Wheelchair access at home: what to record for an assessment

Start with a familiar route

Ask about entering the home, reaching an ordinary table, storing belongings, and getting to the rooms the person uses. Note the specific task rather than marking the whole home accessible or inaccessible. Keep the user involved; a relative’s impression of an open space may not match the person’s experience with their own wheelchair.

Record without forcing a test

Write where the difficulty occurs and what the person wants to do. With permission, a photograph can identify the location. Do not lift, tilt, force a chair through a gap, or repeat an unsafe movement to collect evidence. Ask the relevant professional about handling or medical questions.

Prepare the site visit

Tell the assessor which chair and equipment are used and who normally helps. Ask what information they need and what their assessment covers. Request an explanation of the proposed work, permissions, installation, and follow-up. This guide provides no universal doorway width, ramp slope, or transfer technique.

Review the result with the user

Keep professional advice and product instructions. Arrange follow-up for unresolved problems rather than making an unapproved adjustment. Ask whether the original task is now convenient in ordinary use. A family record cannot certify accessibility compliance, equipment fit, or installation safety.

Use the worksheet for one real situation

Open the matching sheet below. Review the preparation checklist, then write the information your family needs in the labeled fields. Leave unknown details blank and record who can clarify them.

Print a blank copy to write by hand, or fill it in on this page before printing. Give the completed copy only to people your parent has agreed may see it. The checklist records preparation; it does not score safety or verify a medical decision.

Common questions