CAPS Specialists Won't Let You Get Locked Out!

The right professional can help unlock the potential accessibility of your home. All too often people who have disabilities or people whose abilities change as they grow older feel like they are “locked out” of areas of their own homes. The average house is full of barriers to people who use wheelchairs or walkers, or who have balance or strength issues.

There are so many ways to change homes to remove these barriers, but how do you know what to do? How do you pick a design or building professional that has the skills to evaluate you and your situation so you spend your money on modifications or equipment that actually works for you?

AARP released a land mark study in the year 2000 http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/il/home_mod.pdf  that made it crystal clear that:

- Americans prefer to stay in their own homes as they grow older but realize the home will have safety and access problems.

- People didn’t know what to do or who to ask to help them make changes to their homes.

- People didn’t trust building professionals to know what to do or to
treat them fairly.

The National Association of Home Builders Remodelers responded. In collaboration with AARP, NAHB Research Center and NAHB 50+ Housing Council, they developed the Certified Aging in Place Specialist Designation, CAPS. The CAPS is a multi-professional designation which is important as Home Modifications require knowledge not only of the structure of the home, but of people and the medical conditions that affect them, and of the huge variety of equipment available to increase independence in the home.

The course work introduces professionals experienced in their own trades such as therapists, interior designers, contractors, architects to the unique needs of the older adult population and reinforces good business management and utilization of a set of ethics.

People interested in finding professionals with a CAPS designation can go to the National Association of Home Builders web site to find a national directory.

http://www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?sectionID=717&genericContentID=46799

BevVan Phillips was among the first CAPS professionals in the state of Nebraska and we are proud to announce that the newest members of the Home Access Solutions, Inc staff have completed the educational requirements to obtain their CAPS designation.

Brady Croft has a background in the building trades and will be using his construction skills and knowledge of DC motors as our primary installer and service professional.

Tara Rise has a degree in Interior Design with a focus on Home Modifications and in addition to generalized access design and equipment selection will be working closely with the Best Bath line of barrier free showers and walk in tubs that we represent.

Garrett Worner has a background in construction and real estate and in addition to working with access remodeling design and equipment will be focusing on the SureHands Lift and Care System of high tech transfer solutions that can help people stay in their homes longer.

At Home Access Solutions, Inc. we bridge the gap between the structure of your home and your abilities. You can count on Home Access Solutions for knowledgeable evaluation and professional service. There is no reason to feel “locked out” of your own home. We are right here in your community, waiting to serve you.

Give Up My Favorite Activities? Never!

I enjoy spending time outdoors and gardening. It is part of what makes me who I am. What would happen if I had an accident or developed a medical condition that kept me out of the yard? Would it change who I am as a person? This happens to Americans every day.

The simple, everyday things we do define who we are and impact the quality of the lives we lead. When we can’t take care of ourselves or we can’t do the things that bring us pleasure, life just doesn’t seem as good. If a person grows older or experiences a medical crisis and they can’t engage in their hobbies – does that change who they are as a person? It can.

I’ve got news! It doesn’t have to though. There are so many ways of doing things and pieces of equipment that can help us compensate and allow us to keep on doing what is important to us.

For instance, if I had arthritis and enjoyed gardening it could be harmful to the joints of my wrist and hand to use a regular hand rake and would probably be painful as well. Just changing to a rake with an angled handled protects my joints and will reduce the likelihood of pain. The important thing is that I could keep on gardening!

Here’s the point. Don’t give up on doing the things that are important to you. Find the different technique or different tool that will allow you to continue taking care of yourself, working, or engaging in the hobbies that bring you pleasure. They are out there.

Share this video, Share the news. You don’t have to give up the things that define who you are as a person. If you need help finding something or getting started, give us a call. We know it is important and we would love to help.

Here are some useful links that may provide the opportunities you are looking for to continue doing what you love, or even find a new active passion!

The Great Plains PVA: a fitness facility that provides programs targeted at both adult and children who have developmental and physical disabilities.

Fast Foward: an Omaha-based fitness company.

Special Olympics: The leader in programs based on competition and sports training for the mentally handicapped..

Tech Tots: a wonderful company who specializes in modified toys for kids with developmental and physical disabilities.

For more information, or if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 402.294.9514, or email us at info@homeaccesssolutions.com!

Save Money with Access That Works

There’s always more than one way to increase access or safety in your home. People who call Home Access Solutions realize that we are going to offer more than one solution. What they don’t realize is that we are often going to offer a solution that can save them Money. That’s right, the right information and the right plan can often save money while increasing independence and safety in the home.

The Truth About Access Pricing

Too many people decide that access or access equipment is too expensive before they get the real information they need. They quit before they even begin! Money is important. We know that and we respect people’s budget. Frankly we save people money because our designs which are based on a person’s goals, abilities, and medical condition really work and we have the experience and knowledge to offer a range of solutions, some of which are really inexpensive. At the very least, we can offer solutions that are less expensive than the ones people who don’t have our experience dream.

Let's Work Together to Save You Money

A great example is a couple we recently saw who were trying to decide whether to build a new home to accommodate her use of a wheelchair or remodel the existing. They really wanted to stay where they were, but they thought that it was going to require modifying a stairwell, moving a lot of plumbing or even moving a load bearing wall in order to get the room they needed in their bathroom. We were able to provide a design and resources that didn’t require moving any walls and that minimized the plumbing changes needed. The design will blend in unobtrusively in their home and has the flexibility to work now and later when her strength changes. All that and our remodel idea will cost at least 10,000 less than the remodel idea they thought they had to use. Talk about Win! Win! Win! This is a big savings, but really not that unusual for us.

Just this past week, I worked with a person living in assisted living facility . She and her family were anticipating a solution for a bathroom transfer that would have been several hundred dollars to put in and that would have had to be removed. It turned out that a simple solution costing less than $40 would work and lead to a safer transfer as well. In the place where she lives, this is a solution that saved her money right away and will help her keep her independence, but it is also going to save her money every month as she doesn’t have to pay for the extra assistance for bathing every month.

Please share the news and share this video with your friends. You don’t have to give up before you start! Great solutions can make everyday living easier and safer and save you Money too!