Our enablement service provides practical support for residents who are experiencing mobility challenges or disabilities and need adaptations to make their homes work better for them.
Home adaptations are changes made to the fabric and fixtures of a home to make it safer and easier to get around and to use for everyday tasks. Adapting a home environment can help restore or enable independent living, privacy, confidence and dignity for individuals and their families. These can range from simple grab rails to significant structural changes to a home.
Two recent projects highlight the important impact that the right adaptations can have on individuals and their families.
Supporting Tommy:
Tommy, a young man with Autism, was struggling to use his bathroom safely due to its awkward layout and sloped ceiling above the bath. Working with Community Occupational Therapists, our enablement team arranged for the bathroom’s ceiling to be removed and a dormar window to be installed - giving sufficient room to install a level access shower through a Disabled Facilities Grant.
Because the work couldn’t be completed before Tommy returned from college, we coordinated a temporary move (also known as a decant) for the family to reduce stress while the work was being completed. Tommy and his family returned home as soon as the adaptation was finished and they are now delighted with the end result. Tommy can now manage his personal care more independently, which has improved daily life for the whole household.
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Supporting Hope:
We also worked with Medway Council and the Community Occupational Therapists to support Hope, a young woman with complex needs whose home layout was restricting her independence. After a joint visit, several key adaptations were agreed, including a flush floor shower upstairs, a downstairs toilet and basin created from part of the dining room, and improved front access with a new hardstanding.
This was a large and complex project, and because it affected the whole household, the entire family was involved from the very beginning to ensure the plans worked for everyone.
These changes now help Hope manage washing, using the bathroom and getting to the family car more safely and independently. The project ran smoothly thanks to close collaboration between all partners involved.
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These projects highlight how tailored adaptations and effective collaboration with our partners can improve everyday life for residents.
If you think you may benefit from an assessment or want to learn more about what’s available, please visit this page.