Temporary Ramp/Walkway for MiLwith a broken hip

[ustmd]

So my 72 year old MIL broke her hip last Friday. She did not get a hip replacement. Instead, they were able to pin her hip joint together with 3 pins. The downside of this is that she will be unable to put weight on that leg for 6-8 weeks.

She is in the rehab hospital right now, but will be coming home in a week. The issue is that they live in the "sub rural" zone (they are actually our neighbors) and there is no hard scape for the 20-30 feet between the parking pad and the house. It is a grass and stepping stones.

The MIL will either have a walker or a wheelchair.

So I am trying to decide on what to use as a temporary walkway. My first inclination is to get some 3/4 ply and lay it out (maybe connected by 2 x 4s along the sides). It won't last very long, but I am thinking that it won't need to (5-6 weeks).

Any other thoughts?

I am thinking that in the long term, we will to do a concrete sidewalk, but that is not happening this week-end.

 

[RNeumann]

Not to be an alarmist but at 72 this is a life altering event and I'd bet wheelchair over walker. I've been in this type of medical field for the last 20 plus years- I say that based on averages. Yes everyone is different and I know "you" or "someone you know" was 99yo, broke a hip, and ran a marathon the next year.
But I've seen more "temporary" ramps that were years old, rotten and or unsafe. Just do it once and do it right.

With that I'd skip anything with the word temporary in it. Figure a way to make a ramp that will last. Maybe fill it in with 5/8" minus road base or something. Plywood won't last in the weather. If needed, you can add the engineered/plastic decking using sleepers. Im guessing on the decking since I don't know the steepness of your situation- but based on the your description I don't think it's too steep.
The max slope for ADA (with handrail) is 12%-just a rule of thumb as I've seen plenty of steep ramps (typically out of mobile homes) that are unsafe because they are way too steep.

Good luck. Your family has a long road ahead!

 

[bigtiller]

For 20 to 30 feet? Just pour a 3' wide sidewalk. It's temporary, set some 2x4 forms and pour it on the grass.

 

[woody]

look at building a handicap ramp that will take up part of the planned walk way and pour the rest in concrete

 

[dmccarty]

I have seen some really nice ramps made from aluminum. I am sure the price was expensive but they looked ready made for the purpose and I wonder if they were rented.

The big issue will be having a ramp long enough to meet the slope requirements. A concrete or stone walkway might get one to the house but the ramp may be too steep. The two places I am thinking about with ramps have very long ramp ways to get the needed slope.

Later,
Dan

 

[woody]

was just thinking about the long term.

 

[hawkeye08]

check local CL for aluminum ramps. I keep looking for a project I am working on and they come up fairly often. You might get lucky and get a deal.

 

[bigtiller]

ustmd
Did you get the boardwalk built over the weekend?

 

[ustmd]

ustmd
Did you get the boardwalk built over the weekend?

Well fortune favors drunkards and fools, so I am double lucky.

This is a very "country" short term solution.

As the wife I were discussing options, we realized that we have an 8' x 8' wooden platform that is the ideal match for the height of the side entrance to the screen porch. With the platform in place, you can drive a vehicle up to it. With the wheel chair on the platform, it is the correct height for the car so my MIL can exit the car straight into the wheel chair and then roll straight into the house.

Sorry, I am traveling or I will send pictures.

As I mentioned in the first post, this is the short term solution. Depending on how well my MiL recovers, we will look at other solutions. RNeumann-I hear what you are saying about this being a life changing event. We do have hopes for my MiL. She was pretty active (e.g. riding 2 horse regularly) so we have have hopes for a strong recovery. You never know however.