Physical Layout

How many families have looked at moving homes out of need to support one or more individuals with chronic conditions? What are the common issues? As individuals age is there a need for more standing space within bathrooms or an actual need to change the way tasks such as bathing are completed due to the increase in body size of the indivdual? What impact does this have on the family home? On the value of the family home? Wear and tear can already be an issue, with damaged walls, damaged doors etc. Additional fences can also change what a home looks like. It can change its value to others, making it a less desirable place to want to visit or to want to buy. This may result in people walking away and not visiting at all. What does it do to the roles / job requirements of the parents / income earners when the house isn’t working? Where does the money come from? Is there a right house in the exact same community to move to? Or would moving to another area require shifting every resource that is currently providing you with stability. If you look, can you see other houses that would suit you better? Or do you know what it looks like and can easily wait til the exact right thing comes available because you know that you will know it when you see it. Til then you wait and stay where you are.

 

What are the best home designs? How many TV programs do you watch to get ideas? Are you able to add on rooms to your current home?Assessments for home design for individuals with challenging behaviours need to take into consideration the communication and skill support needs of those individuals not just the strength of the walls etc.

Consider what the property boundaries look like. If you have a child who needs to run, how many strides can they take in one direction or will they end up going around in circles. Consider how the doors or latches work and whether the individual can get into and out of the house easily so that they can go from playing outside to immediately coming inside to watch their favourite video. How easy is it for siblings or friends to physically fit into the space?