I know a lady who needs a ramp built at her home. Can she get assistance?

Carrying a laundry basket down a stairway when one is an elderly person with bad knees sounds like a dangerous situation. Eliminate the danger as much as possible! First, could she get the washer and dryer located on the main floor where she lives? There are all kinds of small washer and dryer combinations available now. Several charities may be willing to help her buy a new small washer and dryer that would fit on her main floor. She may be able to sell the ones downstairs and use the money to buy newer, smaller, and more efficient ones that could fit upstairs. Local charities may also help her find a handyman who could move the old ones to the main floor if she wants to do that. Or, the handyman might be willing to buy and disconnect the old ones, then install the new small ones upstairs. The solution is to move the washer and dryer where she can access them without going downstairs and risking a fall. I work for a company that sells ramps; this does not sound like a situation where a ramp would be the best fit because of the slope on a stairway. She does not need a ramp. She needs main floor access to her washer and dryer.

I'm so sorry, I don't know why that posted twice.

I wonder if one of the local service organizations might help by building a ramp for her. In my area, I've heard that Rotary will do that.

I agree with the others, it depends on the slope. And depending on the size of the laundry basket, most baskets are too big to fit on the seat.... thus that would mean numerous trip for this lady to go back into the house to get all of her laundry.

My Dad has one of those walkers, he loves it, but he learned quickly to use the basket under the seat to carry things.... if he met up with a slope, anything on the seat would slide off. But the basket under the seat isn't large enough for much laundry.

Food for thought.

Eyerish, that's a great suggestions. I've just googled Americans with Disabilities and found these organizations: American Assn. of People with Disabilities, Americans with Disabilities, National Disabilities Right Network...

I'm wondering which specific group you used - I'm thinking they might be able to help with some ramp issues/needs at my father's home.

I wonder if one of the local service organizations might help by building a ramp for her. In my area, I've heard that Rotary will do that.

When my dad moved in with me I needed some adjustments made to the house. An extra step out to the backyard, some sturdy hand rails going down the two steps in the garage. Someone recommended the Americans With Disabilities so I called them. They came out and installed what we needed from repurposed wood and they did it for free.

Did she get comparison quotes, including from companies that routinely provide assistive retrofitting? Quotes from companies not in this line of business have in my experience been higher.

There are more posts on retrofitting through this link:

https://www.agingcare.com/search.aspx?searchterm=Habitat+for+Humanity

There was a recent post, in the last few days if I remember correctly, in which other sources of help were listed but I haven't yet been able to find it.

She is able to use a walker....the kind with the seat. She totes everything around on the seat. We have found a ramp but the cost is $3000 and that is more than she can afford. We are looking to see if there are any programs to help with the cost.

https://www.agingcare.com/search.aspx?searchterm=financial+aid+for+repairs

This might help with providing some suggestions.

I'm wondering about the feasibility and logistics of a ramp in a limited area though; the ramp needs to conform to certain slope ratios, which might be difficult between a house and an existing shed.

I also wonder how she would manage to get the laundry back up to the house.

Perhaps you or she could find someone to help her with that chore?