Portable
Solutions

Get your wheelchair
where it needs to go

by Amy Labbe

Life often requires getting out and going places, many of which aren’t wheelchair friendly. But with the right portable ramp or lift, getting from Point A to Point B can turn from logistical nightmare to smooth transition.

The benefits of portable wheelchair ramps include ease and versatility of use, and sizes that accommodate hassle-free storage and transportation. Most are lightweight, and can cost far less than permanent solutions.

Federally defined ramp standards and dimensions apply only to nonmov-able, permanently installed ramps, says Alejandro Miyar, from the office of public affairs at the U.S. Department of Justice. “Neither the Access Board nor the Department regulates the equipment sold as a ‘movable ramp.’”

This means it’s ultimately up to each individual to make a determination about what they want or need. First learn about your options and then analyze your situation to see what will work best for you.

Small rises

“Threshold” or “transition” ramps are meant to bridge small transitions in height, such as door entries, raised landings, roll-in showers, sunken living rooms and other minor transitions. They’re typically free-standing, though some come with hardware that allows for a more permanent installation.

Freelance writer Jan Blaustone of Nashville, Tenn., used a homemade ramp of this type that a friend fashioned for her out of a 4-foot by 4-foot piece of plywood.

Blaustone, who has limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, says she carried the ramp around in the back of her van, using it to get over curbs.

“Ideally, a lighter-weight wood would have been better,” Blaustone says, “but it was great to have — until I drove off one day and left it on the sidewalk!”

Threshold ramps, some of which can be had for less than $100, typically come in 3/4-inch to 6-inch height, or rise, and commonly are made of anodized aluminum or rubber with an antislip surface.

Greater heights

A number of ramps are designed to be used for accessing homes, offices and other buildings; they also may be used to

gain access to vans or some trucks and SUVs.

Some feature a single-piece design, while others fold up or come apart into one or more pieces, or roll up for easier use and storage.

These ramps may be as long as 7 feet. (You may find the same design in longer lengths, but that generally makes them less portable.) They range in price from $150 to upwards of $800.

Mike Neufeldt, who has Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD), is a communications specialist for Harley-Davidson Motor Company in Milwaukee. He uses a folding ramp that’s compatible with his newer mid-wheel-drive power wheelchair.

Neufeldt’s ramp is 7 feet long and weighs about 75 pounds, but it folds in half and breaks down into two 35-pound pieces for easier carrying. It has a weight-bearing capacity of up to 600 pounds.