Question
I'm not sure I'm asking this to the right person , but after reading your background  I thought you may help.  You mentioned how you've been in nursing facilities and assisted living So I thought you may know something about ramps. My husband had a stroke, and is what they call neglect on the left side.  He can't be home and I'm not sure if he ever will be.  To help  not only him but myself because it's so hard for me to see him in this condition.  I try to get him home for visits as often as I can.  He's brought home in a van for the disabled.  the driver along with my son or son in law pick up the chair to go up just 2 steps into the house. But someone always has to be here to help the driver ...I'm looking into getting a ramp so he can come home anytime, with just me being there.  I've looked up information on various sites, and they have ramps that aren't too expensive, but hard to get someone to answer the questions. That's why I'm asking you. Maybe this is something you've had to deal with or maybe you know of someone. Do you know the proper length for a ramp to get into a house, with just 2 steps. LIke the number of inches for the rise.  If this isn't in your expertise that's OK I thought you might help. I know I can contact the disability act site, but so hard to get through. thank you

Answer
Ok, first off there's a few different ways that you could go about doing this.
#1- If you have someone who could help you, you can go to any hardware store and get some wood that is strong enough to hold his weight plus the weight of the wheelchair. (I would suggest asking the home he is in for his current weight with the chair. They have to weight the residents every month if not every week.) then have the person helping you cut the wood and make a wedge sort of design. ******This is going to be one of the cheapest ways to go.*******

#2- Depending on where you live and your insurance company, you might be able to have them help you get one. They have folding ramps. I recently got a "suitcase ramp" for $350 and it will go up to 7ft and hold up to 800 pounds. Yet it folds up and easily stays out of the way.

Things you need to remember. You will need some sort of traction, because when it rains the wheels on a wheelchair don't hold traction at all and you don't want to end up in the hospital because of him falling on top of you.

Don't make it too steep, if the ramp is too steep going down it will be like stepping off a cliff.

Make sure you shave off the end of the ramp so it's a smooth transition from the sidewalk to the ramp. If there's a big bump and the wheels have a hard time getting onto the ramp, you will have a chance of tipping him out of the wheelchair.

You may also be able to get some help through church people's depending on your religion and how you feel  about the church close to you.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to message me.
I have been in a wheelchair since I was 3 1/2 years old and using ramps all that time. I have a few good ideas that may or may not be helpful to you. I just don't know where you are located. And the type of services available to you.


Let me know if any of that was helpful to you.

Lizzie