How to Make a Home Handicap Accessible

Install a ramp at the entrance of the home for residents that use wheelchairs or have physical disabilities making it difficult to step up into the house. Ramps should be at least 36 inches wide and have the least slope possible. Add handrails for added safety.

Build hallways at least 36 inches wide and install doorways at least 32 inches wide to accommodate wheelchairs. If you need to modify an existing home to make it handicap accessible, it may be prohibitively expensive or extremely difficult to widen existing hallways and doorways. Wheelchair users will find it very difficult to maneuver in more narrow hallways, though, or to move through more narrow doorways.

Install light switches no higher than 48 inches from the floor and electrical outlets no lower than 15 inches from the floor so wheelchair users can reach them easily.

Select carpet with pile no greater than 1/2-inch to allow wheelchairs to roll smoothly over floors, or elect to lay hardwood floors, linoleum or tile instead. Avoid using throw rugs, which can snag in wheels or increase the risk of tripping.

Select a side-by-side refrigerator so wheelchair users can easily reach both the refrigerator and the freezer. Select a stove with front controls so wheelchair users can easily reach them. Consider installing multilevel countertops so wheelchair users can easily work at the counter and someone standing can also easily work at the counter.

Install a walk-in shower in place of a bathtub. Provide a shower seat and hand-help showerhead to make showering easier and safer. Install sturdy grab walls in the shower, capable of supporting at least 250 pounds of weight.

Install sturdy grab bars alongside of and behind the toilet.

Arrange furniture so that users of wheelchairs or walkers have a clear path through rooms. Keep items like telephones, alarm clocks and radios in easy-to-reach locations.