the question of it being affordable.” They took well-considered decisions, for instance not paying for a rise and fall sink – “you’re looking at £4,000, just for a sink”, Sarah points out – because Heidi is always in her wheelchair, at the same height. Choosing a durable material for the oor which will receie a lot of wheelchair traffic was a key priority of the specification. We hae Amtico throughout, except in Heidi’s wet room where we hae ltra ooring and the first-oor bedroom is carpeted,” says Sarah. “Amtico is hardwearing and looks good, so it’s ideal. Everyone says it’s easy to look after. But it’s not so easy when youre mopping the oors  didnt anticipate how you would have to keep on top of it in an open-plan house. Steve keeps saying we need a ride-on oor machine. It’s hard to guess how Heidi feels about her new home, say her parents, because she can’t tell them exactly what she’s thinking, but she settled in without any problems at all. One of her favourite things is to go outside –


there are aluminium-framed French doors from her bedroom and sensory room, to match the aluminium-framed sliding doors into the garden from the living room and kitchen. The garden now includes a hot tub and barbeque hut, and has relaxing views over the nearby hills, so it’s both a sociable and relaxing space. She also loves her sensory room, where she


mar/apr 2024


can enjoy her favourite things, lights, music and Strictly Come Dancing, of course. “Since we moved in, her sleeping routine is much improved too, the air conditioning is much better than trying to cool her down with fans,” says Sarah. The ventilation and air conditioning in Heidi’s bedroom, part of the whole-house MVHR (mechanical ventilation with heat recovery) system, and in the sensory room help regulate her uctuating body temperature when she’s asleep.


The benefits of transforming this bungalow for family life with a disabled child are immeasurable. Sarah and Steve can now safely and easily do things at home with Heidi, with everything at hand, customised specialist equipment and plenty of space.


“At the other house daily life was becoming a struggle,” says Sarah. “And as Heidi has got bigger it was becoming difficult for us to isit other people if their houses weren’t accessible. Heidi’s sociable, and now our friends and family can come to us, we’ve had some lovely times together – and that’s just fantastic.” For Steve, the new house has made a huge


difference to daily routines. “Heidi has always been our priority,” he says. “So having a home that meets all of her needs, and is future-proofed for when she is bigger, means it’s easier for us to manage day to day, and we can focus more on enjoying life.”


www.sbhonline.co.uk 57


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