Low-cost ideas to make health center and hospital buildings easier to use 39
Doors
A door handle is easier to use than a round door knob.
People who cannot easily move their hands can often press
down on a handle. Most people who use wheelchairs
also find handles easier. And anyone who is carrying
something will always find a door handle easier to open.
You can change a door knob into an easy-to-turn door
handle by welding a metal plate onto the door knob.
Put the handle low enough for easy reach by someone
of small stature or someone who uses a wheelchair.
If a door is hard to open, you can use oil, grease, or
candle wax on the hinges. Then the door will swing
more easily.
Also, doors sometimes do not leave space to move
a wheelchair into a room. If the space is small, such
as in a toilet, try to make sure the door opens out into the bigger space or room.
When a door swings into the smaller room, it can make it hard for someone to
move in and out of the room or space. Sometimes, doors can be made to slide if
space is limited.
The doorway itself should be wide enough for a person in a wheelchair to pass
through. It should leave enough space for her wheelchair and her hands on the wheels.
Often you can change the hinges on a door so it opens the other way.
A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities 2007