The Clients:
- My clients are recently injured military service members dealing with limb amputation and paraplegia.
The Issue:
- Although there are several facilities that provide home-style settings for service members and their families during treatment, there is a definite gap between life during treatment and day-to-day life at home.
The Facility:
- My design is a post-recovery facility for the families of injured members and veterans. It will be an educational, live-in transition facility that re-teaches both the families and veterans how to function together within an idealized home environment.
The Concept:
- Military families exist in an almost constant state of flux, and as a result, are extremely adept at dealing with change. In acknowledgement of their versatility, the design concept for this facility is Adaptation.
Addressing the Issue:
Although there are several facilities that provide home-style settings for service members and their families during treatment, there is a definite gap between life during treatment and day-to-day life at home.
Guests will stay at the facility for 4 weeks. During weeks 1 and 2, up to 3 family members of the veteran will stay at the facility and attend classes and workshops addressing issues that their loved-ones may face upon returning home. During weeks 2 and 3, one family (and possibly a child) will stay and the veteran will join them at the facility. During these two weeks, guests are encouraged to meet with the on-site Interior Designer to begin deciding on what changes (if any) may be necessary to their residences. For some families, this may mean having to sell their homes, and if this is the case, the designer will assist the families in knowing what to look for in a new property. Veterans living in apartments or returning to barracks life will be advised about assistance devices that they can buy and install in these settings.
All family members will be expected to live in the facility as they would at home. They will prepare their own meals and meet (either on site or off) with any rehabilitation specialists or counselors as may be required. Families are also encouraged to leave the facility and spend time together as a family (or a couple).
This facility allows for veterans to transition back into day-to-day life within an idealized home setting and with the support of their families. By partially modifying key areas to ADA standards, veterans dealing with limb loss and paraplegia can test their limits and capabilities in a safe environment.
Families get an introduction to ADA standards, and learn about cost-effective modifications that they can make to their own living environments.