Replacing Old Shower in Shelby Township

Replacing Old Shower with a #roll-inshower in Shelby Township

The champagne bronze fixtures look fantastic against the @thetileshop tiles!

Follow @bfallc for more #accessibilitysolutions, behind-the-project scenes, and tons of inspiration!

Are you interested in creating your own accessible living space?

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We’re here to help consult, advise and plan your project. Contact us through our website and let us know how we can help you. We’re just a phone call away 📞! ♿️☀️

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ADA Accessible Home 

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#curblessshowerpan #roll-in Shower

Virtual Reality and Accessiblity

Have you heard of Virtual Reality?

The most common access to Virtual Reality is the Samsung Galaxy Gear. This kit consists of a headset that you put your Samsung phone in (shown in video below) and then put that head piece on. This form of technology has the ability to take you anywhere in or out of this world, using the Samsung phone screen. 

My first experience with Virtual Reality, or VR, was this Samsung. It is almost like putting on  goggles that give you a 360 degree view of any image or video the phone is displaying. 

When I put on the VR Gear, I saw a video of a National Forrest. It was incredible, I felt like I was really there. I was amazed that I could go anywhere I wanted with this VR, which meant that anyone else can too. Even someone in a wheelchair or someone who is bed bound. It was like a light bulb turned on in my brain. And I was not alone!

Watch the video below from USA Today, where Tim learns about VR and tries it out!

My favorite quote from Tim was, 

" Everywhere is Accessible! "

That's the beauty of this technology. It is accessible and makes everything accessible! 

I hope that the VR experience shows Tim that he can do all the things he dreams of doing. To learn more about Tim and how you can help, go to his GoFundme page.

What do you think about Virtual Reality? Do you have experience with it?

Let us know in a comment below!

Cerebral Palsy Awareness!

March 25th is Cerebral Palsy Awareness!

Today, we want to bring awareness to CP. 

I am trying to do my part to help to educate people about CP, as my 23 year old daughter, Sofía has Cerebral Palsy. As you all know, Sofia is the reason BFA LLC. exists!

Children and adults with Cerebral Palsy deserve more research into the cause and prevention, more research into treatment options, new thinking about the standard of care, more clinicians and scientists who specialize in it. ......

Please look up UCP- Detroit, http://www.ucpdetroit.org if you are interested in getting involved, needs resources or other information.

Accessible Bathroom 101

Accessible Bathroom. Roll-in shower with folding bench. ADA toilet with Flip bars and bidet toilet seat.

Over the years, working with the disability community, bathrooms have been our top priorities. The majority of our clients injuries at home, are from the bathroom. 

"Bathrooms can be one of the most dangerous rooms in the home."

Above MS, is a helpful resource for people with MS. There, I found an Occupational Therapist giving advise on bathroom modifications. I found her tips useful, so below, I broke it down for you ,as well as, added advise from our experience.

1. Flip Grab bar, 2. Bidet toilet seat

Grab bars

Grab bars come in different sizes and shapes. They can be installed vertically or horizontally. Flip bars are also a great option, especially next to the toilet. The flip bar, flips up and down, depending on your needs. It is helpful for transferring to the toilet.

ADA toilet

A raised toilet seat, or placing a commode with arms over a toilet, can help with transferring by reducing the distance from sitting to standing, or standing to sitting. Along with the ADA toilet, many of our clients request bidet toilet seats. For many people who have any sort of problem with decreased sensation, trunk rotation, decreased spine-motor coordination, or dexterity, bidet toilet seat help our clients with wiping and proper cleaning, a bidet toilet seat is a Godsend.

1. Grab bars, 2. Folding shower bench

 

Shower seat

A shower seat is a must for an ADA shower. We recommend a folding shower bench. This is connected to the wall, so there is no sliding of the seat. You can fold it up to be out of your way, or fold it down when you need it. If you notice the image, we install grab bars right next to the shower seat for safe transitioning. 

 Hand shower

A Hand shower allows our clients or their caregivers, to shower easily and safely. You can use it standing up or sitting down.

