Home Modifications

Role of an Occupational Therapist in home modifications:

- To analyse a persons daily living role, routines and habits.

- Provide recommendations according to a persons unique circumstances e.g. race, gender, socioeconomic status, co-morbid conditions, social background and education.

(Stark, Somerville, Keglovits, Smason & Bigham, 2015).

Aim of home modifications:

- To improve a persons daily functional performance.

- Increase independence and decrease reliance on others.

- Enhance caregiver confidence.

- Decrease the rate and risk of future falls.

(Stark et al., 2015).

Examples of home modifications:

- Raised toilet seats

- Grab rails

- Railings

(Stark et al., 2015).

Outcomes:

Interventions administered by experienced Occupational Therapists have been shown to reduce the rate of falls for older adults. Interventions have also shown to improve function within a given environment for older adults when compared to other professionals administering home modifications (Stark et al., 2015).

Reference:

Stark, S. L., Somerville, E., Keglovits, M., Smason, A., & Bigham, K. (2015). Clinical reasoning guideline for home modification interventions. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy : Official Publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association, 69(2), 6902290030p1- 6902290030p8. doi:10.5014/ajot.2015.014266