The battered armrests of Sgt. Charles Linwood’s motorized wheelchair tell the story of doorways not quite wide enough for it to fit through.
The Army veteran’s Augusta home recently got an upgrade to help him not only get through those entrances with ease, but he now has a completely accessible bathroom.
“We were in desperate need of one,” said his wife, Sarah Jones. “I had gotten him a walk-in tub, but because of the way the bathroom was, and his stability is really not good, he would fall on me, and I couldn’t get him in and out.”
Homes for Veterans provided for the $27,500 bathroom renovation. Lorraine DiPaolo, an advocate for Homes for Veterans, donated $22,000 for the project and helped with its design, which included the combining of two smaller bathrooms into one larger accessible one.
The room now features a sliding barn door as an entrance and has accessible fixtures including a roll-in shower as well as grab bars, non-slip flooring and tiles.
“Now, I can get in there and take a bath or shower. The problem was the pressure on her, and it caused a lot of problems for her; it caused her to hurt more,” said Linwood, whose back was injured in an accident during his six years in the Army. Over time, the injury has progressively gotten worse, leaving him in a wheelchair.
Work on the renovations began just before Hurricane Helene hit. America’s Warrior Partnership provided for accommodations for them at the IHG hotel on Fort Eisenhower during the renovation, according to a news release from Homes for Veterans.
The couple staying at Fort Eisenhower when the hurricane hit.
Linwood, who uses an oxygen machine, had difficulty breathing and became ill during the lengthy storm-induced power outage. The couple was on the second floor and emergency responders at Fort Eisenhower had to carry his wheelchair down the stairs to transport him to Eisenhower Army Medical Center. He was later transferred to Fort Liberty, North Carolina.
The couple had no idea what was taking place at their home during the storm except for some photos their neighbors sent them. Their neighbors also cared for the couple’s two dogs, Sheba and Howard, while they were gone.
Now that they are home, they are still trying to assess the storm damage and move forward, but they said they are grateful for the remodeled interior space.
“They just don’t know what they did for us,” Jones said.
Homes for Veterans is a nonprofit dedicated to creating barrier-free living spaces for veterans nationwide. By providing home modifications, the organization seeks to “enhance the safety, independence, and well-being of veterans facing mobility challenges due to service-related injuries or illnesses,” according to the news release.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years and is a Georgia Press Association award winner. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
