The couple said: “At the time David had the accident, we were living in a first floor flat, which meant that David could no longer live there as it was completely inaccessible.
“We found our home from Karbon Homes after searching on Northumberland Home finder – we applied straight away and were accepted soon after.”
However, because of the limited movement he has in his arms and hands, David was still living in respite care as he was unable to access parts of the home.
David’s Occupational Therapist made the initial contact with Karbon Homes, about having a number of adaptations made to the home. The Karbon aids and adaptations team were quick to support and put a plan in place to get the necessary adaptations made as soon as possible.
The works included widening the door frames, allowing David to move easily around in his wheelchair and an external ramp into the home to further improve access.
A full wet room was fitted to allow David to use the shower and bathroom without obstacles, and two ceiling hoists were installed enabling him to further transfer from his chair to various parts of the home.
Receiving the keys in early December 2022, Ashley moved into the property whilst works were carried out. Despite some disruption due to the scale of the work, Ashley was able to live there comfortably, with Karbon working respectfully and efficiently around her.
The works were completed in less than a month, meaning that David was home for Christmas.
The only adaptation left outstanding was the fitting of a through floor lift to ensure David could access the first floor of the home, as a stairlift wouldn’t be suitable for David’s needs.
Working in partnership with Northumberland County Council the lift was installed in April 2023, through a Disabled Facilities Grant. Work completed in a matter of days, allowing David to independently access the first floor of the home, using push buttons to control the lift. David can now access his bedroom and sleep in his own bed, rather than being limited to living on the ground floor.
The couple added: “The adaptations have 100% transformed our lives, having the lift fitted was like Christmas. Without them David would have had to remain in a care home until we could find a home suited to his needs.
“The communication with Karbon has been great, we had the mobile number of the staff member who was managing the work and could contact him directly with any queries or questions.
“We did have a problem with the shower temperature at one point, which could be dangerous for David as he cannot feel if the water is scolding him below his chest, but Karbon sent out a colleague the next day and replaced the entire shower system – nothing was ever a problem.”
Jon McDonald, Head of Supported Housing at Karbon Homes said: “At Karbon we work hard to understand our customer’s needs and create solutions so they can live safely, comfortably, and independently in their home for as long as possible.
“Working on this project has been incredibly rewarding, and by sharing Ashley and David’s story we want to give other customers the confidence to seek advice about similar situations.”
The couple said: “At the time David had the accident, we were living in a first floor flat, which meant that David could no longer live there as it was completely inaccessible.
“We found our home from Karbon Homes after searching on Northumberland Home finder – we applied straight away and were accepted soon after.”
However, because of the limited movement he has in his arms and hands, David was still living in respite care as he was unable to access parts of the home.
David’s Occupational Therapist made the initial contact with Karbon Homes, about having a number of adaptations made to the home. The Karbon aids and adaptations team were quick to support and put a plan in place to get the necessary adaptations made as soon as possible.
The works included widening the door frames, allowing David to move easily around in his wheelchair and an external ramp into the home to further improve access.
A full wet room was fitted to allow David to use the shower and bathroom without obstacles, and two ceiling hoists were installed enabling him to further transfer from his chair to various parts of the home.
Receiving the keys in early December 2022, Ashley moved into the property whilst works were carried out. Despite some disruption due to the scale of the work, Ashley was able to live there comfortably, with Karbon working respectfully and efficiently around her.
The works were completed in less than a month, meaning that David was home for Christmas.
The only adaptation left outstanding was the fitting of a through floor lift to ensure David could access the first floor of the home, as a stairlift wouldn’t be suitable for David’s needs.
Working in partnership with Northumberland County Council the lift was installed in April 2023, through a Disabled Facilities Grant. Work completed in a matter of days, allowing David to independently access the first floor of the home, using push buttons to control the lift. David can now access his bedroom and sleep in his own bed, rather than being limited to living on the ground floor.
The couple added: “The adaptations have 100% transformed our lives, having the lift fitted was like Christmas. Without them David would have had to remain in a care home until we could find a home suited to his needs.
“The communication with Karbon has been great, we had the mobile number of the staff member who was managing the work and could contact him directly with any queries or questions.
“We did have a problem with the shower temperature at one point, which could be dangerous for David as he cannot feel if the water is scolding him below his chest, but Karbon sent out a colleague the next day and replaced the entire shower system – nothing was ever a problem.”
Jon McDonald, Head of Supported Housing at Karbon Homes said: “At Karbon we work hard to understand our customer’s needs and create solutions so they can live safely, comfortably, and independently in their home for as long as possible.
“Working on this project has been incredibly rewarding, and by sharing Ashley and David’s story we want to give other customers the confidence to seek advice about similar situations.”
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