Home modification for disabled person
Rabeya Ferdous
Ahome is a place where people live maximum time of a day night. People do many work at home. These work include cooking, bathing, eating, transfer from one place to another, toileting, leisure and so on. Normal people can do work without any barrier, but it is difficult for disable person.
Especially barrier occur when they enter at their own home. Their toileting, bathing and cooking place is also challenging for them as these are not suitable according to their physical condition. For this reason they cant do their work properly where accessible housing is vital for the independence of person with disable. Occupational Therapists are only professionals who work for home environment modification for disable people.
Which people need it?
Neurological Conditions like Stroke, Gullain Barre Syndrome (GBS), Parkinsons disease, Spinal Cord injury and so on. Pediatric Condition like Cerebral Palsy, Autism, ADHD, Down syndrome and many more.
Any other disability
Services for individual
Individual needs assessment
Home evaluation
Access modification feasibility assessment
What are the modifications done by occupational therapist?
Accessible Bathroom
Accessible Kitchen
Accessible home Entrances
Home modification depends on patients condition. Firstly occupational therapist assesses the patients needs, provides smart solutions, and supervised every aspect of modification.
They provide all the consulting, design, construction services and products that need to make home more accessible and convenient, from handicap ramps and door/ hallway widening, to accessible kitchens and bathroom, bedroom and bathroom additions, automatic door openers, low-pile carpet/ smooth flooring, easy- access closets, easily operated windows, lightning, emergency exits, wheelchair height mailboxes, doorbells, outlets and controls.
Accessible Bathroom
The bathroom can be one of the most dangerous places at home. The bathroom can present many access challenges to people who use a wheelchair or another device. Bathroom safety is one of the important concerns in making a home accessible because most of the accidents occurs due to bathroom falls.
The tub and shower are the most hazardous areas for young adults and older occurs near the toilet. Falls in the bathroom can be due to a wet floor, small spaces and bending and lifting required in accessing the tub, shower or toilet. So, bathroom design should be easily accessible and comfortable which are done by occupational therapist.
Accessible kitchen
Kitchen should be accessible for wheelchair person. Occupational Therapist makes design for adjustable sink, gas stove and kitchen cabinet for wheelchair person.
Home entrance
Accessible home entrance maintained by providing ramp, using grab rail at stair, make slop, using lift etc.
Other modification includes
Accessible moving place at home Decoration of the home furniture should be organized. Accessible home furniture also designed by occupational therapist according to patients condition.
Disable person become dependent on their care giver thats why they become burden of their family. Besides disable person also frustrated and their confidence become slowly down. So, it is important to make them independent in their own work. For making them proper independent it is essential to modify home. Only qualified occupational therapists can help to design appropriate accessible home environment.
