Staff photos by Angie Bean KITCHENS & Bt — HS Persons witn sablities have help available when changing their home. Birmingham Kitchens & Baths offers high quality ALAN HITSKY cabinetry and service Associate Editor at very competitive prices, T o get to the front door of Joe and Sheila Rothenberg's Southfield colonial, you walk up a ramp. To go from the kitchen to the family room, there's a ramp. Out to the backyard deck? There's a ramp. There are grab-bar railings in the bathrooms, a wheelchair- accessible bathroom and shower on the first floor, and the van in the garage has a ramp and wheelchair lock instead of a front passenger seat. Joe Rothenberg has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease. Over the years, as the disease has affected Joe's muscles, it has also affected his son, Noah, who has become something of an expert on modifying a home for persons with disabilities. Noah, 25, didn't make the modifications in his parents' home. But he learned from the mistakes of their contractors and has started his own business — Disability Made Easy LLC — to help people. When Noah began attending ALS support group meetings, the Michigan State University hospitality/business graduate began seeing a need. Everyone had the same problems his parents had: When a permanent illness strikes, do you move? Do you stay in your home? What kinds of modifications are necessary and how should they be customized to the individual? Since he began his busi- ness in the spring, Noah has modified 20 homes, including a full home mod- ification for a Southfield neighbor. That job included changes to the kitchen and bathrooms, wheelchair ramps, new shower heads and lots of grab bars. "I like grab bars:' Noah says. "It's important to have them and a lot of people don't." Since graduation from MSU, Noah has worked in the mortgage and real estate fields at Atlas Mortgage and Marcus Realty in Southfield. Owner No expensive showrooms. Up to 30% less than Eliot Marcus has been very accom- Noah and Joe modating as Noah transitions to his Rothenberg are in the shower that took new business. Noah uses all of his background a year to get right. when talking to prospective custom- ers, advising them of the costs to move and the costs to stay with a free, written home analysis covering 12 areas. It includes mortgage and sales costs for modified homes in the customer's desired area if the customer is considering moving. While he uses experienced contractors to do the work, Noah is Disability Made Easy's only sales person and he meets with each customer. Sometimes, their conversations can lead to little discoveries that solve additional problems. "A customer was purchasing grab bars for the shower when I noticed that the toilet paper holder was very loose. I asked him if his wife grabbed the holder in order to get up from the toilet. He was sure she didn't, but when we asked her she admitted that she had been grabbing the holder for a while. We installed another grab bar by the toilet." And sometimes while talking to customers, Noah sees a small problem — like a loose hinge — that he fixes while he's there. Or he'll Joe plays with advise about shower Aussie on a wheelchair ramp. chairs that are provided by Medicare or a more- appropriate type of wheelchair. His most important advice? Make sure the job is done right, by contractors familiar with American Disabilities Act guidelines. That means that grab bars are heavy duty and at least two screws in each anchor go into the wall studs. It means a 12/1 length/height ratio for wheelchair ramps. In the end, says Noah, "our goal is to make the transition for people as easy as possible." ❑ traditional retailers. Full design/build service, Our company is primarily aimed at the mid to high end market, but equally would suit anyone who appreciates high quality and design flair without the normal associated costs, 248,593,8420 363 E. MAPLE RD, BIRMINGHAM, MI 48009 Noah Rothenberg can be contacted at (248) 379-5775 or noah@disabilitymadeeasyllc.com . joesardy@bhanikitchens.COM WWW.bhatnkitchens,com 1149240 HOME IMPROVEMENT • AUGUST 31• 2006 11