Custom home built for family of disabled nine-year-old daughter

After almost a full year of construction and six years of planning, Clare’s House is built and nine-year-old Clare Jackson will be better equipped to live with cerebral palsy, scoliosis and her other severe medical challenges.

Stephanie Babych, Calgary Herald August 24, 2018

Cardel Homes took on the project when the company learned how much easier life could be for the Jacksons with a proper home. Spencer and Jadi Jackson, Clare’s parents, were hoping for a home with an elevator and accessible bathroom but Cardel Homes took it a step further, making everything as accessible as possible.

“Our house we live in now is not accessible. We carry her up and down the stairs, 10 or 15 times a day, and it’s getting dangerous. This house will serve an amazing purpose for us,” said Spencer Friday when the house was revealed.

We are at the grand reveal of #ClaresHouseYYC 🏠 There are so many incredible accessibility features, including an elevator, wide hallways, ceiling tracks, lifts & more. This will be a great place for Clare and her family to live. @CardelHomesYYC pic.twitter.com/VlRBtpeUic

— Accessible Housing (@AccessibleYYC) August 24, 2018

Soon after Clare was born she had a stroke, which led to her first few medical diagnoses. As she grew up, other challenges emerged.

“We learned she couldn’t eat, we had to get a tube, and she didn’t start walking or talking… As we’ve gone through it and I see how hard she’s worked to sit up on her own or communicate with her iPad, I realize it’s pretty amazing she can do what she can do,” said Jadi.

The new home features an elevator to allow Clare to move freely from each floor and play with her older siblings Anna, 14, and Cooper, 12. The home has a roll-in shower, lowering countertops and five-foot-wide hallways, spacious enough for Clare’s wheelchair to turn around.

“Even things like the counter that lowers will make it so she can participate more. So at our current house, she spends a lot of time laying on the floor because it’s not accessible. Our family feels a little disjointed sometimes… Now she’s going to be more motivated to be in her chair and be involved,” said Jadi.

The Jacksons can’t wait to move in and discover all the ways the house will enhance their life by making things easier. Cardel Homes and the partners involved in the project were thrilled to watch Clare take her first ride up the elevator.

“We know there’s so many families in the same situation as the Jacksons, in Calgary, and we can’t help them all but we can build something you can look at and look forward to. We wanted to show what you can do with a home with accessible features,” said Damon Ockey, chief marketing officer of Cardel Homes.

Source Calgary Herald

 

Also see
Clare’s House is a community-driven initiative to provide a state-of-the-art accessible home for the Jackson family Cardel Homes