Living with physical and psychological challenges often means everyone needs to change their approach to some everyday experiences, not just the person who is less abled. Many changes may need to be made, both physically to the home and also to how family activities are planned. Here is a quick guide to some of the changes that need to be made and how to address them if a family member or close friend is less abled.
Make Plans For Transportation
If you have a family member with mobility problems or that has become a wheelchair user, you should learn more about wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAVs) and the convenience they can offer. Travelling as a family using public transport can be a challenge but for wheelchair users, it can be even more difficult. Using a purpose-built or adapted vehicle makes traveling a lot easier.
Take a look at this guide on how to get your own wheelchair-accessible vehicle from Allied Mobility. They have been building WAVs and adapting existing vehicles for wheelchair access for many years. Their guide can help you to find the right mobility solution for you and your family, and ensure that both daily travel and holiday journeys include everyone in both comfort and style.
Make Adjustments At Home
The home is a part of the family. To make sure your house remains functional for a less-abled family member or a close friend there are small adjustments you can make to ensure accessibility to all its features. The most obvious are wheelchair ramps at the entrances to your home, which not only make access easy for wheelchair users but also ensure their independence.
Getting in and out of a home that has steps but no ramp is not impossible for a wheelchair user, but it takes at least two people. Installing ramps means that they can come and go independently and as they please without assistance. You should also make some alterations to your bathrooms that will allow them to use them on their own. This helps them maintain their independence and privacy, and the additions you need to make can be installed in just a couple of hours.
Be An Advocate
Not every change you need to make is physical. When you are planning family events, trips, or something as simple as a meal in a restaurant, you need to be an advocate for the less abled. When making bookings at establishments you need to ensure that wheelchair access is available and realistic. You must advocate for your family member’s or friend’s needs, and back them up if they are let down.
Every business should provide accessibility to people who have mobility challenges, or who have mental or psychological disabilities. If you go somewhere that has assured you that they can accommodate these needs but fails to, you need to support your family member or friend. This not only means helping them deal with any trauma or embarrassment that may be caused but also helping them to address these problems with staff and business owners.
Get Support For You And Your Family
The pressure and challenges that can come with caring for and supporting a less-abled family member or friend can be stressful and time-consuming. Though it is important to ensure you are focussing on their needs, you cannot overlook your own or those of other members of your family. You should look for local and online groups and resources that can help you to manage the stress and strains that come along with caregiving.
This helps you to stay at your best, and give the best care and support possible to your less-abled family member or close friend. Never forget to care for yourself and other members of your family. It is important to balance your care and attention among everyone, helping you all to become a stronger family unit in the face of the challenges you all must overcome.
Build Them A Support Network
Giving support to a family member or friend that is less abled can come with a lot of challenges for them as well as you. By building a support network, they get resources that they can utilise to make their lives easier and find help outside of the family if they feel they need it. You should reach out to local, national, and online community groups that can give them help, advice, and even financial assistance to enrich their lives and ensure all of their needs are being met.
You may be surprised at how many families like yours have to find solutions to the issues than can arise from mobility problems. There will be many people who have faced the same challenges that your family is facing and have found convenient and workable solutions.
With some careful thought and planning, any challenge can be conquered. There is a huge support network and a wealth of information available to families with less-abled members. Start thinking and acting early to make family life run smoother and ensure that everyone experiences everything life has to offer.
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