21 Helpful Home Modifications for Spinal Cord Injury Survivors

When Mason Ellis became paralyzed as a result of traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries caused by a vehicular accident, he tried to find resources online that would help him do all of the things that he could do before. When he didn’t find those resources, he tried to figure out solutions for himself and recorded “how-to” videos to help others with injuries like his own.

Today, Spinalcord.com is proud to present another video in our ongoing Mason Ellis series! In this video, Mason shares a ton of helpful home improvements that can make everyday tasks around the home much easier for those who have to use a wheelchair to get around.

Some of the tips in the video include:

• Redoing your walkway/driveway with pavement if you have gravel—wheelchair casters get stuck in loose gravel.
• Restructuring kitchen appliances for easier access (eliminating the cabinet under the sink and using an independent cooking range so your wheelchair can roll under these objects, placing the oven on an elevated surface so you don’t have to bend over to reach inside, etc.)
• Removing deep carpet and replacing it with wood or tile so it’s easier to roll across.
• Widening doorways—especially if you have a manual wheelchair so you don’t constantly bang your knuckles on the door frame.

Check out the video for all of Mason’s suggested home modification tips for spinal cord injury survivors. There may be something there that can help you or a loved one make life a little bit easier.

You can find other resources on the Spinalcord.com website, or use the live chat feature at the top of the blog to learn more about spinal cord and brain injuries.