We understand that modifying your home to make the entrance safer and easier to navigate for those with limited mobility is no small decision.
That’s why EZ-ACCESS is here to help you decide whether temporary or permanent solutions are right for you.
Three major factors play into deciding whether a more temporary or permanent access solution is needed:
- Nature of the health condition
- Type of usage
- Home layout
1) Nature of the Health Condition
For short-term conditions:
Modifying the home to make it accessible for shorter-term conditions, such as recovering from a lower extremity surgery, will most likely consist of implementing solutions that are cost-effective, can be set up and taken down easily, and don’t permanently alter the structure of the home.
Threshold and portable folding ramps are great options for temporary conditions when you don’t need to invest in a long-term solution. These are smaller solutions, so they are more economical and oftentimes rentable by most durable medical equipment providers.
They can also be set up and taken down quickly and with ease to ensure you have a solution available to you when you are ready to navigate your home. They allow you to bypass the hazards that come with trying to traverse steps, raised door thresholds, and other obstacles while utilizing a mobility device such as a wheelchair or scooter.
These solutions also won’t permanently alter the home so they can be removed after they are no longer needed, and you won’t know they were ever there.
For long-term or progressive conditions:
Home modifications for conditions that are progressive may look a little different. These solutions are usually a bit more robust as they will be used for an extended period of time, can accommodate the caregiver if need be, and can be customized to fit the home so that the most ideal means of access is provided.
Modular ramps and home access lifts are commonly used when retrofitting a home for those with permanent and or progressive conditions, such as Parkinson’s and muscular dystrophy, that limit mobility.
These heavier-duty products are used when a more durable, long-lasting solution to obtain safe, easy access into the home is needed. Our modular ramps and lifts were built to withstand continuous use in all kinds of weather. They are made of aluminum, which is a superior material as it does not deteriorate, rust, rot, etc. You can rely on these products to stand up to the necessary usage.
If the user needs assistance to complete daily tasks, a modular ramp or home access lift can be helpful for the caregiver as well. These allow for ample space for both user and caregiver to maneuver into and out of the home and they can also assist the caregiver with safely and conveniently moving the user from point A to point B. For example, when using our vertical platform lift, they can get them from one level to the next with a simple push of a button.
And, unlike more temporary options such as threshold and portable folding ramps, permanent solutions can be customized to meet the user’s specific needs. For example, modular ramps and lifts have a variety of options and accessories that can be selected or added on to cater to the user’s state of mobility.
2) Type of Usage
When the access solution will be moved frequently:
When needing a solution that will move with you to offer ease of access wherever you go, we recommend a more temporary option. Portable folding ramps are great for this type of need as they can briefly be in one spot or another. When loading a mobility device into the back of a vehicle, traveling to doctor appointments or other frequented locations, a portable folding ramp is ideal. They can be quickly deployed to get you where you need to go.
Another factor is others living in the home. If an access solution is only needed for one member of the home, a more temporary option may be used so that it can be moved out of the way for others who do not need assistance entering and exiting the home.
When the access solution will stay in place:
If the solution will solely be used at the home to provide ease of access into and out of an entrance and will stay in place, a more permanent option is probably best. That way you can set it up or install it and won’t have to worry about it moving forward.
If multiple people in the home are in need of an access solution, it may be best to go the permanent route so that a solution is always available to the household and can serve a wider range of needs. Modular ramps can accommodate a variety of mobility levels, from individuals with declining balance that could benefit from walking up and down a ramp with handrails to individuals bound to a powerchair that cannot traverse elevated barriers without a ramp.
3) Home Layout
When the home layout is better for temporary solutions:
If the home only has a couple of steps that lead to the entrance, a lesser complex, more temporary option, such as a portable folding ramp, could work well. When the solution is needed, it can easily be set up and used, and just as quickly be folded up and stowed away for the next use.
When the home layout is better for permanent solutions:
If the home is significantly elevated or if a second-level entrance needs to be reached, a threshold or portable ramp isn’t going to accommodate those higher rises. A more permanent solution, such as a modular ramp or a home access lift, that can be installed to reach greater heights will be necessary.
Modular ramps, as well as lifts can also be customized to fit the home’s unique layout in order to provide an ideal-fit. With modular ramping, a system can be designed to follow the designated pathway into and out of the home. If space is limited or if higher heights need to be reached, a vertical platform lift can come in handy. We have models available to reach up to 14’, that way reaching those substantially elevated entrances isn’t out of the question and using an obscene amount of ramping to do so can be avoided.
Deciding which access solutions are best for you and your home doesn’t have to be complicated.
We encourage you to take some time to click through the links above to read about specific products and their ideal applications. If you’d like to talk to someone about the obstacles around your home and how to overcome them, let us connect you to one of our dealers in your local area that have trained and certified staff members who can assist you.