This home assessment was longer than the other short home assessments we had done in class, as it was more in depth. I did not enjoy how long the assessment was; however, I did enjoy measuring the height and width of doorways; it was a great way to figure out if adaptations were needed. For example, if a client had a wheelchair and needed to know if the wheelchair fit through certain doorways, it could be helpful to know different doorway dimensions. Another important aspect of this home evaluation was the part where we described what occupations take place in a particular area of the home.
This gave me important insight: for example, if a client was in a wheelchair and was unable to reach the top cupboard shelf or the hanging rod in the closet, the therapist could suggest low-cost home modifications like storing kitchen items on the counter instead of the top shelf, or moving the hanging rod in the closet to a lower position within the client’s reach. I enjoyed this assignment because it taught me how relevant the assessment is to occupation-based practice.
I was surprised how often occupation is addressed—the beginning of each section discusses which occupations typically take place in that area; at the end of the each sub-component there are questions about ways to improve occupations, mobility and ease of use. I was surprised this assessment asks about the ease of use. This helps the clinician to fill this assessment out and helps them to think in terms of how to modify each environment within the house or apartment, if necessary, in order to improve performance of desired occupations. I like how there is both objective and subjective information to fill out; this makes for a fuller understanding of the environmental barriers within an apartment or a house.