Most of you know that I live in a four-generation home. What caused that to happen almost fifteen years ago was my granddaughter, Maggie. She was born with severe cerebral palsy, which requires a lot of one-on-one care. It finally made sense to live together rather than having our daughter, Jodie, call for help and us driving to give it.
We began by sharing a regular home. We lived in the basement apartment, and all the kids, except Maggie, could come and go as they pleased. We put in a ramp to make getting Maggie’s wheelchair in and out of the home possible. But as Maggie grew, our ability to move her by carrying her diminished; she needed a wheelchair that she could drive. That would require a far different home than we had. The hunt began.
Finding a home when you have a special needs child can be daunting, as we found out. We experienced some of the pitfalls Laura mentions – a very costly overhaul for one. The bathroom, with a special needs shower and ceiling track, cost $10,000. Buying a home for special needs is like buying a radius. Almost ten years after moving here, we now have a 40-minute round-trip drive to get Maggie to school each day, or put her on the bus for a 1 hr. and 15-minute drive at 7 am. Making sure that the foundational issues are managed, rather than the cosmetic, is vital. One year into our lives here, we discovered some serious electrical issues and could have lost our home and lives in a fire.
Join me as my friend, Laura Pearson, shares useful information on avoiding the pitfalls. You may not have a special needs child, but you may know someone who does. It may not be cerebral palsy, but could be autism, a mental illness, ADHD, or any number of other issues. The family might not be moving now, but may in the future, as we did. Share this with them to prepare for what may come. They will thank you. : )
