Do you or a family member have a progressive disease such as multiple sclerosis or a permanent injury such as a spinal cord injury?  Do you have specialized equipment in your home for use in accomplishing daily living tasks? At the point you know a disability is permanent, or the condition is diagnosed as progressing towards needing home access features in the future, an accessibility specialist should be contacted. 

A physical or occupational therapist will be one of the first individuals who will recognize and be able to determine if a patient is going to need assistance with home access, whether now or in the future.  Contacting an accessibility specialist to review a home at the same time as the physical or occupational therapist is addressing home healthcare and access products, helps take the unknown out of the equation. Becoming informed requires looking at all options and the associated costs. 

We believe that there are three ways to resolve access and safety issues within a home. The first is to teach an alternate way to work within the existing environment (e.g., how to approach and transfer onto the toilet in a different manner); the second is to install or add a product to the equation (e.g., install grab bars or a plastic riser toilet seat); and the third is to “permanently” modify the environment (e.g., relocate the toilet and/or modify walls).

Often times an Access Specialist is called by individuals who are in a “panic” trying to make quick decisions because a loved one is due to be discharged from a hospital or care facility or the need for home access modifications is immediate.  Although the tendency is to wait until such time the home modification is needed, it's best to allow as much time as possible to enable good decision making.   This eliminates unnecessary stress, fosters collaboration between therapists and designers/access specialists, and allows time for ALL potential access solutions to be explored. 

With a simple home evaluation (1 to 2 hour walk-through and discussion), major access issues can be addressed, decisions to renovate or relocate can be discussed, and a course of action and timeline established…essentially “fires” can be put out.  The unknown is often times the “elephant in the room” that nobody wants to talk about, yet is assumed to be bigger than it actually is. 
 
When trying to determine the right time to seek professional advice from an Access Specialist, remember that even the simplest modifications take time.  It requires some time to assess an individuals needs, create design solutions, coordinate with third party payers, social services (if they are involved in funding or providing elements of care), and find financing.  And it also takes time to obtain contractor bids, select a contractor, purchase building materials, and complete construction.  The project timeline from evaluation to project completion can vary from a few weeks to more than a year, depending on the type or complexity of home modifications and the level of planning & design.  A realistic time for most bathroom or kitchen projects is 3-6 months.

Often times, when trying to accept a disability, individuals are trying to process a lot of information. Their home is just one of the many issues they need to address, but one that can truly impact their independence and outlook on life. Beginning the search for home access solutions as soon as possible will facilitate the best possible outcome.