Creating an Environment Where Your Family Will Thrive
By Hanlon, Kerri; Exceptional Parent Magazine, Vol. 39, No. 7, pp. 32-33Publication Date: July 2009
Article describes renovations that resulted in every area of a two-story home with a finished basement being accessible to a boy using a wheelchair. The main modification was installation of a home elevator which also reaches the basement. Other additions described are a therapy pool in the basement, an overhead transfer lift system in the pool area, and a vertical platform lift and landing area in the garage, which was chosen as the boy’s main point of entry to the home. Modifications were also made to doorways and flow areas to accommodate the wheelchair traffic pattern, including a widening of the front doorway and addition of a retractable Phantom screen door. As the boy grows older, another transfer lift system will be added to his bedroom. Advice to readers considering accessibility modifications to their home offered include: (1) identify what works for you, (2) define your goals at the outset, (3) find a general contractor who shares your vision, and (4) bring in competent subcontractors who can make your vision a reality.
Published by: EP Global Communications (Website:http://www.eparent.com)
Link to text: http://www.eparentdigital.com/nxtbooks/exceptionalparent/200907/#/36/OnePage
