purchased plastic floor runners and strategically placed them throughout their home.  The throw rugs that had been placed around the house were removed.  The plastic will make sure the wheelchair is met with little resistance when moving about the home.

My father did not want to sleep apart from my mother.  He convinced us that a hospital bed was not in his best interest and we agreed.  In order to help him get in and out of bed we had another grab bar installed into the floor along the side of his bed. A large platform was constructed to help him transfer onto the bed without too large of a gap between the bed and the wheelchair.

Getting in and out of his home was another issue.  We purchased a metal handicap ramp.  This was easily installed and will not only be easier for my dad but as my mom ages will take pressure off her knees that the stairs would present in the future.  Handicapped ramps were easy to find and inexpensive.  For the door walls in the home we were able to purchase mini handicapped ramps called threshold ramps.  The thresholds will not be an obstacle with these in use.

In order to keep him active on his computer and crosswords we bought larger size writing utensils and an extra large button keyboard. We were also informed that fine motor skills would be difficult so purchased an electric can opener and an electric jar opener so that he could cook independently.  It was also brought to our attention that a crock pot would be the easiest way to cook for him and a food processor instead of a cutting board.  The other thing we did is bought him a cell phone so that he could use the speaker and could take it around with him as he goes about the house.

Truly the point of looking into making the house more accessible for his wheelchair is to make him independent.  My mom is not home all the time when he is around and will not be able to cater to his every whim and he really would not like this even if she was.  There will be things that come up that are not a simple as installing a handicapped ramp or levered faucet and we will be there to come up with unique solutions to keep him mobile and independent.

It wasn’t until two years ago that I realized how easily shattered mobility could be.  Out on a family sledding trip my son decided he would fly down the sledding hill as I was walking up.  When he hit my leg going full speed on a blow up tube I knew immediately that my leg would never be the same. When all was said and done I had pins and plates holding my ankle together and my fibula was trashed.  I would not be walking for three full months.

When it finally hit me was when I got home after surgery and realized that maneuvering around our home on crutches and a walker were near impossible.  We have two different areas in our ranch home that have a step up to access the next room.  How was I ever going to access the bathroom without crawling?  I knew modifications were needed if the next three months were going to be bearable at all.  My family and I got to work planning and executing plans to make life smooth for all of us.

Our home is a traditional home.  The builder never had to consider that this home would need to be made handicap accessible.  As with most homes built today they are made today disabilities and limitations to ones mobility are not considered because that is not what the main stream needs.  However as we age or in my situation, are disabled, needs change and our homes need to be modified.  The first step for our home was the step up in the garage from where we park the car to where we enter the home.  My husband made a simple platform wheelchair ramp. I was able to slowly crutch up, the incline was less steep than most so it was easy for me to use with my crutches.

My next issue was the two step ups in our home.  In order to use the bathroom or get to the kitchen area I would have to maneuver around steps or have a wheelchair ramp installed.  My girlfriend rented me a scooter that accommodated my bad leg so I could just drag it along instead of using crutches so this was super nice.  We just needed to figure out a way to get me and the scooter up the steps in the house.  We solved the step up to the bathroom with a wheelchair threshold ramp.  It eliminated the small step completely and made using my scooter to get to the bathroom a chinch.

The next bigger obstacle was the main step in the living room.  First and foremost our furniture needed to be rearranged because getting around was too tight.  Wheelchairs, scooters, and crutches any aide used to help the disabled needs clearance to maneuver.  My husband had to construct a wheelchair ramp to accommodate the scooter and me with a very slight incline.  He managed to do this using wood that we could reuse later and rigged the step up to accommodate not only me but regular foot traffic.

We realized that for this home to accommodate us in the future, as we aged, we would have to make more permanent changes to the layout of our home.  This experience was an eye opener and I am certainly glad that we are able to have a bit of foresight into the needs we will have as we age.  This is needs after this experience with my leg.  The issues with the steps were only one battle that we faced.  Needless to say some bathroom renovations will be taking place and some major flooring renovations.  Hardwood floors are going to be put in throughout the place because carpet, we have found, makes mobility difficult using crutches, walkers or a scooter. Lesson learned.

What happens to your home when you are beyond busy with work, kids, family and life in general?  I know my little things that need to get fixed list grows exponentially.  It doesn’t matter that I say we are coming home after the soccer game Saturday to take care of the house something always happens to ruin the plan.  Whether it is a trip to the emergency room with a swollen ankle or an impromptu call from a frantic friend that needs us to watch her kids something always comes up.  Every week I add something to the honey-do list without removing anything.  The list is growing and I find myself needing to find a solution fast.  I don’t want to start a second sheet for the growing list of home “improvement” projects or in our case maintenance.

