What home modifications are necessary for someone using a wheelchair after a spinal cord injury? - Anne Bryden, OT

For people in wheelchairs, it’s important just from the get-go to have access to the home—being able to get in. If you have steps, then usually a ramp of some sort is needed. Wider doorways are very critical because the wheelchair, depending on whether or not it’s a manual or power wheelchair, more room is needed to get through doorways.  Within the house itself, it’s important to have access to the bathroom, and most homes are not accessible to wheelchairs, especially in the bathroom. So the occupational therapist can give guidance as to how large a space is need for a wheelchair to do a full turn, making sure that things are lower—if someone is not able to reach as high from the position in their wheelchair—is important as well.