Homes are not designed for children with disabilities.
When Homes Don't Work, Families Pay the Price
They pay the price—physically, emotionally, financially. And it grows with every day of inaction. Unmodified homes lead to poorer health, more injuries, higher caregiving strain, less participation, and rising healthcare costs.
ACCESS BARRIER
"She can't get into this door because of this big lip, which I wasn't aware of until we saw the house complete. Asphalt was the last thing they did. This is a huge barrier. I wish she could open the door, get on a ramp, go inside with ease, access the home independently. But, someone always has to be with her and help her get inside because it's not safe to do it by herself."
MOTHER OF A CHILD WITH DISABILITIES
BABY KITCHEN
"She does want to go into the kitchen. It's a small area. There's a line at the bottom of the fridge and stove where her walker passed by and ran up against it. She wants to be able to pull something out of the fridge. If she's in her walker, it's really hard because I have to stand behind her... make sure she doesn't get too close because if she does, then I can't open the door. The small areas are really difficult. I definitely wish it was a lot wider, more open."
MOTHER OF A CHILD WITH DISABILITIES
SHARP CORNERS
"But you can kind of see we have a really tight space going. There's our half bath, which is the only bathroom we have on the first floor. So it's the only bathroom that she would even be able to use. But she, we could never get her wheelchair in there."
MOTHER OF A CHILD WITH DISABILITIES
UNTITLED
"I wish she wasn't completely cut off from the second floor. We have a sensory room up there that we haven't been able to use. I wish when we had put the stairlift in, we could have had it just come all the way down to the floor. If we had, we would have kept her up there longer, and it would have been easier, and that's one of those things that I regret. It was a couple $1,000 savings at the moment, and we should have just done it. It would have definitely paid off.
MOTHER OF A CHILD WITH DISABILITIES
Home modifications help families adapt their living spaces to better support care, mobility, safety, function, and independence. They can be structural, organizational, adaptive—each one a small or large change that supports dignity and daily life.
What Home Modifications Look Like
When Homes are Modified,Everyone Thrives
Children grow with confidenceChildren in modified homes show higher levels of independence, social interaction, and quality of life. They feel more in control and more included.
Families can care with dignity and ease
With the right setup, caregiving becomes safer, smoother, and more respectful. That means less injury and stress to children and family members.
Home as a place where everyone gets to be a family
When spaces are accessible, they make room for joy. Children and families share special moments together during play, conversation, relaxation, mealtime—not just during routines of care.
Before and After: How Modifications Change Lives
Organization cabinets improves storage and ease of access to supplies
Outdoor furniture provides space for accessible family time together
A bidet allows independence when going to the bathroom
New ramps improve safety and ease of entering/exiting the home in a wheelchair
A roll-under sink allows independence during daily hygiene
