Wheelchair Ramps for Doorways!

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Proactive Through Parkinson’s Disease

My dad developed Parkinson’s Disease in the mid-1980s. I was so proud of him as he dealt positively and proactively with it. He stayed active, playing golf and walking every single day.

He was able to live a relatively normal life for over a decade with no thought of wheelchair ramps for doorways of homes. Eventually, though, he and my mom realized they more help. I was so happy when they moved to a house close to me. It was such a relief to have them closer in case they needed the extra help.

As it turned out, they moved nearby in the same year my first grandchild (and his first great-grandchild) arrived in our family and our city. Once again, I was in the Sandwich Generation.

Time for His Medline Transport Wheelchair

A few years later his Parkinson’s had progressed considerably and we decided together that it was time for them to move in with me. We knew it would make it easier for mom and me as joint caregivers . It also gave my dad great peace of mind!

When I bought my new house a couple years prior to this, I made sure it was easily accessible with no stairs, higher toilet seats, and hand rails in both bathrooms. Shortly after they moved in, my dad had to give up his beloved rollator / rolling walker. He traded it in for a wheelchair and I discovered some things I hadn’t thought of.

Inches and ramps! Inches as in, “how many inches in my doorways?” “How many inches in the turning radius of a hallway?” “How many inches wide were the sidewalks and walkways?” I totally panicked, then breathed a sigh of relief when I realized that everything was wide enough for his new light Medline Transport wheelchair!

Wheelchair Ramps for Doorways of Homes

Wheelchair ramps for doorways were a bit trickier. I didn’t have any clue where to buy them, what kind to get, or how long I would need them for. Since my house was a single story with no major steps, just a threshold in front and one step down in back, we decided to go with portable threshold ramps.

I was so relieved to be able to find a store three cities away that carried them even though it was a long drive. I bought two different kinds. Both of the portable wheelchair ramps for doorways that I purchased screwed into the threshold. I was so pleased! They really did work quite well for us. I especially liked that they screwed in for a bit more stability.

PVI Standard Threshold Ramps

These are very similar to the ones I purchased way back when. According to Health Products For You, “PVI Standard Threshold Ramp is designed for doorways. It is made with lightweight and durable aluminum. Holes are punched in top corners for easy installation. It features anti-slip, high traction surface. Hardware is provided to secure ramp to the surface.” Great news all around!

I checked in my garage for the ones I bought and didn’t see them. I know I’ll probably need them again soon and I’m hoping next time I do spring cleaning, they’ll pop up. Otherwise, the ones above are at the top of my list for getting more!  Some others that look good include:

Doorway Wheelchair Ramps Resources

In doing some research, I discovered a couple of articles out there that I wish I’d had five years ago. One BIG suggestion. Something that I didn’t even think to do then. Ask your doctor and/or insurance company if these threshold ramps (or any other necessary equipment) are covered by insurance. I didn’t learn to do that until after we bought the walker AND one wheelchair!

Fortunately, we really loved that wheelchair as it was very light weightweight. It was perfect for travel. I’ll be writing more about that in a later post. In the meantime, here are those links that you may find useful if you need wheelchair ramps for your aging parents.  

• Will Medicare Cover a Ramp to My Front Door?
• Guide to Selecting A Wheelchair Ramp

Your Turn

How about you? Have you ever purchased threshold wheelchair ramps for the doorways of your homes? We’d love to hear about it. Either here or at Facebook – @SandwichINKforTheSandwichGeneration. 🙂

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