Thursday, October 01, 2015

In our last report, I reviewed a few trends related to current and future veteran housing needs. But one question still remains. How can you make your residence more attractive to a veteran looking for their dream home?

While there is woefully little information available on specific needs of veterans who may require accommodations for various injuries they may have sustained in service, the Muscular Dystrophy Association offers an informative guide to equipping a home for various mobility challenges.

According to MDA, restrictions and barriers are often most prevalent in private dwellings such as apartments or houses, whether it’s a flight of stairs to the front door, narrow doorways or a cramped bathroom.

Fortunately, there are many ways to make adaptations or modifications that promote independence and safety in a home—and even a few that may be easy to apply in homes that frequently host a disabled vet.

The costs of each of these modifications can vary widely, however, as can local building requirements. Following are some of the less expensive safety equipment installations you may want to consider:

• Support pole. A floor-to-ceiling tension pole can be used wherever it fits, and will provide support for sitting, standing, getting out of bed, etc.
• Support rails. A variety of rails are available, many of which can be moved to different areas, attached or used next to beds, bathtubs, tables, etc.
• Grab bars. These rails can be placed just about anywhere and are available in many styles, shapes and sizes. Be sure to securely mount them to a wall stud or use other effective hardware to ensure safety.
• Remote door openers. These devices can unlock, open and close a door with the touch of a button, and some can be operated from a wheelchair-mounted transmitter or an environmental control unit (ECU).

To navigate stairs, residential models of inclined platform lifts are also available and can carry a person sitting in a wheelchair over a flight of stairs, while stairway lifts carry a seated person up or down stairs. Both have models in which the platform or seat folds out of the way when not in use.

Just remember, if you’re considering a stair lift, keep in mind that adding it can make it hard for others to use the stairs.

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