Browse the latest People Inc. and affiliate news, updates and press releases.
Weather-related or other closing updates for programs/services are available. Learn more
Increasing Independence & Safety is at the Heart of People Inc. Program
Jul 26, 2024
A person with a disability sometimes faces challenges in their home that make it hard to navigate everyday living safely, or that limit their ability to be independent. This can include anything from showers to hard-to-reach countertops to doorways, cars, beds, seating or more.
That is where People Inc.’s Environmental Modifications (EMODS) Department can help. The EMOD Department is the only program serving both the Western New York and Rochester areas offering project management and oversight services that help eligible people with intellectual and developmental disabilities work through safety and other issues in their living area.
The People Inc. EMODS team makes accessing modifications easy by guiding people and their care coordinators through a complicated approval process with the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD). A key component to approval is that the modification must link directly to an eligible diagnosis and solve a safety concern or barrier to independence. People Inc. secures funding so that pre-screened architects may design modifications and contractors can complete the work.
Project management services in the home can include changes such as ramps, wheelchair lifts, lowered countertops, barrier-free showers, widened doorways, grab bars, automatic or manual door openers, ceiling tracks, and fences. Assistive Technology devices can help increase safety, accessibility, and personal successes, such as hygiene seats, shaker beds, service animals, and specialized seating. And vehicle modifications can be made to a car, truck, van, or SUV that allow access to the community – such as modified driver controls, ramps, lift assist seating, and securement systems.
The Lee family of Buffalo has gone through this process twice with People Inc. as the needs of their now 14-year-old daughter Yuna have changed. Jae Lee said most homes are not built to be accessible to people who use a wheelchair and lifts. When they first moved in, the Lee family was using a ramp into the front door that they felt was unsafe. People Inc. assisted the Lees with a comprehensive assessment of their home environment and in requesting a platform lift and an accessible landing in the garage, a ceiling lift system, door widening, and solid floor surfaces for rolling accessibility.
![Asian father pushes the buttons of a lift while holding onto the wheelchair with his smiling daughter](../../img/4227561.png)
Jae Lee and daughter Yuna enter the platform lift in their garage.
“You have to look at the whole picture, not just one part, to visualize all the things that might be necessary to care for your family member,” Lee said. “Because Yuna is completely dependent on others for her mobility, the modifications to our home have provided us the ability to be together. We were fortunate to have found the team at People Inc. They are highly responsive and organized professionals, who have provided excellent customer service to us.”
Anthony Rushford, EMODS project director at People Inc., shared that the most rewarding parts of what they do is knowing that the residual effects from modifications are the time that families gain for a life based on efficiencies, their peace of mind knowing their loved one is safer and the personal success enjoyed by the person served. “The team we have assembled takes great pride in every project we have been able to accomplish and the level of customer service we provide along the way.”