WheelPad L3C

Introducing

Designs and manufactures wheelchair-accessible modular home additions to quickly make existing homes accessible for those with mobility challenges.

The Problem

Current accessible housing options for those who can’t safely live in their own home, or need to move in with a caregiver, are limited: Either they undergo a disruptive, months-long renovation, or move to a nursing facility, when there is availability. Some have the financial ability for these options, but lack capacity to do the project, or simply can’t wait. 10,000 people turn 65 each day, 87% of whom wish to remain in their homes, according to AARP. People prefer to maintain their lives and routines, which reduces the effect of dementia, among other benefits. The current housing shortage, caused by a glut of new homes built after the 2008 recession, exacerbated the already short supply of accessible housing for this population. WheelPad builds modular universally accessible housing and small additions that can rapidly make any property safe and accessible for anyone, yet especially for people with mobility challenges.

The Solution

Our main product is SuitePAD: A universally accessible bedroom and bathroom home attachment that can be installed in less than two weeks. Vermonter Susan Weeks used it to create extra space for her mother Doris to stay in her community as her dementia progressed. Installation can be permanent or temporary. Susan purchased a SuitePAD, and may sell it back to us when she’s done with it. Other families choose to lease. Current pricing: $107,200 for Purchase; $3,250/mo lease, with subsidized rates available with qualification. Small in-law suites like WheelPad enable families to live intergenerationally while still maintaining a sense of independence. This strengthens the connection between all members of a family, and can relieve stress for the sandwich generation. Our broader goal is to create small, universally accessible homes; easier for everyone at any age: a two-year-old girl learning to walk, her pregnant mother, and grandfather with his walker, under one roof.

Team Size:
5
Location:
United States
Founders:
Julie Lineberger
Program(s):