A Wheelchair Accessible Bathroom Offers Independence, Mobility and Self-Confidence
How would you feel if you wanted to use a bathroom but were unable to get in the door? This is the problem wheelchair patients find themselves in more often than not.
Rent an apartment.
The bathroom is going to be too small and the door too narrow for access.
Buy a house.
Even then, the bathroom will probably have to be made over and adapted for wheelchair use.
Bathrooms just aren't designed with the disabled in mind.
Stop and think about what you might want in a wheelchair accessible bathroom if you or a family member should become wheelchair bound, the things that would give you independence, mobility, and the freedom to take care of your own needs.
To start with, you're going to need space to maneuver.
Although wheelchairs are being made with smaller turning radius' all the time, they still need room to move.
Take some measurements.
You will need at least 30" x 48" of space for one wheelchair.
Some of this space can be under the sink as long as there is plenty of clearance for the chair's foot rest.
For comfortable turns, there needs to be a space with at least a 60" radius.
Many bathrooms don't have this kind of space, so before you can remodel the room to make it wheelchair accessible, you're going to have to find more space somewhere.
You may be able to remove a closet in the bathroom or a neighboring room, or you might just take part of another room and add it to the bath.
Fixtures in a handicapped bathroom have to be carefully planned in order to meet the needs of space and function.
Toilet seats should be 17" to 19" from the floor and have grab bars on both sides if possible.
Although sinks need to be positioned lower than in a regular bathroom, there still needs to be at least 29" of clearance between the lip of the sink and the floor so that the disabled person can get near the sink in a wheelchair.
Wheelchair showers need to be large enough for the person to enter easily and turn around as needed.
Hardware must be at a level that allows the person to use it without assistance.
It's easy to feel low self-esteem when a person is unable to take care of their own needs.
By adapting a bathroom for use by a wheelchair patient, you'll give them the confidence and independence they need in allowing them to take care of themselves.
Rent an apartment.
The bathroom is going to be too small and the door too narrow for access.
Buy a house.
Even then, the bathroom will probably have to be made over and adapted for wheelchair use.
Bathrooms just aren't designed with the disabled in mind.
Stop and think about what you might want in a wheelchair accessible bathroom if you or a family member should become wheelchair bound, the things that would give you independence, mobility, and the freedom to take care of your own needs.
To start with, you're going to need space to maneuver.
Although wheelchairs are being made with smaller turning radius' all the time, they still need room to move.
Take some measurements.
You will need at least 30" x 48" of space for one wheelchair.
Some of this space can be under the sink as long as there is plenty of clearance for the chair's foot rest.
For comfortable turns, there needs to be a space with at least a 60" radius.
Many bathrooms don't have this kind of space, so before you can remodel the room to make it wheelchair accessible, you're going to have to find more space somewhere.
You may be able to remove a closet in the bathroom or a neighboring room, or you might just take part of another room and add it to the bath.
Fixtures in a handicapped bathroom have to be carefully planned in order to meet the needs of space and function.
Toilet seats should be 17" to 19" from the floor and have grab bars on both sides if possible.
Although sinks need to be positioned lower than in a regular bathroom, there still needs to be at least 29" of clearance between the lip of the sink and the floor so that the disabled person can get near the sink in a wheelchair.
Wheelchair showers need to be large enough for the person to enter easily and turn around as needed.
Hardware must be at a level that allows the person to use it without assistance.
It's easy to feel low self-esteem when a person is unable to take care of their own needs.
By adapting a bathroom for use by a wheelchair patient, you'll give them the confidence and independence they need in allowing them to take care of themselves.
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