NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Adapting your home after a spinal cord injury can be a daunting prospect. Here we bring together top tips, advice and suggestions from experts alongside real life experiences of home adaptations from those within the SCI community

Cooking Without Compromise

Entertaining friends and family has always been a big part of Izzy Hussain’s life and she wanted to ensure an adapted kitchen would allow her to continue doing that after her spinal cord injury (SCI).

A full-time wheelchair user from Milton Keynes, Izzy, 34, sustained a SCI after a car accident in 2015. When it came to buying a new home, Izzy’s occupational therapist recommended experts – Adam Thomas, accessible design consultant, and Tara Neil, kitchen retailer – to help with creating an accessible kitchen which would allow her to cook while hosting and socialising.

Izzy chose Symphony’s Freedom range which showcases unique features to support independent living scenarios without compromising on safety, storage, smart flexibility and of course, style!

“I now have the freedom to cook what I want, when I want,” said Izzy. “This new style of kitchen allows me to be independent and spontaneous, which reflects my personality.”

IZZY’S KITCHEN DESIGN INCLUDED FEATURES SUCH AS:

• An ‘island’ on two levels, with fixed lowered height prep space and induction hob to cook and entertain at the same time

• A pull-out table, doubling up as a place to safely transfer dishes from the oven to the island, and as preparation space

• A pantry/tall larder with pull-out drawers providing easy access to dried food and tins

• A NEFF hide and slide oven, after seeing good reviews on a Facebook spinal group.

For more information on Symphony’s Freedom range visit: symphony-group.co.uk/brands/freedom/