Moving into a new home with a disability is no joke. There's so much to consider when looking at a new living situation such as access in and out of doorways, bathroom accessibility, the presence of stairs, and first floor master and hardwood floors, just to name a few. In addition, looking at the surrounding environment is also incredibly important such as exterior smooth sidewalks, less steep driveways, and curb cuts at appropriate areas to have suitable and safe entries or exits near a new residence. Having outdoor space, whether in the form of a small backyard or nearby park, close-by grocery stores and shops, is essential for independent, healthy living. Not only is it important to have access, but equally as important to have a safe neighborhood with great neighbors that are willing to pitch a hand when living alone with a disability.
Until recently, I rented an accessible, ground floor apartment for nine and a half years after my spinal cord injury. It was well-suited for my needs as a wheelchair user, but due to extravagant rental prices and apartment management issues, it was time to go. I spent four years looking for a new home and finally this past November, I found my new spot. But there was one problem, it was not accessible and needed a lot of work.
The basics for modifying a home have priority, number one being in/out of the main doors. My front door originally had a step down to a cement landing and then four steps down to the sidewalk. We lifted the cement landing to be flush with the front door to provide direct roll out access and then built a long wooden ramp that was wide enough to accommodate my power wheelchair. The back door required a small 2-inch rubber connector to make a seamless trajectory over the door mount onto a large wooden back deck. To get down to the yard, another long wide wooden ramp was built with material appropriate to withstand the elements in Colorado. An additional concrete sidewalk was designed and poured on the side of my home to provide access from the backyard to the front driveway. An L-shaped ramp was designed and built to exit the home through the garage down the height of four stairs. Every door required a proximity based automatic door opener so that I might move freely in and out of the home at all access points with my service dog without the assistance of a caregiver, as I live alone. Each of these door opener systems cost approximately $5000.