If you are looking to make your home or office space accessible to people with disabilities, you will need to install ramps and lifts. If ramps or lifts are going to be used by someone other than yourself, they should conform to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA has guidelines to help make access easier for individuals with a variety of disabilities. Many companies provide a variety of types of lifts.
Household Ramps
If you are looking for a portable ramp to use around your home, you have many options. Some ramps are just big enough to fit over a threshold. Some fold up and can be moved to various areas inside and outside of your house. If you use a power wheelchair, which can be quite heavy, you may need to go with a more sturdy and permanent model.
Automobile Ramps
Specialized ramps can help you get in and out of a van or car. There are many models. The one shown here is a manual ramp from American Wheelchairs. Other models allow you to enter the side of a vehicle. Some models are electric and will fold and unfold with the push of a button. The model you choose will depend on the type of car you want to use and whether you want to drive yourself or just need to enter the vehicle.
Commercial Ramps
If you are installing a ramp that will be used by the public, you need to conform to ADA guidelines. There are ramps like the one shown here, from handiramp.com, that can be moved or be permanent. They will have special surfaces to increase traction, along with a high weight capacity. The ADA requires that ramps not be too sloped. They need to have a landing at the top and bottom and anywhere the ramp changes direction.
Lifts for Home Use
Lifts can also be made for home or commercial use. Some lifts are just like a chair and can ride up a railing to help you get up stairs. If you can't get into a stair lift, a platform lift can allow you to stay in your chair. (See the picture here from handiramp.com.) Just as with the ramps, smaller lifts will have lower weight limits.
Commercial/Specialty Lifts
There are many varieties of lifts available for use in a commercial setting. These lifts can help your clients get onto a stage, bleachers or other raised platform. They can also be used in settings where there are steep stairs, or places where there is not enough area to put a ramp. Many of these lifts are portable and can be manually operated by the person in the wheelchair. There are also specialized lifts that can be used to board trains, boats or airplanes, like the one seen here from handiramp.com
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