Both Bill, Manager of Knoxville Aging in Place, and I have been through certified environmental access training. This credentialing lets us be known as CEACs’. But what does that really mean for a person who is trying to decide who to call to get help remodeling a bathroom or getting insight on how to help a spouse/partner live more comfortably in the home after a hospital stay?
Here is an example of what this might mean to a person who has called a home remodeler or construction company to install a curbless shower instead of calling a CEAC qualified individual. Let’s say Mrs. Smith has balance issues, bad knees and struggles getting in and out of her bathtub when she bathes.
She thinks, “I will get a tub that has a door so I don’t have to climb in and out of my bathtub.”
What Mrs. Smith doesn’t realize, is there are many needs beyond getting in and out of a bathtub which should be evaluated. A typical home remodeler or construction company will come in and do the job as requested without taking into consideration other potential needs Mrs. Smith has in regards to adequately using her new bathtub in the safest manner possible. This is not to throw stones at the remodeler. They are not trained to see the bigger picture so they perform at what they do best.
The difference a CEAC professional will offer is that he or she will sit down with the customer and gather important information about the needs of Mrs. Smith. These needs may be things Mrs. Smith doesn’t even realize. For example she will most likely need grab bars at convenient places at the tub or shower to assist her entrance in and out of her new bathing area. Would a curbless shower that has a seat in it be more effective than a bathtub with a door? What about the flooring in the bathroom? Does it need to be more slip resistant? What about adequate lighting in the bathroom?
All these answered questions and observations will allow the CEAC to create a plan for the immediate short-term period and also the longer-term period with the utmost safety of the customer in mind.
CEACs’ are trained to look at all living spaces both within and outside the house. We have been amazed at the number of products that have come to the market to help people live and age safely in their home. Not only do these products help the customer, if they have caregivers who assist them, these products can help alleviate back or other injuries often sustained when helping someone in and out of chairs/bed or bathtubs. All of this with the safety for the consumer as the primary focus.
Calling a professional such as a CEAC can help you create a safer home to enjoy for a longer period of time.
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