Supported Housing
Patients are often unable to be discharged from a spinal injury centre despite having completed their hospital rehabilitation programme because their own home environment is inappropriate for wheelchair access.
This is one of the greatest causes of frustration for those wanting to begin to rebuild their lives after a spinal injury.
By offering an adapted house for six to twelve months, Aspire is able to remove this obstacle in a constructive way. Without Aspire's short-term supported housing around the country, some patients would find themselves in the unhappy situation of being discharged into unsuitable accommodation. This can mean anything from going home to a house where they will have to wash in the kitchen because they cannot get into the bathroom, or in the case of some younger patients, finding themselves being discharged to another hospital or even into a care home for the elderly.
All of our properties have level access, with specially adapted bathrooms and kitchens, and are sufficiently large enough to accommodate a live -in personal assistant or family members.
With vast experience of the housing needs of those with spinal cord injuries, our Housing Manager, Belinda Milrod, also uses her expertise to assist those who do not live in Aspire properties. She is frequently called upon by Local Authorities and Occupational Therapists to provide advice and guidance when they are providing housing or adaptations and also works on behalf of individuals who are seeking accommodation through both the private and public sector. Belinda's expertise is also in demand from Aspire's Independent Living Officers, ensuring those who are newly injured have access to all the relevant information.
For more information, contact belinda.milrod@aspire.org.uk.