Mark is a consumer who was referred for to our
Independent Living Skills program because he needed various
physical accommodations in his home for personal safety
issues.
An initial assessment was done of his physical
accessibility needs and recommendations were made. Once
getting the funding for these ideas approved, Mark was very
willing to work with the various contacts and vendors we
directed him to.
One physical accessibility
change/accommodation that was pursued included a hard-surface
floor in his bedroom due to the carpet posing issues with
Mark’s wheelchair. In fact Mark’s bedroom was where he spent a
lot of his day at his desk both making calls and working on a
computer. This change also allowed Mark to be able move about
freely, especially in case of emergencies.
Other accommodations for Mark included a
reclining chair that raises and tilts so that he can better
position himself to transfer to his bed. A new bed with mobile
features was purchased that works in conjunction with his
chair to make transferring more easily accessible.
Mark’s main bathroom, which is connected to
his bedroom, needed various changes with respect to his
ability to enter this area and get into the shower. So special
hinges were put into place in the doorway, for Mark and his
wheelchair to get through without getting stuck. Inside the
bathroom, grab bars were installed on the shower surfaces. A
shower chair with a swivel seat was purchased so that he can
transfer to the shower by using the grab bar first and then
pulling himself from his wheelchair to the swivel seat.
Mark also had some accessibility problems with
his garage that MRC and he fixed together. Inside his garage a
small landing was built with the addition of a portable chair
lift so that getting from his car to his wheelchair and into
his house could be done smoothly and more safely.
With all of these changes now implemented, Mark seems very
pleased with all the effort that were made through VA and MRC
in helping him contact vendors and acquiring the necessary
accommodations needed in his home. His mobility issues and
safety concerns were addressed and we hope that he feels more
functional and independent in his own home.
