Running head: HOME EVALUATION SELF-REFLECTION

Home Evaluation Self-Reflection

Danielle E. Goddard
Touro University Nevada

HOME EVALUATION SELF-REFLECTION 2

Context of the Home Evaluation
My home evaluation was completed on my own apartment. I live in a first-floor
apartment in a gated community near the border of Henderson and Las Vegas. The home
evaluation was fairly easy for me, because my apartment is a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit
with no stairs and no significant outdoor space. All of the space outside of my apartment front
door is considered a common area for the complex, and as such all outdoor, parking, and
landscape maintenance is provided by the management company. I am able to park roughly 20
feet from my front door in unassigned covered parking, and there is also an accessible parking
space with a ramp that can be used to access the sidewalk that leads to my front door. I live in
my apartment with my boyfriend, Jerry (who served as the main subject of my home evaluation),
my chocolate lab, Chassi, two pet rats (Penny Lane and Tipsy) who live in a large cage in our
living room, and a beta fish and his seven snail aquarium mates. Our apartment stays fairly
organized and de-cluttered, but we could definitely benefit from having more storage space. The
front door opens directly from the sidewalk into a small landing in our living room. Our living
room is connected to a kitchen and dining area in an open-concept floor layout. There is a small
laundry room off of the kitchen, and there are hallways in both directions off of the main living
space. The hallway to the right leads to a hall closet, a small desk nook, and our master
bedroom. We have a master bath connected to the bedroom, and our master closet entrance is
through the bathroom. Down the opposite (much shorter) hall, we have a full-sized spare bath
and a spare bedroom which are separated by the hallway. The spare bedroom functions as a
place for guests to stay and also serves as my home office. While we own a significant amount
of furniture, no area of our apartment is particularly cluttered. Walk space is somewhat limited
in the spare bedroom, but otherwise traffic areas are plenty wide to allow for durable medical

HOME EVALUATION SELF-REFLECTION 3

equipment (DME) passage (walkers and even possibly a narrow wheelchair). There are no
significant architectural aspects to note in our apartment. The entire unit is carpeted with the
exception of the bathrooms, kitchen/laundry area, and the small landing near the front door.
These areas all have faux-wood laminate flooring. The bathrooms both contain tub/shower
combinations, and all counter heights are standard in the bathrooms and the kitchen (~36 inches).
There is adequate lighting in each room, with overhead lighting installed in every room except
for the spare bedroom.
Evaluation Process
Before I completed the home evaluation, I was already aware that my apartment is well
designed and the layout promotes optimal traffic flow and organization. We chose this apartment
based on its layout, square footage, storage space, and location/proximity to school and
conveniences such as shopping and dining options. Ever since I served as a caregiver for a
teenager with cerebral palsy who uses a walker, I have become very aware of accessibility
concerns and general design and layout principles. I have always known that our home is fairly
accessible even though it only has one entrance/exit (the front door). The home evaluation did
make me more aware of things like clearance spaces, doorway widths, possible hazards in my
home, and the heights of certain surfaces, cabinets, and shelves.
The home evaluation also made me more cognizant of how my home would need to be
modified if I were to use certain DME. For example, if I were to use a wheelchair, I would most
likely be able to maneuver through most of the door frames in my home. However, many of the
cabinets in my kitchen and shelves in my closet would not be accessible for me because of their
height. I would also need a tub transfer bench (TTB) or a modified open shower stall to enable
independence in bathing. I would likely need to remove some of the larger pieces of furniture as

HOME EVALUATION SELF-REFLECTION 4

well to allow for more free movement, and navigating down the hallways in my home would be
difficult. I would also be unable to access the appliances in my tight laundry closet due to its
small size. Though most of the furniture in my home is not very bulky, my master bed is
somewhat high and could be made more accessible by removing the box spring and replacing it
with wooden slats (the same setup as my spare bed currently). Most of these modifications could
be made fairly easily, and having an already-accessible apartment (i.e. one already designed for a
person using a wheelchair) would make the transition even smoother.
Findings and Recommendations
Overall, I found that most everything in my home is fairly standard. The counter
heights, light switch placements, and electrical outlet heights are all fairly average (between 30
and 40 inches high and all within easy reach from a sitting or standing position). At this time,
my entire apartment is accessible to me, even though the spare bedroom closet and hallway
closet are both fairly full and should probably be de-cluttered and reorganized to allow for easier
access. Though no major hazards exist, there are a few items in the home that could create a
potential fall risk. There are decorative throw rugs in the kitchen and both bathrooms which
could be easily removed to minimize trips and falls. Non-skid mats or strips could also be added
in both tubs to decrease the risk of slipping. There are also an excessive number of dog toys
scattered on the floor throughout the apartment. These may also cause a tripping hazard and
could be removed to maximize safety. Storage options could also be increased in the kitchen and
laundry room to free up more counter space for ease of movement and added organization. And
finally, the large ottoman located in the living room could also be eliminated in order to provide
more accessibility and open up a larger area for foot traffic in the most commonly-used space in
the home.

HOME EVALUATION SELF-REFLECTION 5

Assessment Clinical Utility
This assessment overall has good clinical utility because its completion is intuitive and it
covers the most important areas of the home (entrance, main living areas, kitchen, master
bathroom, master bedroom, and closets). It would be beneficial if it also provided a section for
other commonly-used spaces like home offices or recreation rooms, because these types of areas
may also pose occupational barriers to their users. It would also be beneficial if this assessment
evaluated ambient environmental stimuli such as adequate lighting, excessive noise, and
temperature regulation of the space. There are two major downfalls to utilizing this assessment.
First, its origin is unknown and therefore it is not widely accessible online or via a publication
company. If this assessment is free to access somewhere, it is a pretty valuable tool to have in
ones OT toolkit; however, if it is difficult to find, that may negate some of its positive
qualities. Second, it may prove to be time-prohibitive, as measuring doorway and walkway
widths as well as counter, cabinet, shelf, and furniture heights takes a great deal of time and
energy. Additionally, this assessment requires a significant amount of clinical reasoning and
outside research in order to interpret its findings. On a positive note, this assessment is pretty
comprehensive and includes not only the description of the space but also areas to document and
consider the occupational context of the room. This is important as the physical environment can
greatly impact occupational engagement.
The use of this assessment and others like it could indeed prove invaluable during an OT
home evaluation visit. A standardized home evaluation allows the therapist to view the home
from a very objective lens, and it helps the OT hone in on specific aspects of the home that may
be affecting occupational engagement (i.e. excessive clutter, hazardous items, or home design
and layout issues). Providing optimal environmental conditions can promote engagement in

HOME EVALUATION SELF-REFLECTION 6

preferred and meaningful occupations. Minimizing environmental barriers can literally enable a
person to move freely in his or her home environment, increasing independence and safety.
Many individuals do not have the tools, training, or insight to recognize potential barriers or
hazards in their own homes. Completing home evaluations is most certainly within the scope of
occupational therapy practice and is a great way for OTs to help empower clients in their most
natural environments.