Creating Outdoor Alternatives for
the Physically Disabled
If you are physically disabled, finding opportunities to enjoy the outdoors can be challenging. Day trips to zoos, parks, or botanical gardens offer a breath of fresh air, but they are often costly, crowded and inconvenient. Incorporating some of the best features of outdoor destinations and improving upon them at home is a great alternative for those physically disabled.
Developing your own home garden area can be a simple yet extremely rewarding endeavor. It can feature plants, statuary, a fountain – or simply a sunny spot where you can read a book or listen to birds singing. Creating your own natural, comforting and relaxing refuge will lead to hours of outdoor enjoyment with family and friends as well.
The first step to creating your own outdoor retreat is making sure it is easily accessible. The easier it is for you to get outside and maneuver around your backyard, terrace or patio, the more often you will do so. A few minor home modifications make a tremendous difference in improving accessibility for the physically disabled.
Doorways and Entrances
Many of us have a routine that involves exiting and entering our homes through the doorway closest to our garage or driveway. For the physically disabled, wheelchairs or walkers require widened entranceways or doors equipped with swinging door hinges. Is your patio or deck entrance as convenient to use? Is there such an entranceway friendly toward those with disabilities?
Consider whether the installation of a new doorway or the modification of a present one to more easily accommodate your wheelchair or walker would make a difference. Such modifications are generally not very costly, while the potential benefits to your quality of life are astronomical. Doorways should:
- Be a minimum of 32” wide: 36” is preferable
- Feature an 18” – 24” clear path on the pull side of the door (avoid contact with carpeting, furniture, etc.)
- Provide smooth, but slip-resistant traction (making certain there is support when wet)
- Be equipped with hand rails on either side of the entrance (if preferred)
- Have a conveniently located outdoor light switch
Ramps and Pathways
Once you have made the outdoors area accessible for the physically disabled, consider how you can improve it! What will facilitate mobility in the area you wish to develop? Here are some ideas:
- Replace steps, stairways or grass with ramps and smooth pathways.
- Resurface or re-grade bumpy or steep existing ramps.
- Install handrails along pathways.
- Place benches or chairs along pathways for convenient rest stops.
- Add curbs to pathways and ramps for added safety.
If finances are limited, improve your access to the outdoors gradually. You do not have to reach every corner of your backyard to enjoy nature. Decks, patios or even porches offer excellent opportunities to observe and interact with plants and wildlife, enjoy the sunshine and refresh your soul with a cool breeze. Once you have access to the outdoors, nature has access to you! Do not let a disability hinder your life.
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