Available Services

Our farmer clients usually have a pretty good idea what they want or need, but accomplishing those goals may require some type of assistance.  Tennessee AgrAbility Project staff assists them in a variety of ways, but we strive to take advantage of the farmers' ingenuity, supplemented by the expertise of agricultural, engineering and rehabilitation specialists, when looking for solutions to problems.

Preliminary needs assessment:
The first step is an assessment of the needs. This is accomplished through telephone calls to the client and rehabilitation specialists to collect relevant background information and determine what the farmer wants to accomplish.

On-site services:
A farm visit may be next, allowing us to see firsthand what the problems are and begin planning solutions based on the farmers goals and available resources. Our farm visits usually involve the AgrAbility Project staff, county Extension agent, the client's rehabilitation specialist plus other specialists of the UT Agricultural Extension Service. We believe that a multi-disciplinary approach is best because we can examine problems from several perspectives and develop effective solutions which address all critical areas. For example, we might involve the county Extension agent, agricultural engineers, crop or livestock specialists and farm management specialists.

Examples of some of our services include:

• Evaluating worksites and suggesting ways farmers can best use existing resources. However, there are times when a farmer might need to consider new or modified practices, or possibly switching to alternate crops or alternative enterprises.
• When you mention disabilities, many people think of adaptive or assistive technologies. We have helped some farmers by helping farmers design various devices and modifications, such as hand clutch levers for their tractors.
• Disabilities often render homes inaccessible, because most houses were not built with accessibility (or adaptability) in mind. By assisting with renovation plans, we have helped a few homeowners gain independence in their own homes. Besides installing wheelchair ramps, homes can be made more accessible by installing doors wide enough for a wheelchair (32" minimum width), accessible showers, grab bars, lower kitchen counters and kitchen cabinets with open space beneath, etc. AgrAbility Project staff also assisted with a series of Accessible Housing inservice training programs for Extension agents.
• Adaptable housing designs are highly recommended for anyone building a new home, because the cost of making it accessible is minimized. Also, the features which make a home accessible for someone with a disability make the house safer and more functional for everyone. Contact the AgrAbility Project staff or the Extension Housing specialist for more information on design features of adaptable houses.
• We might also suggest modifications to machinery or structures.
• Peer support and couseling is very important, especially when a person has recently become disabled. Just knowing there are others who have had similar experiences and learning how they have coped helps relieve some of the fear and uncertainty. AgrAbility Project staff are often able to identify peers who can listen to the concerns of our clients and share their experiences.
• Educating agricultural, medical and rehabilitation specialists is a major component of the AgrAbility Project. By making them aware of the many types of disabilities and the ability of disabled farmers to continue farming as profitably as their neighbors has helped remove some of the myths about disabilities.