"The days of bashing knuckles on doorframes are over!" Dean's accessible homes story | Latest news

I’ve been living with the loss of mobility for two years. Prior to my paralysis, I used crutches to walk. I can’t emphasise enough the positive impact moving to a wheelchair accessible home has made to my life. 

The main challenge I faced using a wheelchair was negotiating narrow spaces in my previous home. Even with adaptations provided by the council, moving from room to room still meant getting around tight spaces. This was also difficult for my partner, who began to take on more of a full-time carer role.

Living on the ground floor made life a bit easier, but the flat had very narrow doorways. Not ideal for a wheelchair! A small wet room had little space to manoeuver and the council was unable to make any adaptations to that part of the property.

I also found the demands of work added to my need for a more independent lifestyle. As a result, we decided to search for more accessible accommodation. At that time I couldn’t do as much as I wanted to at home and just felt I just had to put up with a difficult situation.

Our new home offers the space and flexibility I need to live more independently, with the added bonus being that my partner doesn’t have to give me as much physical support as she used to. The first thing you notice in an accessible home is the layout. There’s extra space and I feel that it’s been designed by someone who knows exactly what I need. The days of bashing knuckles on doorframes are over! 

I now have an easy to use wet room and, as a car driver, accessible parking. Living here has made day to day life much easier. I encourage anyone who needs an accessible home to apply.