Can I stay in my current apartment?
The decision to move to an accessible apartment depends on the individual’s course of the illness, the current condition of the home, and the attachment of the person affected (and their family) to their current living environment.
Experience shows that when it comes to home ownership (especially a single-family home), there are more options for making structural modifications. Installing wheelchair ramps, stairlifts, or an elevator is easier to accomplish in privately owned homes.
In rental buildings (especially multi-story buildings without an elevator), leaving the apartment can become increasingly restricted, difficult, or (without assistance from others) impossible. In this situation, a fundamental decision must be made: moving to a new apartment (with fewer barriers) or remaining in the current apartment (which largely means giving up outdoor activities outside the home).
The proportion of accessible apartments is quite low in most cities and municipalities, so the question of moving into an accessible apartment should be addressed early on, and the search for one should begin as far in advance as possible.
Some of those affected decide against moving into an accessible apartment if their social ties to their current “home” or their immediate surroundings (friends and acquaintances in the community or “neighborhood”) are so strong that moving to a new physical environment is perceived as too great a loss. This decision must be respected in every case.
In this situation, optimizing the provision of assistive devices within the apartment (or house) is particularly important. The use of indoor wheelchairs (compact electric wheelchairs optimized for use inside the home) can significantly improve mobility within the home.
The use of complex lift systems for stairwells should also be considered. For example, ceiling-mounted lift systems are increasingly being used; these can be installed within stairwells and, in certain configurations, enable the transport of electric wheelchairs using a “cable car principle.”
It is advisable to have specialized medical supply stores assess the technical and social feasibility.