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Major adaptations for disabled child

3 replies

Anonanonuk · 26/09/2012 18:08

Reposting this as my earlier post seems to have disappeared:

Hello.

We are currently embarking on the major adaptations process for our house for our disabled child (permanent wheelchair user who can't stand). The OT and surveyor have done their initial assessments. Hopefully we will have ramps, hoists, through the floor lift, changing the bathroom to a wet room, moving power sockets and light switches, ....
Do you have any tips for us for the process and whilst the work is being done? Anything we should watch out for or particularly ask for?

With regard to an outdoor wheelchair ramp from a patio onto grass what do they usually look like, can you ask them to use paving stones to match an existing patio? Do they have to have a handrail and bars or can the ramp be behind a landscaped wall so to to blend into the garden.

Do you know of any charities that help or give grants to make a garden wheelchair friendly as the rest of the garden is sloped and we also need help to create a disabled play area at the end of the garden.

Many thanks for your anticipated advice.

OP posts:

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porridgelover · 26/09/2012 19:22

OP...it would help if I knew your DC's diagnosis, age and prognosis.
Headings to consider with adaptations are access, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen/food prep and projected level of independence. Also think about things like how your (future adult) DC turns on/off lights/appliances, access to phones/internet/tvs.
What about transport now and in the future...do you need to consider hoist transfers in/out of the car? Are they potentially a driver as an adult?

You need to be thinking not only of the needs of the child you have now but the potential needs of an adult with SN in a few years.

That may seem over-the-top but the years roll round quickly and funding agencies do not look kindly on a 'second dip' if needs should have been anticipated.

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bigbluebus · 26/09/2012 19:58

Are you having the work done through the LA with a Disabled Facilites Grant or are you paying yourselves? I would say that this will make a difference to what gets done and how, as the DFG funding will be limited.

I agree with porridgelover about thinking about the long term with any work you have done. We had a through floor lift installed 7 yrs ago as I wanted DD to sleep upstairs with the rest of the family as I have to get up to her in the night. As she now approaches 18, I am beginning to wonder if a downstairs extension on the end of the house may have been better in the long term, as we will have carers coming and going through the main part of our house on a regular basis, which is very intrusive for the rest of the family.

I have no idea how old your DS is, but with a through floor lift, you have to think about how you will cope when there is a power cut, the lift breaks down or how you would get him out in the event of a fire. We have struggled with the 1st 2 (and fortunately have not had to tackle the 3rd). I'm not trying to put you off the lift idea - ours has been/is fantastic, but just want you to think about its limitations. It may be that you have no other options if you don't have the space for a ground floor extension.

We had ramps built to both the front door and back door. They are both constructed of brick, concrete and paving slabs to match the rest of the path. They do not have rails but are not very high and DD does not self propel her wheelchair, so is not likely to go over the edge as a carer will be holding on to the chair. For anyone walking, the edge of the ramp is no higher than one step. I would recommend using non slip paving though as we didn't and our ramp was lethal last winter!!!!

Don't know any charities who would fund a play area in the garden. There are others on here who are more aware of which charities will fund what than I am. (Maybe start a separate post about that as it will attract posters that may not be experience in the main topic of this thread IYKWIM) We did recently get a grant from Children Today though, so you could have a look at their website. Although, be warned, since the recession has hit, many of these charities have been under a lot of pressure to provide equipment that would previously have been given by statutory authorities, so demand is high and waiting lists for funding can be long. You could try approaching someone like your local Rotary/Lions/Round Table group as they often like to support local people.