Access ramps play an important role in helping people with physical disabilities and elderly individuals get to where they want to go. Installing one is a cost-effective way of enhancing a person’s ability to go to certain areas despite his or her condition.
In homes, access ramps can come in various forms. These can be as small as threshold ramps, which are mainly designed to allow people in wheelchairs and mobility aids such as scooters to cross through doorways. Ramps can also be major installations that help individuals bypass stairs. Usually, these types of ramps are placed outside the home.
In this article, we’ll go through the various reasons that exemplify the benefits of having a ramp in your home.
Increases Mobility And Independence
Ramps are designed to increase the mobility capabilities of individuals with physical disabilities. This is probably the main advantage of having a wheelchair ramp installed in a home. This inclined plane helps older adults and those who rely on wheelchairs and other mobility aids to reach their destinations easily. Also, since ramps can basically eliminate the need for stairs, these installations can help prevent people from getting into accidents as they visit the various parts of their house.
Aside from improving mobility, ramps also increase the independence of individuals. These add-ons to a home enable people with disabilities and mobility problems to navigate their homes without solely relying on the assistance of caregivers and their loved ones. This benefit can make life much easier for individuals with physical conditions. Also, providing independence to elderly people and persons with disabilities is important for their mental and emotional health as it makes them feel like they can still do things on their own.
Enhances A House’s Appearance
Modern access ramps are made from various materials. The modular ramps are commonly constructed out of wood, aluminum, and steel. Permanent ramps, on the other hand, are usually made out of concrete. Due to the variety of ramp designs and building options, you can choose one that complements the overall theme and décor of your house.
In addition to helping people with mobility issues navigate to various areas, access ramps can also enhance a home’s design. For instance, those that are made with wooden frames can expand and improve the appearance of outdoor decks and patios. Also, modular or portable ones are convenient installations as they provide you with the option to move them to a different part of your home.
Convenient For Everyone
As mentioned earlier, ramps are mainly used by elderly individuals and people with physical disabilities. However, these individuals aren’t the only ones who can benefit from having ramps in their homes. Aside from them, other people can also take advantage of access ramps. For instance, visiting relatives and caregivers can use the ramp as they help push wheelchairs. This is certainly much easier than carrying mobility aids up a flight of stairs.
In addition, access ramps in homes can be used by other people to easily transport heavy equipment and other items, such as groceries and luggage. Ramps also serve as a practical and safe way for parents to move around their baby strollers.
Added Safety During Harsh Weather Conditions
Aside from helping people in wheelchairs navigate through their homes, access ramps also provide added safety during rainy and harsh weather conditions. This is primarily because in Australia, access ramps are required to have certain safety features, such as having handrails on both sides.
Under the Australia Standards guidelines, access ramps should be equipped with handrails that are over 900 millimetres tall. These added features should be at least 1,000 millimetres from each other in order to provide enough space for wheelchairs and other mobility aids. In addition, ramps that have gradient slopes of over 1:20 are required to have non-slip surfaces. This safety feature can help prevent individuals from encountering accidents during the rain and winter seasons. Likewise, handrails give people something to hold onto to keep them from falling or slipping.
Improves A Home’s Resale Value
Having a high-quality access ramp also has financial benefits. Specifically, it directly affects the overall worth of a home or property and helps increase its resale value. That’s because this feature can make a home more appealing to a wider range of potential buyers who are looking for properties that are already wheelchair-friendly.
Since a home with an access ramp can save them the time and effort of installing one on their own, some buyers will be willing to pay a higher price to acquire the property. Also, depending on the design and style of the ramp, it can increase a home’s value by enhancing its appearance.
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