Closing Doors EasilyIf you spend a lot of time in a wheelchair you may have discovered that it is inconvenient to close a door that you have just gone through. You could install an automatic door closer which you can get at a hardware store or you can try the things I did. |
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After you have gone through a door while in a wheelchair you have to reach far behind you to grab the door knob to close the door. That is very inconvenient, especially if you are carrying something in your lap. ( I usually drop what is in my lap on the floor.) If I back up to where I can reach the door handle, my wheelchair is in the doorway so I can't close the door. |
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One thing I tried was to put a rope or cord on the doorknob. When I sped through the door I would grab the rope and pull the door closed behind me. This works, but it takes a bit of coordination because while I'm holding the rope, I can't push and steer the wheelchair. |
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I tied a bungee cord to the door to see if that worked better than a rope. Not really. I think a longer rope would have worked better. Still, the rope and bungee cord required a good bit of coordination. I had to move quickly through the door, grab the rope and hold onto it, and had to hope the wheelchair didn't run into anything because I couldn't steer it easily with just one hand. |
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I solved the problem by installing a handle on the wrong side of the door. That is, I put a handle on the edge of the door that is closest to the door hinges. That way, I can go completely through the door and then reach back and pull the door closed behind me. |
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Here's a view of the extra door handle by itself. |
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I installed the handle higher than the door knob because when I reach back my hand is higher than the door handle. |
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