Are you a person with a disability who wants to improve your home or a homeowner who wants to adapt your home to accommodate people with disabilities? In this article, we present you some advices to reorganize your home.
How to move freely from one room to another?
Most of the time, the layout of buildings does not allow a person in a wheelchair to move freely. To move around a room without obstruction, the individual needs a diameter of 1.50 m to turn and go back. Adapting a home for a motor disability must include a large space for movement. A large door is essential at the entrance and space is needed in the bedroom to allow the person to move from the chair to the bed.
The wheelchair has a seat height of about 65 cm, to which must be added 25 cm for the wheels. Doors and entrances to rooms should be 90 cm wide. If the passage is too narrow, you can enlarge it or replace it with a sliding door. The opening systems should be installed at about 1 m from the floor. Corridors leading to a room should be 1.20 m wide. To avoid possible incidents, choose a shaved carpet, parquet or lino.
How to fit out the water rooms?
For people with disabilities, the bathroom is one of the most problematic areas. According to the standard, the transfer area next to the toilet should be 130 cm by 80 cm. If the toilet is too narrow, move it to the bathroom. The toilet flush should also be easily accessible. For convenience, install a wall-mounted toilet with a vertically mounted flush.
To be accessible to people with disabilities, the bathtub should have a seat elevator kit, but this can be expensive. Italian showers are a good alternative. The shower tray has a maximum clearance of only 4 cm. The person with a disability can put his or her chair under the sink, which must be suspended and have no cupboards or columns.
How to rearrange the kitchen and the outside space?
In the kitchen, the work surface and the sink must be at a height of 130 cm. For the cupboards, prefer sliding opening systems. Opt for non-recessed appliances, which are more accessible. Electrical outlets should be installed at a maximum height of 1.30 m to facilitate the connection of household appliances.
If you have a terrace or a balcony, create a slope to allow the passage of the wheelchair. The window opening system should be 130 cm from the ground. If you have the means, opt for electric shutters.