Home Adaptations: User Perspectives on the Role of Professionals

Abstract

People with disabilities often carry much of the responsibility for the process of making adaptations to their homes and look to the professionals involved for support. The study described in this article asked people with disabilities whether they believed that they received appropriate professional support, information and practical help when adapting their homes and sought to learn more about their feelings about the adaptation process. A qualitative research method, using three focus groups in different geographical areas, was carried out with a purposive sample of participants who had received adaptations to their homes and had been assisted by their local authorities. The groups comprised participants from urban and rural populations, who had a mix of housing tenure and a variety of professional support. The findings demonstrated that this method was appropriate as a means of both discovering how people felt about the process and identifying what they found to be the most helpful assistance from the professionals involved. The study suggested that when problems arose or delays were experienced during the building process, an occupational therapist was not the only appropriate professional to provide support because this could be given in a variety of ways by different professionals and helping agencies. The study also suggested that, given sufficient information and choice, some people with disabilities preferred to organise their own adaptations, could manage with minimal professional intervention and should be empowered to do so.

The effects of adapting their home on the meaning of home for families with a disabled child

“…For individuals who require a home adaptation, this sense of control can be threatened when their right to be involved in the decision-making process is side-lined by the professionals involved (Heywood 2005). This view is echoed by Picking and Pain (2003), who found that although some participants found it helpful that others made decisions for them, it left others feeling their wishes had not been taken into consideration. although the research literature acknowledges the role budgetary constraints can have in the decision-making process (Hawkins and Stewart 2002;nocon and Pleace 1997), it is also recognised that lack of choice for service users can stem from strict design and standardised procedures imposed by service providers (aplin, de Jonge, and Gustafsson 2013) leading to a provider-led rather than a service user-led approach to service provision.…”

“…Service users value being listened to and having their needs and wishes respected (Picking and Pain 2003;Heywood 2004;nord et al 2009;Pettersson, löfqvist, and Fänge 2012). This is particularly important because, according to Heywood (2001), one of the main causes of waste in terms of adaptations is failure to adequately consult with the service user.…”

“…Heywood's (2005) view is that in some cases (such as the mother) those seeking adaptations can be happy to accept alternative solutions so long as they feel they have been 'persuaded to a decision' rather than being 'bullied to one' (Heywood 2005, 541). additionally, Picking and Pain (2003) indicated that services users really value professionals who showed an understanding of disability and had ideas that could future proof the child's adaptation for them.…”

The Development of a Design and Construction Process Protocol to Support the Home Modification Process Delivered by Occupational Therapists

“…It is further suggested that people's experience of the process and satisfaction with the home modification would improve if occupational therapists had a greater understanding of their role [ 20 , 22 , 23 ], and the lack of available guidance and standardised assessment tools is seen as a contributing factor [ 16 , 21 , 22 , 24 ]. This issue is further exacerbated by a lack of design and construction knowledge [ 8 , 20 , 25 ], leading to occupational therapists making the assumption that the modification process is simple [ 26 ].…”

Outdoor difficulties experienced by a group of visually impaired Iranian people

“… 20 Consequently, to reach more accurate user needs, before starting any modification, it is best to involve the person who is the end-user of this modification. 15 , 21 , 22 , 23 This study aims to listen to people to provide evidence from the perspective of people with visual impairment.…”