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Things To Look For When Shopping For A Disabled Access Apartment

19 March 2020

Cody Day

Being a person with a disability is hard enough, but not living in a place that has all of the amenities is even more difficult. If you currently live in a place that doesn't have wheelchair access or if their doors still aren't up to disability standards, then it may be time to start looking for a new place to live. Although there are many homes that you can rent that have accessibility, there are tons of disabled access apartments available that may offer you even better amenities. 

Wide Doors

The Americans With Disabilities Act says that doorways need to be at least 32 inches wide in order for a wheelchair to fit through. When you are looking for a disabled access apartment, look for one that doesn't just have double doors that expand to 32 inches, but that have individual doors that are at least that wide; that way you know that you can get through the door without the help of someone else. 

Activation Switches

As long as the doors in the building are wide enough, they should be able to work with activation switches, which will basically save you every time you are trying to enter and exit the building. Just make sure that you look for a building that places the activation switches at a low enough height that you can easily reach it in your wheelchair without having to struggle too much. 

Elevators

Every apartment complex should have elevators that are working, safe, and clean, but a lot of older apartment complexes' staircases are much safer. Make sure that you look for a complex that has elevators that are clean and functioning so that you don't have to worry about only living on the ground level. The tricky thing about finding an apartment with a disabled access elevator is that the doors have to be wide enough and the inside of the elevator has to have a wide enough turn access so that everyone can turn around inside. 

Kitchens and Bathrooms

All of the amenities inside of your apartment unit need to also be disabled accessible. What does that mean? That means that there is enough room in the main living spaces for you to ride around in your wheelchair, that the countertop heights are a lot lower, that they have a walk-in shower, and that the toilets are a bit lower.  

To find out more about finding disabled access apartments, reach out to a real estate company near you.

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