Adapting your home for disability Disability access

Make sure ramps are not too steep

Simply getting in and out of many houses can be difficult for people with limited vision, poor mobility or dementia. Most homes have steps to external doors. You’ll need to think about access from the front and back of the property for every day use and in case of an emergency such as a fire.

Ramps

If you or your family member has limited mobility or poor vision, try to create either a permanent or portable ramp to the front door. When creating a ramp, make sure it is at the right gradient and not too steep. You will also need to consider having resting places on longer ramps for wheelchair users who are self-propelling.

Ramps should also have a non-slip surface with a 10cm upstand to all exposed edges to help prevent the wheels going over the edge. Handrails are helpful. The width of the ramp is also an important consideration, especially if a turn is to be included.

There must be a 1.2m square landing platform at the top and bottom. A slightly ribbed surface can help people to get up the ramp more easily. Gradients for a ramp to get over a height less than 2m are recommended to be 1:15 and nothing less than 1:12, even for portable structures. So if you have a height of 15cm to overcome, you should be considering a ramp that is about 2.25m long.

If this isn’t possible, you can go less than this if required – but it really depends on the level of disability and how difficult it is to get into the property. If in doubt, get professional advice.

A ramp is also helpful for anyone on crutches, who uses a walking frame, is unstable on their feet or with poor sight or dementia. Of course, they may not need the gradient required for wheelchairs, but taking away the danger of falling is paramount.

Disability access inside the home

Once in the home, people should be able to move around easily, from room to room and ideally upstairs and down. It is important to reduce the number of floor level changes as much as possible, using ramps where necessary.

For those in a wheelchair, keep corridors free of any clutter and, if possible, allow a clear width of 90cm for people to pass. For those that need help moving around, either provide a walking aid or a grab rail for support on steps or beside a bath/toilet where transfers need to take place.

Fit handrails at a height that suits the individual – get an assessment from a professional such as an occupational therapist. 

These are normally fitted where there are steps, or at convenient places around the home that allow the person to rest as they move around.

Stairs - stairlifts and handrails

If you have enough space, the best way to adapt the home is often to provide everything the person with disabilities needs downstairs.

If this isn’t possible, then there are lots of ways of making the stairs safer:

• Add handrails to provide support.
• Ensure the carpets on the stairs are completely secure to reduce the risk of trips and falls.
• Check that the lighting is good enough to be able to see each step.

Alternatively, consider adding a stairlift or lift. There are two main types of stairlift – those you can sit on and those that have a plate for you to stand on. A specialist will come and fit one for you. They cost from £1,500 to buy or you can rent one from £10 a week, plus an installation charge. You can get reconditioned ones for less, but make sure that they have at least a 12-month guarantee and have been reconditioned professionally.

For more information on stair lifts, visit www.associatedstairlifts.co.uk and www.whichstairlift.co.uk.

Doorways

For most people in a wheelchair, it’s easier to manage a doorway opening rather than a door itself, or at least a sliding door – opening doors with handles can be difficult. Doorways need to be at least 75cm wide to allow access for a wheelchair.

Make sure that any steps within the doorway are minimised. This can be done by using mini ramps so that there is less likelihood of getting stuck or tipping over. It is also worth attaching kick plates onto the doorframes so that less damage is caused by the inevitable knocks and bumps.

For someone who is mobile but needs help moving around the home, then it is essential that the doorway is wide enough to get two people through at a time. This may be a standard 75cm width or more, but again get a proper assessment done to see if it’s worth widening.

If you are looking after someone with dementia, you need to think about how you can secure – or leave open – doorways. In some circumstances, it may be better to have a lock on doors to certain rooms such as basements.

It is also important to check doors that are self-shutting or lockable, as these can be confusing for people with dementia. They can get scared and shut in, sometimes trying to find another way out, such as through the window, which can be dangerous. Try to avoid locks on the outside of internal doors as people with dementia can accidentally lock their carer in.

Specific disabilities

For more information about specific disabilities, such as blindness or Alzheimer’s, contact the leading society or charity in that area, such as the Royal National Institute of the Blind. An excellent site with lots of information and further contacts is Age UK (formerly Help The Aged).