Children and adults with disabilities often have special needs. And those who provide disabled adult and youth care often find that each individual’s needs are unique. For this reason, it’s important to learn about the individual and the disability by speaking with parents or other professionals. To help you get started making the right environmental modifications, here’s a look at a few typical changes that can be made.

A Guide for Disabled Adult & Youth Care Providers to Modify the Environment

Make Small Changes

While providing care, you’ll likely need to make slight adjustments to various aspects of the individual’s environment. Carefully consider what you can do to make the time you spend together much easier and enjoyable for both you and your patient. For example, an extra light might be best for an individual with poor vision, while you might want to remove a rug for someone who experiences mobility issues.

Teaching

You can also use this opportunity to help the individual learn appropriate behaviors and skills. For example, children with special needs might avoid playing with others. However, you can model the appropriate behavior by being a play partner yourself. You can also teach specific words and skills that might help them interact with others and build confidence. Teach them how to ask others if they can play or even make eye contact when speaking, as this is often a challenge for disabled individuals. 

Consult Together

As you make modifications to the environment or provide teaching moments to your patient, it’s important that you always consult with parents and other professionals in the patient’s life. Work together with parents and other caregivers to set appropriate goals for the child, ask questions, or share ideas with the family.

Deer Valley Home Health Services provides quality care for the elderly, veterans, and disabled individuals. Based in Berkeley, MO, their services allow clients to receive the care they need without giving up the comfort of their own homes. Serving the communities in Berkeley, St. Charles, and St. Louis for more than a decade, these disabled adult and youth care providers are selected for their practical skills and passion for providing top-notch care. To learn about joining the team, call them today at (314) 355-3679.