ASK THE SOCIAL WORKER: WIDENING DOORWAYS FOR WALKERSQ: My husband just
started using a walker. The good thing about the walker is that he no
longer fears he will fall, so he has resumed walking around the house
and outside. The only problem is that he bumps his elbows when he
passes through one of the doorways in our house. This doorway is
narrower than all the other doorways. Do you have any suggestions
before we cut a wider doorway?A: I am pleased to hear your husband has realized one of the many benefits of using a walker. Unfortunately, many people limit their activities instead of using a walker to support their activities.
I do have a few suggestions before you begin widening the doorway. Today, most home doorways are 32 inches wide, but the opened door and its hinges reduce the actual opening to 30 inches. I don’t know how narrow the doorway is that you mentioned, but assuming the door has standard hinges, it might be possible to inexpensively increase your husband’s access to the full width of the doorway by using offset door hinges, also known as swing clear hinges. These Z shaped door hinges can swing the door clearly out of its frame, placing it flush against the wall. These hinges are often used in older commercial buildings to meet the Standards of Accessible Design set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Perhaps an extra 2 inches will help your husband avoid bumping his elbows when he walks through the doorway. A pair of offset hinges can be purchased online for less than $15 at www.allegromedical.com or www.activeforever.com and are usually installed by using the existing screw holes.
If you should need to widen the doorway, you might consider the benefits of discussing the plan with a building contractor who is a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS). This certification indicates the completion of additional training in the needs of older adults and home modifications to allow aging-in-place. The National Association of Home Builders provides a web-based directory, which lists Certified Aging-in- Place Specialists at www.nahb.org.
Although the narrow doorway may be the cause of your husband’s problem, I strongly recommend you discuss the situation with his physician. Perhaps his physician will want to order consultations with specialists, such as a physical therapist, an occupational therapist or even an ophthalmologist to rule out other conditions that may be contributing to the problem.
Sources: The Weekly Insider. A newsletter published by the Gilbert
Guide: www.gilbertguide.com (November 19, 2008) |
