Hi, I usually visit my mum and dad on a Sunday, my husband and children go too and we stay for tea, that’s all great, but it is not very easy to get into their house. We park in the driveway which is great, then there are four steps with a hand rail at one side so just about do-able, then a longish path, with only the wall of the house to hold on to so do-able, then there are 3 stairs, the first one is higher than a normal step, then there is one normal step, then one thin step, not wide enough for a whole foot to stand on, then the ridge bit where the front door is but nothing other than the house wall to hold on to so difficult, and if getting in is difficult, doing the ridge of the front door and the thin step not wide enough for a whole foot when I come out is downright dangerous. Factor in a bit of rain and wind and I really struggle, I worry before I go and when there I worry about getting out again. My question is, you know these portable wheelchair ramps do you think I could put one of those over the first lot of steps , then move it to the second lot of steps and go in in the wheelchair. My husband would sort the ramp and I would be in the wheelchair. Do the ramps work , is it quick and easy to set up and then move and set up again on the second lot of steps? There is another way in round the back, which has three stairs, then an even longer path, then two stairs, and nothing anywhere to hold on to so might be able to ramp this more easily. Anyway, sorr to go on wit long winded explanations of paths and steps but do you think one of those ramps would work. Thanks Cheryl:-)
Phew, yeh! It does sound very dodgy for anyone not so great on their pins. even your mum and dad might find it tricky as they get older.
The ramps you talk about might work. it depends on the gradient needed. I did buy some from a firm on lne…think it was called The Ramp People. I paid £200 for them and they didn`t suit the purpose I needed them for. I returned them and had to pay £20 carriage, but got my £200 back.
You really could do with trying before you buy. Why not ring a firm like the one I used and ask for advice and maybe a free demo, eh?
It`s not straight forward…but then what is for us these days?
luv Pollx
I’ve got a set of portable ramps (called suitcase ramps) that I bought to get my scooter up and down a step at my previous house. The ramps themselves are good - strong but not too heavy. However they were for ONE step. I think to get up and down three steps they might need to be quite long.
I agree with Poll you need some advice on this before you make a costly mistake.
Jane
Hi Cheryl
It would probably be cheaper, easier and safer to have a local joiner or builder make a permanent set of wooden ramps with non stick coating on the ramp and a hand rail. This would also make life easier for everyone.
Hope you find a solution which suits.
Cheers
Moira
Poll, Jane, Moira, thanks, sounds like it might be possible but not that easy. Think I might seek advice and have a look first and Moira a permanent ramp is a good idea, it would be safer for mum and dad too. The way round the back is less steep and may be easier to ramp so might look into that a bit more, won’t matter how I get into house after all, the set of two steps just before the back door are low steps and wide so my husband thought he could bump me up and down them, lol, must admit he does do this kind of thing to me every so often. Thanks folks! Cheryl:-)