1. Grab bars, 2. Hand shower, 3. Folding shower bench, 4. Roll-in Shower

Roll-in Shower

As an ADA specialists, we recommend an open floor design or Roll-in shower. There are no barriers to step over. Our clients can roll in and out of the shower.

Automatic Light Switch

When it comes to light switches, push pads are much easier than switches. There are different kinds, some are a glow-in-the-dark with wall templates, that are helpful for nighttime use. We also recommend automatic light switches. They turn on automatically when you enter the bathroom, using motion sensors.

Like the Occupational Therapist says, "Again, bathrooms could be inherently dangerous rooms, so it’s probably one of the most important rooms to start with certain changes or modifications. "

Reach out to us:

by commenting below

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email us at admin@adaforall.com

or call the BFA LLC. team at 734-414-9525

 

Pets and their Special Abilities

 Sofia and Hana (family pet)

Our family loves animals, especially dogs! What can I say, we are dog people :)

Truthfully, the main reason for getting a dog was for Sofia, our loved one with Cerebral Palsy. We knew many people in the disability community who had dogs and mentioned that the dogs enhanced their quality of life. This resulted in extensive research on different breeds and deciding what we wanted in a dog. Once we decided, we welcomed Hana, a red Shiba Inu, to the family. As you can see, Hana is always by Sofia, she even sleeps with her. There is a special bond between human and animal, but I believe it is even more special when the dog has a purpose/ job. In our case, Hana is not a professionally trained dog, but she knows Sofia needs special attention and care, making Hana her helper.

From research I have read, there is a common misconception that service dogs are meant for people with visual impairments, but that is not the case. There are many ways a service animal can help anyone, especially with physical disabilities, M.S. in particular.

Sofia, Grandma and Hana (family pet)

In the National MS magazine, Momentum, I found a great article about pets helping people with MS. They mention that there is no specific animal that is good for MS. Really, any animal that gives you joy and that can motivate you to be responsible for something other than yourself. They also  explain that trained service animals help improve balance, compensate for numb or spastic hands, provide visual assistance.

What I love the most about this article, is that it has stories of people with MS and their experiences with pets.

Brenda Bolster said, “Every day, Sam (her dog) made me get up and focus on him and not my MS. Along with the joy and comfort he gave me, I found myself working harder to regain my strength in my arms and legs so I could walk him and carry him.”

Pets aren't only therapeutic for the person with disability, but also their caregivers and family members. Worrying about your loved one with the disease is a lot of stress. Bolster found that Sam helped her husband release stress as well.

Whether your furry helper is a service dog or family pet, “nothing can compare to the unconditional love and emotional support they give you,” Bolster says. “They are such a healing thing for the whole family.”

We cannot agree more!

Read the full article here to learn more about service animals and their benefits.

Let us know your experience with your pets or service animals by commenting below.

Yoga & MS

After hearing from friends and clients with MS, talk about Yoga benefiting them, I decided I wanted to learn more.

Right on the National Multiple Sclerosis Website, in the exercise category, there is a very informative piece that explains the benefits of Yoga, especially for those with MS. The overview starts with this:
                         "The word ‘yoga’ means to yoke or join together—uniting the mind, body and spirit. Joining physical poses with the breath, action with thought, and awareness with intention can bring peace to body, mind and spirit. The simple practice of breathing, something all of us do every day without thought, becomes a powerful tool when you can become aware of how your breathing affects every part of your body. As you learn how to focus awareness on your breathing, you can observe how your mind can feel calmer and your body more relaxed."

The article continues to explain that anyone can practice yoga. There is adaptive yoga, poses you can do in a chair or wheelchair. Meditation and its benefits are also mentioned. 

You can read the article here, to learn more about the benefits of Yoga and for resources to find a qualified instructor.

" If you have ever wondered whether yoga is something you can do, it is.
    If you have ever wondered whether yoga is too difficult, it's not."

Have you or a friend taken a Yoga MS class?
What did you think?