Handicap and Elderly Complaints About Non-ADA-Compliant Doors and Hardware

ADA- (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant doors and hardware have been an essential part of retail stores, office buildings, and other public facilities and places for years. With Baby Boomers approaching their senior years, these types of concerns are now also essential considerations for new home construction, especially in senior communities, as well as existing homes that may need to be updated.

Since businesses already must be ADA-compliant, we are going to look at handicap and elderly complaints in regards to housing needs and what sorts of things people with these issues desire in their homes.

Standard Doorways/Door Complaints by the Handicapped and Elderly

The doorways are not wide enough.

Even though the ADA requirements for doorways are a minimum of 32 inches and a maximum of 4 feet, this is not always sufficient if someone is in a wheelchair or is using a walker.

Solution: In private residences, doorways can be made wider with minor alterations to existing homes or modified on floor plans for newly constructed homes to suit the individual’s needs.

ADA compliant room divider with Extended designer handle. Sliders have about 3 lbs of push pressure.

The door gets in the way.

The door must not obstruct the doorway and must be able to open a minimum of 90 degrees. Yet, again, this can create issues for those with a handicap and for seniors because it does not fully move out of the way.

Solution: Replace doors that are able to fully open beyond 90 degrees with sliding doors that can move completely out of the way.

The door knob/handle is hard to grasp.

For those with arthritis or other problems with their hands, certain types of door knobs and handles are difficult to turn and open. Based on the ADA requirements, knobs and handles should be easy to grasp and turn.

Solution: Replace non-ADA-compliant door handles and knobs with ones that are, like our door hardware, fully ADA-compliant.

Sliding Door Complaints by the Handicapped and Elderly

The door is difficult to slide open and closed.

This type of situation is common in traditional sliding doors, like the ones that go out to the patio or terrace. There can be different causes for this problem but, often, it is related to the type of door hardware used on the door or the condition of the door tracks.

Solutions: Make sure the sliding door has an ADA compliant handle. Our doors have less than 3lbs of push pressure which is well under the 5lb max for ADA compliance. Verify the tracks are clean and free from dirt and debris. Our ADA compliant accessories make it easy for everyone to enter and leave a space whenever needed.

As people are living longer, and the largest population segment is entering its golden years, it is important to ensure the doors in your home will meet your needs today and in the future. For ADA-compliant door handles, locks, and other hardware or easy-to-operate sliding doors, please feel free to contact The Sliding Door Company at 888-988-5033 today to schedule a consultation and obtain a free quote!