Ideal Home Innovations helps develop home design solutions to meet clients’ physical, sensory, and/or cognitive needs without compromising the décor of their homes.
Sinead Harrington, clinical assistant professor of occupational therapy, and Tripta Velamoor, clinical assistant professor of occupational therapy and doctoral capstone coordinator, first met while both were working at Iona University in New Rochelle, New York. At the time, Velamoor was frequently traveling to Toronto, Canada, to help her mother recuperate and resettle into her home after a neurological disorder changed her physical abilities.
“In doing that work for my mother and experiencing all of the emotional and practical challenges of making changes to her home for her safety and recovery, I realized that if I hadn’t been there, none of the recommendations would have been implemented,” says Velamoor. “No one from the hospital was coming there to see her living environment and make sure changes were made, and that’s when Sinead and I realized there was a need there.”
As occupational therapists and faculty in NYU Steinhardt’s Department of Occupational Therapy, both Velamoor and Harrington are skilled in understanding each person’s unique needs based on their specific diagnosis. With Ideal Home Innovations, the added level of service is that the team’s recommendations—such as shower chairs, slip-proof rugs, and the like—are more aesthetically pleasing than the standard offerings, so their clients can still have a home that feels like theirs.
We want people to know that making their home safe doesn’t have to be ugly. We can make your home safer and more accessible while maintaining its aesthetic appeal and preserving its resale value.
“Most of our clients right now are the aging-in-place population: older adults who want to stay at home rather than move in with family or to assisted living,” says Harrington. “Sometimes it’s because someone has been through an illness or is having a surgery that will affect their mobility, and other times it’s preemptive—adding accommodations to make the home safer to prevent injuries before they happen.”
First, Harrington and Velamoor do a thorough at-home assessment with the client, looking to understand how they get in and out of bed, shower, and go about their daily activities. Then, they build a recommendations report with photos, diagrams, and links to where items can be purchased from retailers.
“We want people to know that making their home safe doesn’t have to be ugly,” says Harrington. “There is so much out there these days that’s not medical-looking, such as grab bars disguised as towel racks. We can make your home safer and more accessible while maintaining its aesthetic appeal and preserving its resale value.”
As Ideal Home Innovations continues to grow its client base, Harrington and Velamoor look forward to involving more students from Steinhardt’s Entry-Level Doctorate in Occupational Therapy (EL-OTD) program to give them hands-on experience.
“When I was a new OT and doing home care, I didn’t think too much about the home environment beyond the basics like getting rid of rugs and clutter,” says Velamoor. “But now this work is a big part of our students’ future, so it’s really important for them to take full advantage of the expertise this experience can provide—going beyond ADA compliance and learning to be innovative in this space.”
It’s really important for [students] to take full advantage of the expertise this experience can provide—going beyond ADA compliance and learning to be innovative in this space.
In the fall of 2024, Ideal Home Innovations won a local Shark Tank–style competition hosted by the Ridgefield Economic & Community Development Commission (ECDC) in Connecticut, walking away with a $3,000 gift certificate and the services of a business coach for a year.
“We were so pleased and surprised to win because we were up against some pretty big businesses,” says Harrington. “Hearing their feedback that we had a great idea to fill a very real need was very validating, and it was exciting to receive support from this community.”
“We were also proud to be up there as two women in this competition with mostly male judges who are successful businesspeople, and it helped us see that we have a seat at this table,” says Velamoor.
In their goals for 2025, Velamoor and Harrington want to branch into working with pediatric clientele, such as children with autism or sensory needs. They’re in the process of meeting with folks at NYU’s Leslie eLab to see how they can move Ideal Home Innovations to the next step, perhaps collaborating with local urban planners to create more inclusive and accessible play spaces throughout New York City.
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Occupational Therapy
Pless Hall, 82 Washington Square East, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10003
Phone: 212-998-5825
Email: occupational.therapy@nyu.edu