Visitability is not a new word. It is a very important concept that continues to grow and spread around the world. Yet it is still not well known.
Visitability is the name given to a home that meets the accessibility needs to allow most people with a mobility impairment to VISIT.
A house is visitable when at least one floor meets these three basic requirements:
- One zero-step entrance
- Clear interior passage
- One bathroom or half bath you can get into in a wheelchair
An accessible entrance can be ramped, use a lift or use landscaping to create a no step entrance. The goal here is to make it easy to enter the home.
Clear interior passage gives your visitor the ability to move around your home or part of your home. This includes doors with 32 inches of clear passage space.
Bathroom access is simply the ability to get to a toilet. You might not have thought about how this might affect a visitor. Can your guest have a cup of coffee, a glass of tea or a beer without worrying about having to leave if they need to use the bathroom?
Visitability is not full accessibility. It can be access to a single floor or a limited area. The idea is to make your home welcoming for your visitor with mobility impairments.
But I Do Not Have Any Friends In Wheelchairs.
“When someone builds a home, they’re not just building it for themselves. That home’s going to be around for 100 years,” Concrete Change founder Eleanor Smith told The New York Times. “These things hurt nobody and they help a lot of other people.”
A common misconception is your house does not need to be visitable because you have no friends in wheelchairs. First, mobility impairment includes more that wheelchairs.
Have you thought about aging parents, grandparents or others who might need a cane, crutch, walker, scooter or wheelchair?
Aging is one way of developing a mobility impairment.
Consider a family member with a temporary disabilities?
An accident could require a family member to use a wheelchair, walker or crutches for an extended time. How will they get in and around in your home?
Convenient for children and moms.
The benefits are surprising. From the time a pregnant mom appreciates not having climb the steps. Through the many stages of life as your child grows. Strollers, toddlers, tricycles, bicycles or the wagon bringing in mom’s groceries. New reasons to appreciate the easy access will grow with your family.
Buying new furniture, appliances or other large items?
The convenience of a no step entrance takes most of the work out of moving large or heavy items
What about an emergency in your home?
A step free entrance makes a safer route from rapid evacuation, or a smoother path for an EMT to take out someone on a stretcher.
Other users might be moms with baby strollers, children or adults who have trouble with steps. Someone you know could become disabled. The disability community is the only minority anyone can join at any time thru accident, illness or age. Or one day you might even make friends with a wheelchair user.
What About You?
Have you thought about your future? Do you want to remain in your home for the rest of your life?
Visitability is not full accessibility, but access into your home is a good start.
You might not need it as you age. Some of your family or friends might!
Imagine no longer being able to invite someone in your family or a good friend over because they can no longer get into your home. I can tell you from personal experience. When it becomes difficult to enter your home, saying “Don’t worry, we’ll get you in” is not that reassuring. It is not always safe either. Accessibility problems definitely deter us from visiting.
Visitability adds value to your home. If you decide to sell your home, be sure to list it as an asset. Easy Living Home® even has a voluntary certification for visitability. Check other visitability organizations on the Visitability Links page.
Seeing is Believing: Visitability in Action
This video was produced by Summit Independent Living in Missoula, Montana. Their Visitable Montana program has an incredible website; Visitability, A Pathway Home. See a number of examples of visitability / accessibility feature here and more in a photo gallery on their website.
