Assessing potential accessible properties – what do we hear, what do we see

An insightful blog by Kate Sheehan, consultant Occupational Therapist

When viewing potential properties for a client, the most crucial aspect is gaining a true understanding of their needs. This involves asking pertinent questions, observing the client’s abilities, discussing the wider family unit, and considering what makes a property suitable for them. However, at the heart of this process is the skill of listening.

Listening is an essential skill. By creating space for someone to share their thoughts, we enable them to open up and genuinely communicate how they feel about their lives, as well as how their home environment supports or hinders their day-to-day life.

As part of my role with Adaptation Design, I recently visited a family to assess their temporary rental housing needs whilst their permanent home was being adapted and extended for their long-term requirements. During my visit, I engaged with the client by sitting on the floor, playing and laughing together. This interaction helped the client’s mother to open up about her family’s needs.

When working with children we absolutely must listen and understand the whole family’s needs. This client does not live in isolation but is a son, a brother and part of a wider extended family. The family’s culture and religious beliefs also influence how they use their home, factors which must be considered when searching for any rental property.

After spending time with the client, his parents, and carers, we went on to view, two potential properties, both within walking distance of their current home.  However, my assessment did not start at the point of visiting the properties, I had already reviewed all the estate agent photographs, downloaded accurate plans from the local planning portal, and used Google Earth to examine the properties’ positions, parking, and proximity to essential amenities.

What we see when visiting a house and what our clients see are two different things.  They are seeking a home. I am looking for an accessible property requiring minimal adaptation work, which can be turned into a home for that temporary period.

The first property was a family home being rented out whilst they were working abroad.  It was full of the family’s belongings, had been cherished and lived in and clearly held a lot of memories.  The property had huge potential to meet the client and his family’s needs but it did require some significant work and most critically the installation of a through floor lift and a suitable bath. The lift position was complicated due to different roof heights and the master bathroom had the most ornate bath situated on a plinth.

The second property we visited, had been vacant for a considerable time and the landlord had agreed for any work necessary to be carried out.  The family loved it as it had the most gorgeous gardens, with mature oak trees and space for their son to be outside. On paper, the property seemed promising, but the reality was quite different.  It had been extended poorly with tight turns into bedrooms, doorways of only 680mm widths and hallways of less than 800mm   Every room on the first floor had restricted ceiling height resulting in restriction on where a lift could be sited.  The only potential lift option would have required the garage to be converted into a room and for the position of all utilities (including gas, electric and water) to have be re-sited, at significant expense.  

When discussing the limitations of potential properties with parents, I find that taking their child’s wheelchair there with you can be the clearest way of highlighting that the environment just will not work well as they can physically see the difficulties they will encounter on a day-to-day basis.

Whilst we did not find a suitable property that day, we remain confident that we will through Adaptation Design’s Property Finding Services. Our goal is to secure an accessible temporary home for our client, whilst the forever home is adapted to meet their own specific needs along with those of the wider family.