Case Studies

Case Studies 1

A gentleman who has a degenerative condition leading to wheelchair dependence and decreased abilities.

He lives in a multiple levelled house with his family and runs his business from his home premises.

Problem

• Cannot negotiate stairs to access the 1st floor bedroom, bathroom and office.
• Cannot transfer from his wheelchair onto his bed, W.C etc.
• Cannot negotiate the step to the front door.
• The ground floor is not large enough to provide accommodation for all his needs.

Solution

• Installation of through floor lift – from ground to 1st floor into the room used as an office.
• Through floor lift enclosed on the 1st floor with automatic door opener – shelving installed on lift side of enclosure for storage of computer discs etc.
• Installation of new wheelchair accessible desks, computer work stations.
• Provision of new bathroom en-suite to main bedroom with Clos-o-mat (washing and drying W.C) Level Access Shower and hand basin.
• Installation of ceiling track hoist in ground floor & 1st floor rooms.
• Ramped access to the property.

Outcome

• The disabled person was able to access and use all areas of the home.
• Was able to continue to run their business without the need for secretarial assistance.

Comment

"I did not know how it could be achieved when Able 2 first visited me. I was thinking of installing a stairlift even though I didn't know how I was to transfer onto it. The caring way Able 2 worked with me in designing for my needs was wonderful, I felt fully involved. They listened and interpreted my needs brilliantly."

With the increasing legislative requirements, in particular the Disabled Discrimination Act, all public and private buildings need to be accessible and usable by disabled people.

Case Studies 2

A 52 year old lady referred from a Disabled Facilities Grant service for us to visit the client and agree the way her property was to be adapted to provide suitable access to bedroom, bathroom and living accommodation.

At the time of the referral she was undergoing tests to identify the cause of a rapid deterioration in her abilities. The day before we visited she had been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.

Initial visit was undertaken with the Occupational Therapist and our surveyor. The recommendation was for the removal of the bath and installation of a level accessed shower.

The property compromised a ground floor kitchen and separate living room. First floor comprised two narrow bedrooms and bathroom with a bath. The second floor comprised of 2 bedrooms.

She was sleeping in a hospital bed in the only living room in the property and had no access to WC or washing facilities.

Considerations

It was identified that the removal of the bath and installation of a level accessed shower was not the only requirement and that she needed access to a private bedroom and a wheelchair accessible property.

It was not possible to form a separate wheelchair accessible bedroom on the ground floor and retain suitable space for family living.

Recommended Adaptations

• Ramped access to the front door
• Widen the kitchen and living room doors for wheelchair access
• Install Through floor lift from living room to first floor bedroom
• Combine the two narrow bedrooms to form one bedroom to enable both the client and her husband to sleep in the same room and to accommodate a hospital bed also incorporating wheelchair access
• Linked door from bedroom into family bathroom, retain the main door from the landing into the bathroom
• Remove the bath and install a wet floor shower and Clos o mat
• Installation of Ceiling Track Hoist in the living room and bedroom

The preparation of detailed plans, quotes for the lifts and full agreement of plans and specific OT specification completed within 2 weeks of referral and forwarded to the Home Improvement Agency for progressing.

We also made a referral through for an Environmental Control unit to enable her to maintain the ability to control her environment and we obtained quotations and requisitioned the provision of a reclining shower chair which would be available on completion of the work.

Case Studies 3

78 year old gentleman referred for Occupational Therapist assessment on behalf of the Occupational Therapist service.

Lives with his wife in a 2 storey privately owned house. Accommodation comprises:

Ground floor: Hall front lounge, rear dining room, kitchen
First floor: 3 bedrooms and bathroom
Stairs: Curved staircase 840mm wide there are bilateral hand rails in situ

He has generalised Osteo Arthritis with his hips and knees particularity affected. Diabetes and kidney failure, having kidney dialysis 3 times per week.

The reason for referral was for assessment for ground floor facilities, the provision of a ground floor bedroom and bathroom.

The Occupational Therapist assessment followed the path of assessing and observing how he performed a range of daily living tasks and in particular the Occupational Therapist considered his mobility. He mobilised with the assistance of a walking stick and demonstrated a limped walking posture.

The outcome of the assessment identified that he experienced significant difficulty with regard to stair negotiation and accessing and using the bath. In addition he was tired following his Kidney dialysis which made stair negotiation even more difficult at those times.

He was able to transfer in and out of an armchair at the appropriate height independently.

The Occupational Therapist agreed that it was necessary to resolve the difficulties of negotiating the stairs to access the first floor bathroom. She identified a number of ways of providing for this need.

The client wanted a ground floor bedroom and bathroom in the form of an extension at the rear of his property. The Occupational Therapist explained that if he was to sleep on the ground floor that one of the reception rooms would need to be used as a bedroom and the council would only be able to provide shower room facilities. This was not initially accepted by the client.

Because the stairs were of good width and he was able to achieve good knee flexion, the installation of a stairlift was the recommendation the Occupational Therapist made to facilitate access to his existing first floor bedroom and bathroom. The bathroom would then be adapted to provide level accessed shower facilities.

There was considerable discussion because this was not how the family wished to resolve the difficulties. However following discussion regarding essential need and the need to provide facilities within his home rather than extend, resulted in him accepting that the stairlift and the first floor bathroom adaptation was the option that would resolve the difficulties he was experiencing and represented a more cost effective solution to his difficulties.

The recommendation was referred to the Grants Department for the preliminary test of resources to be completed. This confirmed that the client was eligible for a 100% grant. The case was then transferred to the Able2 Home Improvement Agency to be progressed.

Quotations were obtained from two stairlift companies and the Level accessed shower was designed, tendered and progressed to satisfactory completion within 3 months. The outcome was that the client was able to access his first floor bedroom and bathroom and use the level accessed shower with ease and confirmed a satisfactory outcome had been achieved.