Registration is open for the “Wheelchair Seating and Positioning: Practical Applications” Workshop! June 4–5 in Burnaby

“Wheelchair Seating and Positioning: Practical Applications” Workshop, June 4–5, Burnaby

Register Now

Home Accessibility and Vehicle Modifications

Support safety and independence at home and on the road with tailored home and vehicle modifications guided by occupational therapy expertise.

A person with short blond hair moves from the driver’s seat of a red car into a black wheelchair, holding the wheelchair’s frame while adjusting its position outside the car.
A woman in a wheelchair sits in a modern kitchen, smiling as an orange cat climbs onto her lap. She is wearing a striped shirt and jeans, and the kitchen has white cupboards and a wooden worktop.

Accessible home modifications can increase safety and levels of independence in activities of daily life, supporting a higher quality of life for individuals. We work collaboratively to determine the fit between the person and home environment to assess the personal, environmental and occupational factors to ensure safety, accessibility and usability of the home. These may be assessed as minor modifications that do not alter the structural integrity of the home such as widening doorways, installing entrance ramps and adding grab rails. More complex home modifications will require structural changes and likely affect multiple areas of your home such as major kitchen or bathroom renovations.

Our OT’s will:

  • Work closely with you, potential funders and contractor experts
  • Assess your functional level of need in the home environment
  • Collaborate with you, your contractors and funders on accessibility recommendations
  • Support the process of displacement including arranging equipment for temporary accommodation during construction if required
  • Provide written documentation to support recommendations including quotations if required
  • Follow up will be provided to support your functional participation in the modified environment.
A man in a wheelchair uses a hydraulic lift to board a white accessible van on a sunny day, highlighting accessible public transport.

Vehicle modifications are customized alterations made to a standard vehicle to support safety and independence with both driving and being a passenger following a significant physical injury. This includes adaptive driving solutions with modified hand controls, left foot accelerators and steering aids, accessibility features such as ramps, lifts or swivel seats to assist you in entering and exiting your vehicle and devices to help you lift your wheelchair or scooter into the vehicle safely for transport.

Our OT’s will:

  • Provide assessment of your functional driving and accessible transport needs
  • Work collaboratively with adaptive and accessible vehicle providers
  • Provide follow up training for transfers or loading of equipment
  • Refer and liaise with driver training programs if required
Back to Services