Nadir from Worthing is discovering the joy of cooking for the first time thanks to his height adjustable work top and cupboard systems from Ropox, one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of independent living solutions for the bathroom and kitchen in both domestic and care environments.
Having a spinal cord injury at the age of 16 which left him permanently disabled, Nadir moved into his customised home in December last year and it has had a fantastic effect."My new home is just amazing and the kitchen from Ropox is literally the icing on the cake!" he explained. "I worked with the architect throughout the design and build process to ensure everything met my requirements and the kitchen was paramount as I have never been able to cook independently. In my previous house, my mum, dad or carers had to do all my cooking for me and I was determined to do this myself in my new home."
It was decided from an early stage that an open plan kitchen/living area was the best option for Nadir as it would enable him to navigate his way around without having to go through doorways etc in his powered wheelchair.
Caroline Wright, Nadir's OT from South Coast Occupational Therapy and Peter Davies from Ropoxmet with Nadir to listen to his ideas and put together a proposed plan for his kitchen. An electrically adjustable corner worktop which included the induction hob, a preparation area and the sink was the focus point. Above this, a diagonal wall unit system would bring down the wall units to the preparation area to ensure Nadir could easily reach the contents. Nadir's American style fridge also needed to be included within the design and then as much storage as possible which included a mobile drawer to provide some additional flexible storage and an extra "put down" area when needed.
Merseyside based Scanflex Limited worked with Ropox to prepare 2D and 3D plans for Nadir and Caroline to approve prior to the installation being carried out by a local building company.
"The worktop and cupboard are just brilliant, I can lower the worktop to the perfect level for me so I can prepare meals from my chair but if a friend, family member or carer is here they can raise it to their level if they are helping me," Nadir told us. "The cupboards are as equally amazing, I can actually use the wall cupboards in my new kitchen as I know I can access them easily and the controls for both are so user friendly and easy to operate. Being able to cook for myself has helped with my general confidence and self-esteem as I no longer have to rely on other people when I am hungry.
"I would not hesitate in recommending Ropox to anybody who uses a wheelchair and is looking for a kitchen which will enable them to cook independently. I just wish there was more funding available so others in a similar situation to me could have the independence within their own home which I now have."
Caroline Wright from South Coast Occupational Therapy Limited was involved in the project and is equally delighted with how Nadir's kitchen looks.
"I am very pleased with the finished result," she said. "When I first met Nadir one of his goals was to be able to prepare meals, and to see him now undertaking this is very rewarding. The height adjustable design of the worktop with hob and sink has enabled both Nadir and his support worker to use the kitchen while the wall cupboard has been a real revelation for Nadir, as he can now access items stored in cupboards above his head, a task which would have been impossible without the use of such an item. I will definitely be recommending Ropox to my clients, and look forward to working with them again."
One of Nadir's support workers, Oceanne, has been working with Nadir for the last seven months and she has seen first-hand what a difference the kitchen has made to Nadir. "I just love the kitchen and what it has done for Nadir," she said. "When he first moved in, Nadir was understandably nervous about cooking as he had never done it before but within a few days there was no stopping him. Whenever he is in the kitchen, he can't stop smiling and it is great to see him so happy – none of this would be possible without the Ropox equipment."
Ropox's aim is to help people live as independently as possible in their home. "Hearing how well Nadir is doing combined with the positive impact it has had on his general wellbeing is fantastic news," commented Peter Davies from Ropox.
For more information on the full range of products available from Ropox or to book an assessment please call 07444 577 609, email ms@ropox.com or visit ropox.com