By AnnMargaret Haines and Ellanna Koontz
Home for everyone should be a place of comfort and security. However, sometimes people with disabilities face obstacles that prevent their own home from being that safe place. The Ability360 Home Modification program is designed to create autonomy and ease of use for all home occupants.
Typical modifications include: adding ramps, widening doors, installing grab bars, sink and toilet modifications and relocating electrical switches. Program coordinators Paul Pearson and Jim Stewart are passionate about improving quality of life for people with disabilities. They ensure that everyone who takes advantage of the program will receive high-quality, professional and friendly service.
Pearson and Stewart report that people who have taken advantage of the program believe the modifications have enhanced their lives; they can stay at home and function more independently.
A unique quality of the program is that it costs little to nothing for most participants thanks to Maricopa County Community Development Block Grants and other funding sources like AHCCCS. In many cases, the person receiving modifications pay as little as 10 percent of the cost or give in-kind contribution, such as labor or materials.
After applying for the program, a coordinator will set up an interview to determine eligibility for funding programs and what modifications need to be done.
Ability360 makes the home modification process easy and stress-free, so everyone can live in a safe and more accessible home.
JIM STEWART
Jim Stewart got into home modifications by helping his parents.
“My dad became disabled and was having trouble navigating the health system in [Michigan] and needed modifications to his home in order to stay in it,” Stewart said.
While his father was in rehab, Stewart coordinated insurance coverage and engaged contractors to make necessary modifications to the home.
Working with insurance companies and handling required financial paperwork for city projects and collecting essential documents and information is only one part of his role. He also assesses and designs the necessary modifications and coordinates with contractors.
Stewart says consumers can expect prompt, courteous service, and a project that is done with the highest professional standards.
PAUL PEARSON
If you need home modifications, Paul Pearson is your man.
Living with a disability himself, Pearson understands the importance of independence at home. “In the long run, it will be beneficial for your health,” Pearson said.
One memorable home modification for Pearson involved a bathroom modification for a veteran. His wife expressed her husband’s appreciation for Pearson and his team. “She told me I restored his dignity of being a man and being able to use the bathroom without requiring significant assistance,” Pearson said.
Pearson says customers can expect a “kind, compassionate and honest person” with a love for helping people improve their living situations.
Since 1990 we have averaged more than 10 modifications per month.
2 Minute Online Intake
ability360.org/home-modifications
AnnMargaret Haines
Writer
@ability360
Ellanna Koontz
Writer
@ability360