What is Important When Living in a Barrier-Free Home with a Child with Disabilities?

When families with children with disabilities consider building or renovating a home, they often wonder, "What should we consider?" and "What facilities are necessary?" These concerns are frequently seen on social media.

The author, too, was one of those parents who struggled, thinking, "There are many books and magazines about home building, but none specifically for families with children with disabilities," and "There is hardly any information on the internet." In such a situation, I desperately gathered whatever seemed useful from general information.

One might think, "Won't the construction company make suggestions?" but in reality, there were hardly any proposals other than "eliminating steps." Since there are few families with children with disabilities, there are also few examples of such constructions, and it seems that they don't have much know-how, which is my honest impression.

Just because a company is good at building barrier-free homes for the elderly doesn't mean they are good at barrier-free homes for children with disabilities.

"They are almost like different things," says Mr. Yoshimura from Kanzaki Construction Co., Ltd., who specializes in building barrier-free homes.

He is a passionate individual with a Welfare Environment Coordinator qualification, who joined the company with the desire to "build homes for children with disabilities!" Over his approximately 20-year career, he has handled about 2,000 cases.

We asked the experienced Mr. Yoshimura about what families with children with disabilities should consider when building or renovating a home, recommended methods for gathering information, and key points for home building.

1. What is "flow line," a key point in barrier-free housing?

[Interviewer (Writer): Ozawa / Interviewee: Mr. Yoshimura]

Ozawa: Are there any key points to consider when planning the layout of a house for living with a child with disabilities?

Mr. Yoshimura: When living with a child with disabilities, it's important to consider what kind of flow line will be needed, and I believe "how many future scenarios you can simulate" is crucial.

※"Flow line": A line indicating the predicted path people naturally take when moving.

For example, when considering "what to do with the bathroom," you simulate "what will happen during bathing in the future."

It's important to first imagine the bathing actions, such as "I can carry them in now, but what will I do when they get bigger?" and then think specifically about the size and necessary equipment.

This is because, especially for small children with disabilities, it's uncertain how things will turn out in the future. Questions like "Can they sit?" "Can they stand?" "Can they walk?" are often unclear, and parents have hopes for "how they want them to be."

Without denying those hopes, we try to present possibilities and help customers make informed choices by suggesting as many future scenarios as we can think of.

This is a way of thinking not found in general home building, so it might be a challenging point for construction companies.

2. Four important flow lines to consider for barrier-free housing for families with children with disabilities

2-1. Bathing

Ozawa: What specific flow lines are important?

Mr. Yoshimura: First is bathing. This is an area where many people feel anxious, and we often receive consultations about bathing.

The key point is how many scenarios you can prepare for when you can no longer carry them. We consider the child's condition and predict the future together.

For example, consider the following:

・Whether to use a bathtub or just a shower
・Whether there might be times when they bathe at a daycare service
・Whether to use a home bathing service

We consider these factors while thinking about the size and shape of the bathtub.

2-2. Entering and Exiting the Home

Mr. Yoshimura: The next common concern is "entering and exiting." It's about how to enter and leave the house, and the flow line from the parking lot is also important.

Just like with bathing, we consider potential scenarios for the actions involved.

・How to enter the house (in a wheelchair, being carried, etc.)
・Whether the car is a welfare vehicle or will become one in the future
・Where to enter the house from (front door, sliding glass door, etc.)

Based on this, we decide how to create a flow line that avoids getting wet in the rain and is as short as possible.

2-3. Sleeping

Mr. Yoshimura: Sleeping arrangements also change depending on the severity of the disability.

・Whether to sleep with the parents
・Whether to create a separate room
・Whether there might be a need for a nursing bed

We consider these factors while planning the size and layout of the room.

2-4. Using the Bathroom

Mr. Yoshimura: For children with severe disabilities, diapers may always be necessary, so it's not a common concern, but how to handle the bathroom is also a point.

We predict whether they will be able to use the toilet in the future, and if there's a possibility, we consider the openings and flow lines of the fittings.

3. How to find a construction company knowledgeable about barrier-free housing?

Ozawa: How can we find a construction company with someone knowledgeable about barrier-free housing for children with disabilities, like Mr. Yoshimura, in our area?

Mr. Yoshimura: The term "barrier-free" is actually very broad, like saying "track and field". In track and field, there are short-distance runs, long-distance runs, and even shot put. It's better not to lump them all together.

For example, even if a construction company says they are knowledgeable about barrier-free housing, it might be for the elderly. Asking them about barrier-free housing for children with disabilities is like asking a sprinter about shot put.

Especially, the approach to barrier-free for adults and children is different.

For instance, the future aspect. As I mentioned earlier, it's often hard to predict what will happen in the future for children. There are very few construction companies nationwide that can make proposals considering that.

Therefore, it might be important to think from the premise that "there are no construction companies knowledgeable about building homes for children with disabilities." I believe it's more likely to result in a good home if you gather information to propose to the construction company yourself rather than leaving it to them.

4. Recommended methods for gathering information when planning a comfortable layout for a home with a child with disabilities

Ozawa: What kind of information should we gather to propose to the construction company ourselves?

Mr. Yoshimura: Talking to people involved in home care is one way.

For families using home care or nursing services, talking to the person in charge might provide insights into various cases since they visit many homes.

Of course, researching examples on Instagram or blogs is also effective. Our company offers individual consultations for a fee. These are conducted online, so you can consult regardless of your location.

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