Let’s reflect on the core concept of our businesses: caring for those in need by providing products and services that allow clients to maintain their health and independence at home.
Now, why stop with typical HME? Take the next step, and open your doors to new business opportunities by providing accessibility and home modifications. After all, it’s about allowing your clients to further their ability to live safely, healthily and as independently as possible in their own homes.
Home ownership ranks highest among Americans ages 55 years and older, so your audience is enormous, and growing larger every day. This generation of seniors will live longer, and is more active and wealthier than previous ones. To them, their home says “This is where I live, this is where I raised my family, and this is where I plan to live out my retirement.”
A safe and comfortable home designed for the ages will require the expertise, experience and advice of individuals trained to provide real solutions for independent living strategies. Those coming from a career in HME will have distinct advantages over those from areas outside of home health care.
The so-called “Chuck in a truck” guys may be qualified as remodelers, but they have little or no idea of how an individual’s diagnosis, prognosis or plan of care will affect the outcomes of a successful remodel or what additional accessibility equipment might be suitable.
That’s where the Certified Environmental Access Consultant (CEAC) credentialing program administered by Accessible Home Improvement of America (AHIA) comes into play. Designed to combine the knowledge of the HME expert and the remodeler, the CEAC program provides an unsurpassed level of understanding about the client and their surroundings, in order to produce real solutions to enhance independent living goals.
The CEAC program utilizes ADA guidelines and Universal Design as a baseline of education and takes the student into the real world of individualized or specialty design.
The program carries endorsement from VGM Education as an accredited Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET), and has been approved for enhancement from a three-day training program to the venue of online education and training.
CEAC is a comprehensive, five-unit course that allows the student to study wherever there is Web access. Upon completion, a final exam and a passing grade are necessary to achieve the credential. Annual continuing education is required to maintain the credential.
Within Independent Living Designs, there are the Four A’s:
- Accessible Design: Blends Universal Design parameters with specific customer needs.
- Adaptable Design: Where Accessible Design meets the real world of your customer’s home.
- Affordable Design: This is where the rubber meets the road. How feasible is the project? What are the extenuating circumstances? How, what and when will we get paid?
- Aesthetic Design: How attractive will this be to neighbors and visitors? Does it fit the existing decor? Will the home be enhanced for possible resale?
All of these aspects are considered within the program, and it is good practice to keep them in mind throughout the home environment assessment. Adding assistive devices and/or equipment, and changes in the living environment are essential for positive outcomes. It should be determined if they are required immediately or are a long-term need, how they will be funded and are they practical within the environment.
The accessibility market is a natural progression for HME. The expansion of products and services offered, the specialty recognition gained with certified associates and the ability to market all this to existing clientele and referral sources makes your company a one-stop shop for all your clients’ in-home care needs. The market is here and will continue to expand. Accessibility may very well be your answer to solving cash flow problems and put you on the right path to a much brighter future.
