Evaluations We Offer
A licensed Occupational Therapy Specialist will perform a medical mobility evaluation on the client and complete an assessment of their home. They will then determine the client’s specific needs, safety solutions and recommendations.
Our Certified Aging-In-Place specialists take physical abilities, limitations, and known medical conditions into account when making custom home modification recommendations.
Benefits to Aging in Place:
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Continued independence via accessible mobility solutions
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Improved quality of life
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More time spent and memories created with loved ones
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Ease of mind and comfort for everyone
Medical conditions bring specific physiological and neurological challenges that can be addressed to make home a safer place. Combining these medical needs with normal aging issues creates multiple considerations that we can address.
Let's prevent falls and injuries from happening in the future - together.
Who Pays?
Full Home Safety Assessments with OT Medical Evaluations & Reports and Remodel Design services can be covered under Medicare or Medicaid if given a professional referral from a doctor or case manager.
Without the referral from a doctor or case manager, the services will be private pay.
Our Full Home + Medical Assessment is $350.
Private pay Occupational Therapy visits start at $150 per hour.
How to Get a Referral
A referral must be completed by your doctor and contain the following information:
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Full legal name
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DOB
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Diagnosis
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Diagnosis code that is used by the office to bill patient’s insurance
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OT evaluation and treatment
The referral must be signed by the doctor and faxed to 571-520-9472
What's Covered During The Assessment?
Suz will start off by getting to know the client and understanding their medical conditions. Once she has a better understanding of their strengths, weaknesses, fears and goals she will provide guidance to improve both their physical and mental health. She may recommend breath work techniques, ways to improve posture or other simple changes that will make activities of day daily living so much easier.
Next we conduct a home assessment that covers every floor in your home, every entrance, all living areas, preferred bathrooms, bedrooms and more. Suz will look from floor to ceiling in each area of the home to make recommendations that will improve safety and ease of mobility. Safety is our top priority, specifically in areas where most falls take place.
Together with the client, she will discuss various recommendations for immediate, intermediate and long term modifications goals. If major remodeling is needed, Suz will put you in touch with our partnered contractors.
The length of time for the assessment will vary depending on the size of the home. The evaluation comes with a detailed summary report for the client.
Medical Conditions
Since the mid 1980s, Suz has worked with thousands of clients. She offers suggestions and training on good body mechanics, deep breathing, pacing and much more. Many of her clients have common medical conditions or have suffered from similar (and most likely preventable) falls or accidents.
Medical conditions bring specific physiological and neurological challenges that can be addressed to make home a safer place. Combining these medical needs with normal aging issues creates multiple considerations that we can address.
Many people are surprised to learn that those afflicted with significant neurological conditions can live their entire lives in the familiar, comforting surroundings of their own home. Yet changes in muscle tone, balance deficits, and daily energy affect the ability to function in the home. Combined with normal aging issues, this creates multiple considerations that Live in Place Safely can address to improve the quality of life and help your loved one thrive again.
Below you will see a long list of different medical conditions that we can offer some comfort, safety and home modification recommendations to keep the home as safe as possible for your loved ones. Suz is ready to address these medical conditions (and more) and the specific physiological and neurological challenges that are the result from these conditions. Once challenges are addressed, they can be remedied and the home can become safe again!
Parkinson's Disease, MS, and ALS Modifications
Since these are progressive conditions, Live In Place Safely can offer immediate, intermediate and long term recommendations and solutions as the client’s needs change.
The client’s muscle tone and strength will change, potentially along with other neurological side effects. Eventually, even daily “normal” tasks can become more challenging and take a lot of extra energy.
Custom in-home modifications can help with: mobility within the home, energy conservation while doing daily activities and safety within the home.
These can be scary questions to face with the progression of any of these conditions:
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How do I get to different levels of my home safely?
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How can I continue to get off the toilet and use the shower safely?
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Will I be able to enter or exit the home safely?
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Will I have the energy to do the things I desire to do?
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Can I continue living in my home safely?
COPD/Cardiac Conditions
Following a cardiac or COPD episode, the most common question is: “How can I get my life back to normal and preserve as much of my daily routine as possible?”
The first step is making the surroundings safe and addressing activities that may challenge your breathing.
Cardiac and respiratory issues can increase weakness and fatigue. This can change the way someone interacts with their environment and their home. Luckily, simple modifications can often enhance independence and quality of life.
Our Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist will explain important principles regarding energy conservation, work simplification, good body mechanics, and, as always, fall prevention.
Basic truth: when fatigue occurs, falls happen. We help put measures into place to prevent falls and the offset of challenges of fatigue.
Stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
We help loved ones be independent, safe and mobile within their own home. After a brain related incident, people can experience:
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Difficulty breathing
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Working with cognitive challenges
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Paralysis or Paresis
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Safety concerns
Our Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist will conduct a thorough home assessment and will evaluate:
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Mobility and balance, at entrance of home and within the home
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Safety factors for fall prevention while looking at entryways, stairs and bathrooms
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Assist devices that may be needed to allow greater independence and mobility
Again, fall prevention and optimal rehabilitation are primary concerns. We support helping loved ones recuperate in the family home, so they can go beyond survival and back to thriving again.
Arthritis
Arthritis brings significant mobility and safety issues since one’s balance can affected by tight joints.
Tightness in joints can effect walking, general movement, standing up, sitting down, and daily activities.
Sometimes simply standing with arthritis can be extremely painful causing an individual to need an immediate stability aid.
Enhancing the quality of life for those who suffer from various forms of arthritis or osteoporosis could include home modifications like:
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Grab bars
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Shower seats or benches
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Raised toilet seats with rails
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Additional railings around the home
Live In Place Safely's Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist can educate the family on home modifications, joint protection, good body mechanics and energy conservation as well.
Spine Conditions
Spine conditions often require modifications in many areas of the home. We understand these conditions and have helped families remain safe and comfortable staying in their home after back injuries.
Independence and mobility within familiar surroundings can help avoid additional challenges.
Challenges can include:
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Strength deficits throughout the body, affecting your loved one's ability to perform normal daily activities.
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Pain can cause mental fatigue.
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Numbness that affects stability and safety.
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Basic tasks that have become difficult and painful.
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Spinal pain affecting your loved one's ability to sleep at night.
Our Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist will assess what modifications are needed to get out of bed, to use the bathroom, move around the home, use the kitchen-all while avoiding bending over and twisting that can cause additional pain or affect your stability ideally while preventing the risk of falling.
In addition, we will educate families concerning important aspects such as:
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Spinal education about how to stay independent at home
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How to use good body mechanics in order to prevent falls
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How support helps with balance
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How items around the home can be placed so that lifting is minimized
We continue to work with you to help minimize the pain and inflammation flare-ups while achieving your greatest level of independence and safety in your home.