Housing
Home Assessments
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There are two steps in identifying necessary home modifications. First, assess how an injured person functions, and determine impairments that may affect safety and independence in the home. Second, evaluate the environment to determine what barriers exist.
Ideally, this assessment should be done by a team that includes a rehabilitation professional (occupational or physical therapist), a designer or remodeling contractor with expertise in accessibility modifications, and a family member of the brain injury survivor who lives with the survivor or is familiar with his or her home environment.
If a professional team is not able to do the assessment, you may download the Home Modification Notebook to guide you in this task.
There are a number of places to look for the necessary expertise to evaluate the need for home modifications and determine the type of modifications needed.
Rehabilitation facilities. Most have case managers who help coordinate resources for transitioning to home. If the person with brain injury has private insurance, an occupational therapist on staff often does the evaluation. Even without private insurance, the case manager or occupational therapist can direct the family to government resources.
Vocational rehabilitation office. Every state has one. Inquire about resources for providing a home modification evaluation. They may also have information on funding resources for the modifications. Contact information for the vocational rehabilitation department of any state can be found at www.gatfl.org. Choose the LD (Learning Disability) Guide then Resources icon at the top.
Independent living centers. They may have both information about home modifications and contacts for finding a remodeling contractor experienced in accessibility modifications. A state-by-state listing of independent living centers can be found at the National Council on Independent Living website, www.ncil.org.
Home improvement centers that often offer remodeling design assistance (e.g., The Home Depot, Lowes).
Professional associations representing interior designers (American Society of Interior Designers at www.ASID.org) and remodeling contractors (National Association of the Remodeling Industry at www.nari.org.)
The National Remodelers Association also offers insight and information on selecting a qualified contractor.
One thing to keep in mind when planning a home modification is that contractors who do accessibility work for commercial projects must build according to certain legal codes spelled out by the American Disabilities Act. (ADA). However, accessibility modifications in a home do not have to meet the same building code requirements as commercial construction. Many home modifications can be tailor-made to meet the individual need of the person with brain injury and still be safe and functional. But the guidelines of the ADA are helpful as a standard. These can be accessed through the ADA website.
Online resources for specifications for accessibility modifications include:
American with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (Free access to government documents required for commercial building. (Not required for home use but helpful as a guideline.)
Center for Universal Design’s website Order easy-to-follow technical sheets describing different accessibility modifications.
The Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access website includes a “Gallery of Bright Ideas” showcasing commercially available products and how-to design plans to improve accessibility of home entrances, kitchens, and bathrooms.
The site for the AARP offers an excellent design guide for modifications to improve home safety and usability
National Association of the Remodeling Industry – under Homeowner’s Guide find remodeling and contractor information, tips and guidance.
State by state listing of independent living centers.
American Society of Interior Designers
Georgia Tools for Life site. An excellent resource for resources and funding
Pat Daviou has been an occupational therapist for 29 years. She works in the Assistive Technology Center at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia. As part of a home evaluation team which also includes design professionals, she is involved in home evaluations for clients with various disabilities.