Other Resources

The Philadelphia Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD) has established a Technical Assistance Program (TAP) with a website: www.newsontap.org One of the functions of the site is a Home Finder (upper right corner of the home page). They also have helpful Publications and Resources. If you don’t understand your rights as a renter who needs some reasonable modifications to the apartment building in which you live or your unit, download their pamphlet that addresses "Reasonable Accommodations" www.newsontap.org/reasonable.html and read it.

How to Care has an elder survival guide with a Home Modifications/Home Safety section.

One helpful section reads “Home modification involves adapting a home so that a person with disabilities can perform their activities of daily living as safely and comfortably as possible, while maintaining some degree of independence.” Further, “The modification can be simple — removing scatter rugs to prevent slips and falls — or complex — installing a stair lift or elevator to improve accessibility. The type of modification required will depend on the nature of the individual's disabilities and the physical set-up of the home. An investment in home modification may eliminate or possibly delay the need for institutional care.” They have a good list of “General Home Modifications” at www.howtocare.com/home.htm#genmod

The University of Southern California has established the National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modifications (NRCSHHM). Their extensive articles and books section can be found by clicking on:  www.usc.edu/dept/gero/nrcshhm. Their list of resources that address home modifications, repairs and accessibility issues can be found by clicking on: www.homemods.org/pages/safety-assess.shtml

Stair Lifts help people with mobility issues get up and down stairs in their homes, at their workplaces or in community buildings. They are a simple solution and safe alternative to stairs. These websites (in no particular order) deal in this type of product: www.tristatestairlifts.com, www.summitstairlift.com and www.silvercross.com.

I.D.E.A.S., Inc.'s, online CEU courses in Home Modification are valuable to individuals who provide any type of home evaluation, design, or construction service for seniors or people with disabilities, such as occupational therapists, physical therapists, home health care workers, case managers/social workers, builders/remodelers, architects and interior designers. Each course contains information about the various conditions that cause limitations or difficulties in performing everyday activities, and information about a range of environmental modifications that can be implemented to compensate for deficits. You can learn more about these courses by visiting:
http://www.ideasconsultinginc.com/pages/OnlineHome.asp

Additional websites:

AARP – www.aarp.org
Administration on Aging in Washington -- www.aoa.gov

Hire Disability Solutions -- www.hireds.com/

JEVS Supports for Independence – www.jevshumanservices.org
National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Mods – www.homemods.org
PA Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) – www.patf.us
PA Department of Aging (PDA) – www.aging.state.pa.us
PA Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED) – www.newpa.com
PA Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) – www.dli.state.pa.us
PA Department of Welfare (DPW) – www.dpw.state.pa.us
PA Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) – www.phfa.org
PA Initiative on Assistive Technology (PIAT) – http://disabilities.temple.edu
Philadelphia Corporation on Aging (PCA) – www.pcaphl.org
Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation (PHDC) – www.phdchousing.org
Self Determination Housing Project (SDHP) – www.sdhp.org
The Wheelchair Ramp Project – www.wheelchairramp.org
US Department of Agriculture (USDA) – www.usda.gov
US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) – www.va.gov