We don’t mean if directions to your property include “rent helicopter,” “jump in canoe” or “turn off road”. What we mean is, how does your property cater to people with physical disability needs?

It’s more than just having wheelchair ramps or handicapped parking spaces - although those are certainly part of it.

Being accessible means things like having wider doorways and more maneuverable room around beds. It means taking reasonable steps* to accommodate the disabled.

Accessibility means not only having wider entry and bathroom doorways but also making sure they’re easy to open. It means light switches and power outlets are reachable from mid-level heights. It means installing lever type door handles and constructing roll-in showers.

In fact, bathrooms are a major focus of accessibility features. In addition to a raised toilet, grab bars are essential.

And while many accessibility features are built into the property, there are ways you can make existing locations more accessible, such as by lowering the hanging space in the room closets. One of the best investments you can make to increase your property’s accessibility is a shower seat.

There are two kinds of shower seats you can put in your bathrooms, neither is particularly expensive and either one is greatly appreciated by disabled guests and some elderly.

Some shower seats mount directly onto the wall and fold down for use.

Others are portable, moved into the shower for use and removed when not needed. For this kind of shower seat there are those with side handles cut into the seat itself and those with raised arms on the sides.

Whichever style you get, rest assured your thoughtfulness will be remembered by those who need them.

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