My husband and I differ on this agreement.  He thinks we are wasting money hiring someone who performs handyman services to come into our home. I remind him though that as we fail to find time small issues are turning into large issues right before our eyes.  One case in point is the kitchen faucet.  Yes it still works, the water runs but when you use the sprayer it only shuts off when it is ready not when you want it to.  It needs to be replaced.  The longer we let it wait the longer water gets shot all over the kitchen potentially ruining the floors or cupboards.  Water damage is far more expensive to repair then the replacement of a kitchen faucet.

I don’t think our family is alone in the quest to find time to repair items.  As a parent of school aged children who are also involved in sports I find weekdays filled with homework and practice.  Weekends are full with homework projects and sports, some family time also if we are lucky.  The last thing we are thinking about is anything but keeping the house clean let alone maintained.

I did some homework on handyman services in our area.  I found a gentleman with a great reputation and many referrals who spoke highly of the job he has done for them.  With my list in hand I met with him to go over rates.  To my delight the more I had for him to do the less expensive the rate.  The maintenance on our home would have taken my husband and I an entire weekend to complete. However, the handyman came out with the right tools and supplies needed for the list of maintenance jobs our home needed and completed the repairs with a full day’s work.

I believe many people can benefit from the services a handyman provides.  Whether you are a senior citizen who just doesn’t keep up with things like they used to, a busy corporate executive who is not at home long enough to think about anything but enjoying it, or a busy parent your time can be better spent than on home improvements. I have come to believe that even though it probably cost a bit more in the long run it was cheaper to pay the handyman service guy to come out.  Consider the time you would spend repairing and maintaining your home verse the cost to pay someone to come out and do it.  Handyman services come out do the job without issue with the correct tools and are done.  When is the last time a project went that easy for you?

As our parents age we become the caregivers to them.  With this new title we have certain responsibilities one of them being to help them in their quest to age in place.  This requires us to go through their homes and to assess their needs.  These needs will change as their health needs transform and it is our duty to help assist the remodels that are needed. Any home can be converted to meet the needs of aging adults.  A remodel of this magnitude needs to be planned for and executed on a need basis.  If your parents are able to age in place without the need of a wheelchair ramp then why would you expense this?

What accommodations can you look for as your parents continue to live in their own home to make sure their needs are met?  What each aging in place remodeling job consist of will be dependent upon the mobility and needs of those it needs to provide for. Below is a list of remodeling suggestions that might come in to play as you plan for and begin your parent’s age in place remodel.

1)      Doorways should be able to accommodate items such as walkers, wheelchairs, canes and scooters.  Doorways should be widened to at least thirty six inches, the average size of a wheelchair. The doorway floor space should be clear for at least four feet on either side for maneuverability.  Doors should also have handles that make for easy entrance and exit.  This allows for them to grasp on to the handle without having to apply pressure and turn it.

2)      The house should be all on one floor for aging parents.  Ranch style homes are more convenient for aging seniors.  Then there is no need to worry about parents using the stairs if there aren’t any.  If stairs in their home is unavoidable look into stair chair lifts.  This allows them to glide up the stairs with the use of a chair tat glides up and down the stairs.

3)      All carpet should be redone with either hardwood or carpet with a short pile.  This will allow for ease of mobility for wheelchairs, walkers and canes.  Also eliminate thresholds leading in and out of all rooms.  Many older people will tend to shuffle their feet and getting rid of thresholds eliminates the threat of tripping.

4)      Bathrooms should either consist of a walk-in tub or a shower that does not contain a threshold.  It is also important to add extra support so that hand rails can be used and braced properly.  The bathroom should be ample in size to accommodate a walker or wheelchair. Facets should be considered for their ease of use and the water temperature should be adjusted to prevent scalding.

5)      Kitchens have separate aging in place issues all together.  Think about adding timers that are wired throughout the house for when the stove is on.  Allow the stove to only be on for a certain allotted time before the timer buzzes.  This will ensure that the stove does not get left on.  If your parent is having a hard time getting around the kitchen area and providing meals hire someone to come in and cook and freeze meals that can be easily stored in the freezer and heated in a microwave.  Another option is services such as meals on wheels which offer warm meals delivered to seniors in need.

6)      Make sure closet accessories are lowered so that clothes can be easily accessed.  Drawers should be on gliders with stops so that drawers are never accidentally pulled out on to someone.

As always are main concern is for our loved ones.  We take their care personally and only want the best for them.  Most aging in place seniors are set against moving into assisted living facilities until they absolutely cannot survive on their own any longer and even then are often resistant.  These changes should be done gradually as this will help the senior in your life to adjust to the aging process and to their newly acquired special circumstances.

