DIY SOS adapts house for improved access
26th September 2014
DIY SOS The Big Build went to Warrington to help the family of a local electrician who suffered a stroke at work and now struggles to move around freely in his own home. The accident left him restricted to sleep in a hospital bed in their kitchen, so the team from the popular TV show have come in to make the house more accessible.
He can now access the whole of the lower level thanks to wider doors and a new bathroom, and he can sit comfortably in the living room in a discreet riser recliner chair.
‘Real shock’
One of the key messages to come through from the filming of this episode is just how sudden these things can happen, where people of any age can quickly become reliant on home mobility aids and stair lifts through such medical conditions. Dave was just 47 when he suffered a huge stroke which came as a ‘real shock’ to his wife Anna and two daughters.
The incident left him partially paralysed and made just moving around his own home a terrible struggle, but thanks to the great team at DIY SOS The Big Build, and some innovative mobility assistance aids, he has now regained a new sense of independence.
Not only has this provided him with the help needed to live a more independent and fulfilling life, but it has also given him and his wife another chance in their relationship as Anna can now go back to being more of a wife than a carer. This is a situation that many couples across the country, unfortunately, face at various ages; whether they are elderly and one, unfortunately, becomes more reliant on the other, or whether an incident such as Dave’s occurs, mobility aids can significantly reduce the pressure placed on the partner and restore a degree of dignity that a lack of mobility can cause.
For other mobility aids for the bathroom and homelift solutions Age UK has a range of products available to help
Image Credit: HomeSpot HQ (flickr.com)
This news article is from Handicare UK. Articles that appear on this website are for information purposes only and are up to date as of the time of publishing