Home Sweet Home
Think about this the next time you drive up to your own “Home Sweet Home”. Most people don’t have any problems getting into their own homes and know that they are going to be able to use any part of the house they want to, safely and easily. People who have physical disabilities don’t always get to assume these things, because the average house presents many barriers to independence and safety. It’s easy to sit back and assume that the issue is so big that one person can’t do anything about it, but you can. You can do it today.
People typically want to live on their own. You may not realize how many different efforts are going on in Nebraska to make independent living a reality for everyone. Home Access Solutions provides private residential access design and remodeling services. We work with architects, other remodelers, and builders to customize homes and sell equipment for people who have disabilities or who want to age in place. There are government and non-profit agencies in Nebraska such as The Assistive Technology Partnership, The Greater Omaha Chapter of the National Safety Council, and the League of Human Dignity that are involved in the effort to provide information and resources for homes that meet the needs of seniors and people with disabilities. Many support groups such as The Midlands Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, United Cerebral Palsy Association of Nebraska, and ALS in the Heartland to name just a few, include information about living at home in the resources they make available. Then there are countless individuals who see the need for more homes and resources and have taken the problem into their own hands such as Ben Leypoldt and his family who live with the problem of in-accessible housing every day.
The desire to live on one’s own is a pretty common feeling, but how that is accomplished can be extremely unique. Among people who have disabilities there is a great range in the way people move, grasp, balance, see, hear, and interact with the environment around them. Just like among people without disabilities, there is also a great range in what they want to be able to do in their home and how they want that home to look. Not everyone needs or wants the same thing in a house. So when Ben and his family decided from their own personal experiences that they wanted to do something to encourage more choices for independent living in their hometown, they decided to start first with asking questions about what other people with disabilities would like to have in a home. Ben didn’t assume that everyone would need or want the same things he wants and uses in his home.
Right now, Ben is collecting information in a short survey. If you have a disability that changes how you live in a home, please take the time to fill it out. If you know someone with a disability, please forward this blog or the link to them and ask them to take the survey at www.livingonyourhome.org.
We actually have a lot of information and resources available in Nebraska compared to other parts of the United States, but we don’t have enough yet. One way to improve housing for everyone is to talk about it and collect information to discover what’s needed. Filling out the survey or passing the information on is one way you can help. Do it today.
