Settling into a purpose-built flat
The wait for a new flat was well worth it for Feilding man Nevill Jaggard.
Jaggard has recently moved into a purpose-built wheelchairaccessible flat, a first for the Manawatu¯ Community Trust in Feilding.
The flat is custom-made, with a gantry for lifting him out of bed, an extra bedroom for a carer, wide doorways, a large bathroom and a button-operated door to outside.
Fifty-nine-year-old Jaggard was in a car accident in 1995 and is now in a wheelchair.
‘‘I came right to a certain extent, but the last 10 years has been a slow decline after several operations. It got to the point where I was no longer able to stand.’’
Jaggard lived in another of the trust’s flats years ago, but recently has been in residential care, so he was chuffed to get back into a flat of his own.
Work started on the flat in November and after delays to the build, Jaggard moved in in June.
He said it was worth the wait to be in a flat that caters for all his needs and is close to town.
The overhead gantry in the bedroom helps his carers lift him.
Judi Stout, housing support person at the Manawatu¯ Community Trust, said everything was specifically designed for Jaggard.
There is a covered ramp at the front of the house with a windscreen, so the van dropping Jaggard off is sheltered.
The flat had been empty for a while, so the trust decided to modify it for him.
‘‘It’s a first for us,’’ Stout said. ‘‘If we had anything else or a person at some stage [who needed a similar flat] we would probably work with ACC again.’’
Stout said the trust was looking at refitting another unit at the end of another block of flats to make it a mobility flat.