A serious accident can disrupt life and even change it forever, and home modifications are a high priority for comfortable living. Imagine spending the rest of your life in a wheelchair after facing severe injuries like spinal cord damage or traumatic brain injury. You may even lose a limb due to a life-saving amputation. The situation is daunting and painful, but you cannot give up on life altogether.
The best way to cope following complex surgery with a top surgeon such as Dr Timothy Steel is to regain as much independence as possible. Fortunately, physical therapy and rehab treatment can go a long way in helping you on the mobility front. Further, you can rely on home modifications to regain independence after a severe injury. Let us share some valuable tips on making home modifications as a part of the recovery process.
5 Tips To Make Home Modifications After A Severe Injury
Understand the need for home modifications
A dire injury may deprive you in more than one way, and you may never be the same person again. But it is possible to regain control and independence, provided you are willing to make some alterations and adaptations. Rehab and therapy provide physical strength while adding some features to your living space to keep you safe and secure.
These may include simple alterations, such as installing ramps, a medical alert device and handrails, or complex ones like fitting stairlifts and installing accessible bathrooms. An Occupational Therapist provides long-term care needs assessment to suggest the best alterations and modifications in your living space. You must understand these needs and go ahead with the project without hesitation.
Consider the optimal alterations
The home modification requirements for accident victims depend on the type, severity, and after-effects of their injuries. So you cannot take a one-size-fits-all approach to them. An occupational therapist is the best person to assess your needs and suggest optimal alterations accordingly.
For example, you may require aids and equipment to help with daily tasks and improve mobility and independence. Likewise, adaptations to overcome barriers in your living space may be necessary. These include widening the doors, additional railings, ramps, and accessible rooms. You may also need to modify tasks and develop skills to undertake the usual activities differently.
Seek compensation for the project
Home modifications are expensive, and they can easily burn a hole in your wallet. But it should not be a reason to give up on your independence and mobility after a life-changing injury. The good thing is that you can rightfully claim compensation for the project as a part of your personal injury claim. You only need to get help from a personal injury attorney with the relevant expertise and experience.
A seasoned professional can assist you with claiming comprehensive compensation for your medical treatment, lost wages, pain and suffering, and damages. They will also ensure coverage of home modification requirements so that you do not need to worry about the cost of the project.
Look for a seasoned contractor
Getting the necessary home improvements should be your priority as they can restore normalcy in your life. After all, you cannot depend on caregivers for your everyday needs and other tasks forever. So you must start with the project sooner than later so that you can regain your mobility, independence, and confidence at the earliest.
Look for a seasoned contractor with experience in such projects. They can suggest the best possible options according to your condition. Remember that home modifications entail a long-term investment, so you must choose the improvements and alterations carefully. The objective should be to enable control and independence while ensuring safety as you navigate daily tasks.
Be willing to adapt
Installing new features and altering the existing infrastructure in your living space is the first step toward resuming normalcy. But everything boils down to your willingness to adapt to the new lifestyle. Acceptance is the key as you have to realize your special needs and learn to cope with them. Just making improvements and adaptations in your home will not help until you are ready to use them. Thankfully, a little training and practice are enough to get things on track. You must also practice caution while using these modifications to be on the safe side. But you will be a pro sooner than later.
Home modifications can go a long way in restoring normalcy in your life even after severe injuries and disabilities. They can make you independent, help with mobility issues, and ensure safety during your daily tasks. So you should not hesitate about going ahead with the project, no matter how expensive it sounds. The good thing is that you can claim compensation for it, so it will not hurt your wallet.
About the author
Rohani is a contributor on various platforms. Her expertise in different niche and her thoughts on different topics has helped her broaden her vision to a vast level. She has always been so keen on various marketing tactics which have helped her clients to reach an immense good level.
