Zach keeps his independence

Zach keeps his independence

Home adaptations help local family

When Zach started falling over for no obvious reason and complaining of pains in his feet his mother simply put it down to growing pains. Not for one moment could she have foreseen that within a couple of years her young son would be using a wheelchair. Four years on and, despite having undergone countless tests and scans, 13-year-old Zach’s condition remains a mystery.

“It’s such a worry,” says the Wildern schoolboy’s mum, Nicki. “He’s getting progressively worse but the clinical teams cannot pinpoint the cause. The hardest thing is watching Zach deteriorate but not being able to do anything about it.”

Nicki was unaware she could access Eastleigh Borough Council’s Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) scheme. It was only through a

conversation with Zach’s occupational therapist that Nicki was directed to the scheme.

“Zach’s occupational therapist helped us fill in the forms and we were then lucky enough to qualify for a home assessment. It’s been an absolute lifeline for us,” says Nicki.

Home adaptations carried out to date include the installation of entrance ramps and a stair-lift. The go-ahead has been given to convert an upstairs bathroom into a wet room and the widening of internal doorways to accommodate Zach’s wheelchair are currently being looked at.

“These adaptations are helping Zack to maintain his independence which is really important for a teenage boy,” says Nicki. “He is dealing with so much, and coping so well, that it’s lovely for him to be able to have that independence at home.

Nicki adds: “As Zach’s illness is progressive his needs are constantly changing; it’s really good to know there is a team at Eastleigh Borough Council who we can turn to for help as we face these ongoing challenges. We have such gratitude to all involved for the support Zach has been given.”

Find out more about DFGs and read about Zach’s story: eastleigh.gov.uk/dfg

Picture above: Zach using his newly installed ramp