SHRRP: Bathroom Accessibility Remodeling

Thomas Jefferson has been living in his mobile home since 1987. Recently, the ¾”-particle board floors of his home had become spongy and unsafe. Mold was growing in his bathroom and the old plumbing was beyond repair.

The Senior Housing Repair & Replacement Program stepped in to make Tom’s home safe and more accessible, especially his bathroom.

“They widened the door, put in these grab bars and a new, higher toilet,” said Tom. “There is so much more room now that I don’t have to worry about tripping and it’s brighter. I didn’t have a fan before but now I have a new light with a fan, and there is no mold. Everything is new. I love it.”

If you think you or someone you know may qualify, call the SHRRP helpline Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm at 480.362.7800.

SHRRP renovates bathrooms with accessibility and functional issues that can affect the safety of seniors and adults with adaptive needs. The program strives to make bathrooms as ADA-accessible as possible given the space limitations.

“We’re sometimes limited in what we can do in some cases, such as in mobile homes, for instance, roll-ins require a slope which can be very difficult to accomplish in a mobile home,” said Rito Lopez, program supervisor. “When we can, we highly recommend roll-in showers so later on down the road the accessibility is there if and or when it’s needed.”

SHRRP bathroom renovations include hand-held shower heads, wider doorways and wall-hung sinks to accommodate wheelchairs, grab bars, a fan-light combination to prevent moisture and mold, ADA commodes and slip-resistant flooring. All plumbing is brought up to code.

Each project is assessed for repair or renovation due to accessibility or safety and a design is created specifically for the house. It is then submitted to compliance for a permit.

“If someone is having surgery or is finding it more difficult to get around, they should call as early as possible,” said Rito. “Because each renovation is designed specifically for the property and has to be permitted, the process can take a bit to get started, but once we start, work is usually completed within one or two weeks.”

Due to Covid and supply chain issues, there is a backlog of interior projects, but SHRRP is working to catch up.

“Over the past 11 years, SHRRP has replaced my roof, outlets and water heater, serviced my AC and so much more. Sometimes it takes a while depending on what you need, but the work is always excellent,” said Tom. “They help do the things I just cannot do anymore and they have renewed my pride in my home.”

In addition to ADA bathroom remodels, SHRRP provides a variety of other services to qualified community residents. These can include complex renovations and retrofitting of interiors to meet health or safety need such as, but not limited to:

• Handicap Bathrooms

• Roofing

• Kitchen Cabinets

• Flooring

• Ramps

• Exterior Door Covers

SHRRP also provides day-to-day services that seniors and those with adaptive and medical needs may find challenging such as changing air filters, repairing exterior doors that do not close correctly, or improperly sealed windows.

Qualified individuals must be members of the community, age 55+ or qualify with a medical disability, and have a home condition that detrimentally affects the individual’s health, welfare or safety.

If you are an existing SHRRP client with an after hours/weekend HVAC plumbing emergency, you can call community dispatch an on-call technician or plumber at 480.850.9230.