When thinking about wheelchair access many questions arise.  One of the first questions that clients ask is about whether the handicapped ramp should be a permanent one or only temporary.  Most often I recommend temporary handicapped ramps be installed.  This is because the need is usually temporary especially for use at ones home. Many times ramps are built to meet the need for a temporary portion of time such as a parent coming to live, or a child breaks their leg or a stroller needs easy access in and out of the home.  These are all temporary situations in which once the need is over life resumes as normal and the path way into the house does not need to be ramp form.

Permanent handicapped ramps are a beautiful addition to any home if the need is there.  If the occupant is going to be living in the home for a long period of time and is in need of a handicap ramp they can be built to blend right in with the home’s exterior  often using wood or metal as the material to build the ramp.  However, once a handicapped ramp is in place you cannot pick it up and move it.  It does not go with you.  This is one of the biggest reason people will choose to install temporary ramps.

Temporary ramps are made out of lightweight metals allowing them to be transferred easily form one place to another.  Temporary handicapped ramps come in two basic models; short or long.  The style you choose for your handicapped ramp will be based upon your individual need.  Shorter ramps are in general more portable than longer ones although the longer ones can often be turned into shockingly small sections. Also be aware the shorter the ramp the greater the angle from point A to point B.  This can be scary when talking about getting in and out of a car even with an empty wheelchair.  It is also harder to also get the wheelchair back up into the vehicle because of the steeper slope.

Longer handicapped ramps are the more desired type amongst temporary handicap ramps.  They are more expensive than shorter ramps but the extra places you are able to access will be well worth the expense.  Even thought they fold up into small packages to travel with you they are still very strong and durable.  You may find this to believe but some of the portable, temporary ramps can fold down to the size of a large suitcase and can hold upwards of four hundred pounds.

Another area where you might want to look into temporary handicap access is the threshold with in your home.  Often these barriers, which are no more than two to three inches, can be a big pain for a wheelchair to climb over.  For situations such as these it is recommended that you purchase small temporary handicapped ramps or threshold ramps depending on the size of the threshold.

Whatever the need is for your life or that of someone you love the product is available to ease the mobility issues in their life.  Small temporary wheelchair ramps ease task such as getting into the shower.  It is so much easier to wheel yourself to the upper shelf of the shower threshold and then transfer onto a bathing chair than to lift yourself a number of inches up and then over.  Help your loved one by looking into ways to ease their access and making mobility a joy again.

Is the honey do list you have for your spouse growing as you read this?  I know my husband like a lot of spouses works so hard all day that by the time he gets home he is ready for some relaxation and fun with the family.  The list keeps growing without an end in sight.  One day I decided enough was enough and started doing smaller tasks on my own.  I can stain the deck and install safety devices to prevent the kids from hurting themselves but I draw the line at repairing the ceramic tile that has been cracked or replacing the kitchen faucet.

I decided I would start asking around to all of my girlfriends whose homes are free of broken screens and garage doors hanging incorrectly what they do.  To my surprise I found out a secret about all of them…they call in a handyman service professional.  This whole time I thought my spouse was a slacker and come to find out they all are. Hmmm…so right way I gave him a call and got estimates for all of the odd jobs I needed to complete.  He was out here for one full day, eight hours, and I paid only one hundred dollars per job completed.  A miracle happened that day.  I would no longer half to wait for odd jobs to be completed I had a new secret weapon.

I know I got off a bit cheaper because he could come out and spend the whole day on one job site.  The more I lumped in the cheaper his repairs came out per job.  When he showed up I handed him the list and he was on his way.  The house never looked better.  I was thankful that I had girlfriends to refer me to a local handyman.  Otherwise I know I could have easily been pointed to the internet and located several in my area.  The benefit for me was that I knew he was reliable and did good work at an honest wage because of the several word of mouth referrals I was given.

There were a few jobs that he handled that required licenses.  Thankfully he had extra training in the areas of electrical and plumbing so I did not have to call out any other contractors to help my situations.  The jobs are endless that handyman service companies will handle.  I would suggest before you call that you get a list together of the needs that you have.  The company that you hire will then provide you with someone who can come out and fix all the areas pertaining to the jobs you have that need to be completed.  Not all handyman contractors are the same and therefore each offers something unique that they bring to the table.  When calling in to hire an individual it is up to you to match their qualifications with your needs.

I will never hesitate to call upon the handyman service company that allowed me the freedom from the ever lurking honey do list that I had to prod and poke at my husband to even look at.  The extra money spent on his services was well worth the a few more home cooked meals and one less weekend trip.  It makes me happy, my spouse and therefore our children.  Hiring a handyman was like hiring a marriage mediator.