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Finding an Accessible Home

Hello,
My question is my wife has MS. She was
diagnosed over 18yrs ago and she just turned 45. It's getting harder to take care of her and maintain my home. Is their condos/homes that are on one floor and with 3/4 rooms that are not too expensive?





REPLY:
Hi,
So sorry to hear that your wife is getting worse. As Cir gets older, he is still pretty mobile, but he needs more help. We just spent the last six months searching for a handicap accessible home. We finally found one that still needs work to make it perfect.

When you search for a condo, or house, look for handicap accessible ranch homes in your area. Have a price range in mind and only look at the ones that fit your criteria. If you need to, get an agent to help look for you, especially if you are buying.

It may take awhile, but be patient. I'm sure you will find the home that's right for you and your wife. Like I said, it took us 6 months - maybe more - searching on and off - until we found the right one. And we still need to add a few grab bars, fix the ramp and a few other things to make it an even better fit.

If you can work with it, and only need to fix or add a few things, then go for it. You may even want to consider renting or leasing and accessible apartment. There are many that have fully accessible kitchens and bathrooms that will make things easier for both of you.

Plus the buildings are usually very secure and may come with a security system and/or alert system built in.

Hope this helps. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact us again.

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Jun 07, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Home Renovations
by: Lorna

One thing that I often tell others, looking to renovate to make more accessable - contact your local MS Society.

We did too many things ourselves before knowing how much help they have to offer. We had a ramp done & several other things.

Now I am able to do stairs again with a cane & don't need the ramp. This because I have left behind many MS symptoms. Doing so without steroids, using my carefull treatment plan, diet, several key supplements & one very low cost drug, (in liquid form below $20.00 per month).

Details can be found at my website, msalternative fix. Check it out.
Dec 28, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		Disabled Community Resources
by: Akrista

One thing that many with disabilities overlook or fail to look into are local community resources that may be available to them.

There are several things you can do when looking for an accessible home. One, because your wife has MS, make sure she is registered with the National MS Society (NMSS). They have a wealth of information on their site as well as MS Navigators you can call and talk to about your needs as someone with MS or as a caregiver of someone with MS.

They will be able to give you a list of programs and organizations that can help you with finding an accessible home. One of those will probably be the local Tri-County Independent Living Association. Although they recently lost a sizable amount of funding, they are still advocates for people with disabilities. They can also provide you with a list of housing in your area that is handicap accessible.

Depending on your wife's needs, you may also be able to get accommodations done to your home. The NMSS should be able to help you with this. They may even be able to help financially. It doesn't hurt to ask. Before calling, take an inventory of how changing your current home would make things easier for you and your wife.

~ Perhaps converting a downstairs room into a bedroom
~ Adding an accessible bathroom to eliminate going up and down the stairs
~ Removing under sink cabinets to accommodate a wheelchair
~ Adding a ramp so that your wife can be wheeled in and out of your home safely

If your wife's insurance covers an aide to come in a few times a week, this might be another solution to your current living situation as well as something to look into when you find accessible housing. The aide can do all the running up and down the stairs for you and your wife - laundry, light cleaning, etc.

When you find handicap accessible housing, make sure it is truly accessible and not just a one level house that a seller is trying to push when in reality it's just a house all on one floor.

~ Does it have a ramp or no stairs to all or at least one entrances?
~ Can the hallways accommodate a wheelchair easily without too much maneuvering?
~ Can the bathroom accommodate a wheelchair?
~ Does the bathroom have grab bars?
~ Does the bathroom have a walk-in or wheel-in shower?
~ Does the bathroom sink accommodate a wheelchair?
~ Does the kitchen sink accommodate a wheelchair?
~ Are the counters the right height?

These are just some of the things you want to take into account when looking for an accessible home. Try to anticipate your and your wife's needs in the future so that you will have a home that will work for you down the road as well. That way you won't need to do this all over again when her needs change.

Hope this helps.

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