Home Adaptations: User Perspectives on the Role of Professionals

Abstract

People with disabilities often carry much of the responsibility for the process of making adaptations to their homes and look to the professionals involved for support. The study described in this article asked people with disabilities whether they believed that they received appropriate professional support, information and practical help when adapting their homes and sought to learn more about their feelings about the adaptation process. A qualitative research method, using three focus groups in different geographical areas, was carried out with a purposive sample of participants who had received adaptations to their homes and had been assisted by their local authorities. The groups comprised participants from urban and rural populations, who had a mix of housing tenure and a variety of professional support. The findings demonstrated that this method was appropriate as a means of both discovering how people felt about the process and identifying what they found to be the most helpful assistance from the professionals involved. The study suggested that when problems arose or delays were experienced during the building process, an occupational therapist was not the only appropriate professional to provide support because this could be given in a variety of ways by different professionals and helping agencies. The study also suggested that, given sufficient information and choice, some people with disabilities preferred to organise their own adaptations, could manage with minimal professional intervention and should be empowered to do so.