What is Home Modification?
Home modification refers to any physical modification of the environment where a person resides. These changes adapt living spaces to increase usage, safety, security, and independence for individuals (AOTA). When a person has a disability, illness, injury, or is preparing to age in place, home modifications are a necessary implementation for safety, independence and longevity. They improve access to a home, and improve the ability to carry out tasks within that environment, as well as improve safety while completing activities of daily living. These changes can be low-tech (removing rugs, rearranging furniture or items, adding simple low cost equipment like grab bars) or high-tech (modifying a space with a remodel, adding sensor activated lights/doors, touch-less faucets, stair lifts). Not all home modification involves construction. It is based off individual needs and budget.
Kitchens
Ensuring your daily cooking tasks remain effortless is a priority for aging in place.
Stairs
Navigating stairs requires a clutter free area and plenty of railings to aid in support.
Lighting
Inadequate lighting can make navigating bedrooms, hallways and bathrooms at night more difficult than it needs to be.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms can be the most hazardous room in a home. With slippery surfaces and low sitting toilets, falls are most likely to occur in a bathroom.
Living Room
Opening up a living room for adequate walking space and removing trip hazards can make navigating safe and secure.
“ Home modification refers to any physical modification of the environment where a person resides. ”
George Butler
Home Modifications Louisville, Ky
Aging at Home in the Louisville, Ky and Southern Indiana Area
Home Modification Consultant
The home modification process involves evaluating needs, identifying and implementing solutions, training, and evaluating outcomes that contribute to the home modification (AOTA). The occupational therapist performs most of this outside of any construction needs that may be necessary. The OT collaborates with architects and construction professionals to implement large changes to environments, and oversees the outcome, when they are necessary. Often times a person does not require large changes and may just require simple grab bar or ramp installation, or additional equipment to add to the current environment to promote the individual’s independence and accessibility. In some cases a modification may not even be necessary, just training on a safer way to do something! The evaluation will reveal the direction.
Why Should You Consider Home Modification?
Are you worried that you are having increased difficulty with getting around? Have you had a life altering injury or illness and no longer are able to care for yourself the same? Are your children worried about you being at home? Are you falling a lot? Are you noticing that your space isn’t working for you the same as it did years ago? Are you worried about the cost of assisted living or skilled nursing care? Home modification is likely right for you. The most obvious reason people want to age in place is cost. It is more cost effective to make changes to your environment to suit your needs rather than transitioning to a higher level of care in a facility. Often times a combination of home modifications and a caregiver plan can be enough to even keep a higher needs person in their home rather than a facility. If you are fairly independent with your basic care and you don't have caregiving for these activities, often times simple planning ahead with home modifications can keep you in your home for years to come and you can truly “age in place”!
1. Evaluating Your Needs
Gaining a better understanding of how you use your home and your specific needs is the first step in the home modification process.
3. Evaluating Outcomes
Once modifications have been made, our team will reevaluate the changes help guide the homeowners through their new surroundings.
We selected Exertion Architecture because of exertion rigorous design background and education, and for her construction management skills. The team exceeded our expectations and emerged as leaders of our project’s multi-layered team.
Working with exertion team was a pleasure. They balanced the architectural vision and the project realities beautifully, had a deep understanding of our priorities, and operated responsively and professionally to all matters.