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AndSoItGoes Asked October 2023

5" threshold, 4' ramp, for use with transfer chair?

One entryway step is creating huge headaches. The last time we returned home from the hospital I had to hire professional medical transport just to get her past this one 5" step. So, I just bought a Drive suitcase ramp. It fits, but I won't fully trust it until I've practiced, and obviously I'm not going to practice with my mother.


 


Realistically, am I likely to be able to push her in a transfer chair up a 4 foot ramp across a 5 inch threshold? (I weigh about 100 and she weighs maybe 125; I could call in my 85-pound sister for spot help but not pushing.)


 


My web research said that ADA requires 5 feet (1 foot per inch of threshold) but 3 feet is sufficient. So I went with four feet (only partly to save money; I'd like the ramp to double as access to her patio, where the threshold is just 1 inch.)


 


But for the garage (where we have the 5" threshold) I'm wondering if the incline will be too steep for a lightweight drugstore transfer chair.


 


Does anyone have any experience with suitcase ramps and transfer chairs that might allow them to address my concerns about the incline?

AndSoItGoes Oct 2023
(small) update: I've not yet been able to practice on the 5" threshold, but I did get approval from the PT (she said the ramp was fine for 5").

I tried the ramp on the 1" threshold. I rolled mom backwards on the way down. For the return trip I tried forward but had some trouble getting the wheels onto the ramp (felt like I was deadlifting). The transfer-chair caster wheels are presumably part of the issue. So the return trip was also backwards but safe given the length of the ramp and slow incline.

It was good to be able to get her out in the sun for a little while

Will report back on the 5" threshold.
cwillie Oct 2023
Even thought I haven't commented I've been following this, I'm glad things are working for you. One thing I want to caution about is the possibility of her tipping forward out of the chair on the downward slope, use your seat belt!
newbiewife Oct 2023
We used a 36 inch ramp for a 6 inch step up from the garage into the house. We had this ramp, which we really liked because it had adjustable feet so we could also use it for access to our deck. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TZAYWIM/ I had no trouble pushing my husband in his lightweight transfer wheelchair. He was about 165lbs and 6ft tall and I'm 5ft 2in tall. Later, when he was again able to use his rollator, he could go up and down this ramp quite easily.
AndSoItGoes Oct 2023
It's reassuring to see that the design of this one is similar to the Drive model I purchased. Also, it would be amazing if she regained enough strength to traverse the ramp with the rollator, so I'm glad to have that as a goal.

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Grandma1954 Oct 2023
Let up/me know how it goes trying different weights on the ramp.
By the way you can also put a rug or mat near any threshold by a door if it is difficult to get over. I have doors in this house where the threshold is a bit difficult to get the wheel of a chair over, so I got rug pieces and put them by the door. (It changed a 2 inch threshold to a 1 inch one, much easier to get a chair over)
By the way BACK a chair over a door threshold don't push the chair over it. Much easier to go over a "bump" backwards. And I found it safer to back the chair down the ramp. If I was pushing him down the ramp and lost control he would have smashed into the railing, backing down I had more control)
AndSoItGoes Oct 2023
Somehow I didn't see this reply until after I posted my update re: the one problem I ran into. The rug tip is EXCELLENT. Thank you so much!
AndSoItGoes Oct 2023
[posted in wrong spot...]

Grandma1954 Oct 2023
It should be just fine.
Try wheeling yourself up the ramp.
Load the chair with a bag of salt for your water softener, or a few bags of kitty litter.
that should give you an idea if you can "trust the ramp"
(you talk about trusting the ramp, you should have seen me prop the ramp on one end of my friends pick up truck, the other end of the ramp on my deck and she and I pushed a dolly with 2 piece dresser into her truck. That was a sight to see!)

The ramp that I had built in my garage was much steeper than what you are describing. Had I gone by ADA guidelines the ramp would have taken up the entire garage wrapping around 2 1/2 walls. My Husband was 6'4" and 275 when I was getting him out and about. (granted and sad to say I have not seen 100 pounds myself since I was in grade school!🤣)
AndSoItGoes Oct 2023
Grandma1954: Oh, this is so smart! "Load the chair with a bag of salt for your water softener, or a few bags of kitty litter. that should give you an idea if you can "trust the ramp""

Thanks for the encouraging reply. I'll set a reminder to report back on what OT/PT say and how my early practice sessions go. Thanks again!

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