Cindy has lived in her home on a beautiful, wooded lot for forty years, but last year, when she began falling with some regularity, she wasn’t sure how she was going to be able to safely stay in her home. Her husband, Terry, helped her as best he could, but Terry has medical issues which limit his lifting ability. Living in a rural area, there are not a lot of people close at hand; a couple of times Cindy had to call her daughter to drive in from town to help her get up.
Following a hospital stay, Cindy went to a rehab facility where she was given a Rollator (wheeled walker) to provide the stability she needs, however, there were several steps at the entry to her home and the Rollator can’t be used safely on stairs. The discharge social worker referred Cindy to Milestone Senior Services for a ramp.
One of our Home Repair Techs came out to identify fall hazards and assess what Cindy & Terry needed to be safe in their home. After performing a full home safety inspection, our staff came back to install an accessible toilet system and a grab bar in the shower as well as repairing handrails on the stairs to the garage. Two weeks later our staff returned with a crew of volunteers from the Kalamazoo Area Realtors to install a 36-foot ramp from the driveway to the front door.
Cindy is overwhelmed that she can stay in her home and know she is safe. Because Cindy is not as mobile, her husband does the shopping and errands; she was always worried that if something happened she wouldn’t be able to get out of the house. Even when he was home with her, he could not always get her up from a fall. Cindy said, “Now I have the peace of mind that if I have to get out on my own, I can; and I don’t have to worry that my husband is going to hurt himself trying to get me up.”
The ramp and safety modifications on Cindy and Terry’s home were provided at no cost to them. Due to the generosity of our donors and funders, Milestone’s Home Repair & Accessibility program provides older adults and adults with disabilities with the modifications they need to remain living safely and independently at home. You can help support this important work—use the enclosed envelop or go online today and make a donation to support the important work we do.
