Case Study: Freda Mae

Freda Mae is a 7-year old girl who suffers from Cerebral Palsy. She experiences fluctuating muscle tone throughout her body, which causes her to have difficulty with basic activities of daily living (ADL’s). Freda Mae is currently using a manual wheelchair for mobility and has difficulty accessing some areas of her home. Freda Mae enjoys using a computer; however, she has difficulty due to not having an accessible work station. She currently lives with her mother, father, and two sisters. Cerebral palsy is a broad term used to describe a group of nonprogressive neurological disorders that impair voluntary movement (NINDS Cerebral Palsy, 2016). It is caused by malformation or damage to the brain during pregnancy or shortly after birth.

After evaluating her existing bathroom, it was determined that the bathroom was too small for her to maneuver her wheelchair. Freda was also unable to independently transfer in and out of the bathtub or on and off the toilet. The option of reconfiguring the bathroom was discussed. Moving the shower/bathtub unit, toilet, and vanity would open up the center of the bathroom to allow Freda more space to turn her wheelchair and safely utilize the bathroom fixtures. Installing a barrier-free shower with a shower seat, grab bar, and handheld shower head would increase Freda’s independence with bathroom ADLs. The barrier-free shower will allow Freda to safely maneuver her wheelchair into the proper position to enable her to transfer to the shower seat. A 48”x34” shower is slightly smaller than the existing one; however, it will allow her to easily reach the shower controls without difficulty. The hand-held shower head will allow her to bathe herself independently. The bathroom vanity was originally installed with cabinets underneath which requires Freda to turn her wheelchair sideways in order to utilize the sink. The height of the sink is not functionally appropriate for her because she is unable to reach the faucet controls independently. An adjustable vanity with an open bottom may be installed to enable Freda to reach the sink controls and adjust the height of the sink

The kitchen, dining area, main bathroom, and bedrooms are located on the top floor and the family room and garage are located on the bottom floor. A flight of stairs leads from the second level of the home to a landing and turns ninety degrees down to the first floor. In order for Freda to utilize the lower level of the home, her parents have to carry her down the flight of stairs. This is becoming more difficult for her parents as she continues to grow. Freda and her parents would benefit from a stairlift that would allow her to ride between floors safely and independently. A stairlift will require her to have a separate wheelchair on the upper and lower level of the home, and she will have the ability to transfer to either wheelchair from the