February 22, 2008, Newsletter Issue #104: Wheel Chair Ramp Length

Tip of the Week

You're measuring the doorways, the stairs, and your car. Your friends say you should have your own show on HGTV: "Designing with Accessibility." You're already picking out what you'll wear. At least they appreciate how complex the art of building and using wheelchair ramps can be. But, before you sign a contract, don't forget to measure your wheelchair ramp, especially if you need help propelling yourself up the ramp.

Caregivers can be annoying, exasperating, loving, fun, and sometimes the only thing you can count on. Plus, yours is demanding a cut of the revenue from your show. But they're necessary, and they can actually shorten the length of your wheelchair ramps. The ADA recommends one foot of wheel chair ramp length per one inch of vertical rise, but you can shorten that by a factor of .5 if your caregiver is pushing and .33 if you have a power chair or scooter. Say you need 25 feet. Shorten that to 12.5 feet with your caregiver. If you can power yourself up the ramp with an electric power wheelchair, shorten that to 8.25 feet. Independence does indeed have its rewards. And, remember the 1 to 12 ratio: one foot of rise per 12 feet, which means that 8.25-foot ramp will be just shy of a foot high.

As would-be host of your own show, you know that the ADA specs are just a place to start. After all, you know your way around your home better than anyone. And you've already planned your daytime Emmy acceptance speech. What to wear, Isaac Mizrahi or Badgley Mischka? And what is your caregiver going to wear?

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