Help Oliver live in his home.
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Hi, I'm a mother of two beautiful children, Oliver 12 and Darcey 10. Oliver was born with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus with a VP shunt. This affects his everyday life in many ways. He is double incontinent and we have to manage both daily externally. Plus his mobility, Oliver has no core muscles and has weaknesses in his legs and is very unsteady. He is in pain and discomfort every day but still he has such a positive outlook. However, he is unsafe on stairs and needs these adaptations for safety and independence. This is a degenerative condition and unfortunately it is now taking its toll on Oliver, who is having to rely more and more on his wheelchair as he grows. The shooting pains and aches are excruciating and very upsetting to see him suffer.
Currently my children share a bedroom, which is not ideal. We have been lucky enough to be offered a housing association property. Now of course this is amazing but the house as it is, is not suitable for Oliver and his needs. I was advised by the council, to take the property as properties do not come up often and a grant could be requested for adaptations for Oliver to have a downstairs bedroom and wetroom and to knock down an internal wall, widening of doorways to give him chance for independence and freedom around the house and to make the garden accessible. All these things are needed to give him independence. The ability to use the kitchen and eat as a family and help cook, which is something Oliver loves to do. Planning permission has been granted to include a driveway as the property is on a main road. Making it unsafe for him to dismount the car into the road. Independent quotes have been obtained and the disability grant has been thankfully agreed. But this is now where the problem lies. The quotes have come in and there is a shortfall of £57,000. Understandably the grant cannot be released for work to start until all the costs are covered. I took the property on in October 2019. I knew this was never going to be a quick process and Covid has not helped obviously. The trouble is, it is not suitable or safe for Oliver to live there in its current state and I'm having to spread time and money between there and our previous home(my fathers housing association house) This is all taking its toll physically and mentally on us all. My daughter suffers with anxiety which is really hard to watch and help her cope with. This whole situation is really bringing her down and causing major attacks. Oliver just wants to be able to feel safe and independent in his own home and be able to live as a family. I am also my dads carer whose health has deteriorated massively. I am being pulled in all sorts of directions and this is my last hope. So much blood sweat and tears in trying to just be able to function as a family unit. If anyone is able to help us or even share our go fund me page, we will be eternally grateful. Thank you, Zoe. I've attached the drawings of the house layout as it is and proposed adaptions. In the beginning I was advised that the works would be estimated in the region of around £75,000 but the final figure has come in at £102,000. I have not seen or been given the quotations, so I am unable to share these. This whole situation is so depressing and is really affecting my mental health, short of a miracle, I'm not sure where to turn. Thank you for taking time to read this.
Currently my children share a bedroom, which is not ideal. We have been lucky enough to be offered a housing association property. Now of course this is amazing but the house as it is, is not suitable for Oliver and his needs. I was advised by the council, to take the property as properties do not come up often and a grant could be requested for adaptations for Oliver to have a downstairs bedroom and wetroom and to knock down an internal wall, widening of doorways to give him chance for independence and freedom around the house and to make the garden accessible. All these things are needed to give him independence. The ability to use the kitchen and eat as a family and help cook, which is something Oliver loves to do. Planning permission has been granted to include a driveway as the property is on a main road. Making it unsafe for him to dismount the car into the road. Independent quotes have been obtained and the disability grant has been thankfully agreed. But this is now where the problem lies. The quotes have come in and there is a shortfall of £57,000. Understandably the grant cannot be released for work to start until all the costs are covered. I took the property on in October 2019. I knew this was never going to be a quick process and Covid has not helped obviously. The trouble is, it is not suitable or safe for Oliver to live there in its current state and I'm having to spread time and money between there and our previous home(my fathers housing association house) This is all taking its toll physically and mentally on us all. My daughter suffers with anxiety which is really hard to watch and help her cope with. This whole situation is really bringing her down and causing major attacks. Oliver just wants to be able to feel safe and independent in his own home and be able to live as a family. I am also my dads carer whose health has deteriorated massively. I am being pulled in all sorts of directions and this is my last hope. So much blood sweat and tears in trying to just be able to function as a family unit. If anyone is able to help us or even share our go fund me page, we will be eternally grateful. Thank you, Zoe. I've attached the drawings of the house layout as it is and proposed adaptions. In the beginning I was advised that the works would be estimated in the region of around £75,000 but the final figure has come in at £102,000. I have not seen or been given the quotations, so I am unable to share these. This whole situation is so depressing and is really affecting my mental health, short of a miracle, I'm not sure where to turn. Thank you for taking time to read this.
Organizer
Zoe Hastings
Organizer
