SINGAPORE: The Housing and Development Board (HDB) will soon offer wheelchair ramps for seniors who live in flats that have steps at their entrances under its Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) programme.
Owners of flats with a stepped entrance can opt to install the ramps for wheelchair-bound seniors, HDB said on Saturday (Apr 28). There will be two types of ramps – a portable ramp or a customised fixed ramp, depending on the suitability of the flat.
A portable ramp will be suitable for units with more space at the flat’s door and can be dismantled when not in use. The other option of a customised fixed ramp can be made according to the configuration of the flat’s entrance and space.
For flats where neither ramps are suitable, mechanical wheelchair lifts can be installed under a separate pilot scheme. However, these lifters will be costlier and require regular maintenance, said HDB.
The fixed ramp can be customised according to the configuration of the unit’s entrance and space. (Photo: Wendy Wong)
HDB said it will provide more details, such as the cost of the ramps, in the second half of this year.
There are about 170,000 such HDB flats, which were designed to raise the windows above eye level and thus offer residents, particularly those living along common corridors, greater privacy and security, HDB said.
HDB added that there are still a number of flats where these solutions will not be feasible. These are ground-level flats with five to seven steps leading up to the apartment. Wheelchair-bound seniors living in such flats may approach HDB to explore other solutions.
Home owners can apply directly to HDB for EASE, and it is also offered concurrently with the Home Improvement Programme which targets and upgrades ageing flats.
EASE currently offers HDB homeowners who have seniors living with them slip-resistant treatment for bathroom floor tiles and the installation of grab bars and ramps at subsidised rates.
