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KELLY NESBITT
Artistry / Design / Consulting
PLEASE visit our new website here
AdaptableAbodes.com
SERVICES:
Accessibility Design
Aging in Place Planning
Home Modifications
Project Coordination
ServinG
Portland, Oregon • Vancouver, Washington • Virtually Nationwide
MORE INFO: adaptableabodes.com
CALL (503) 673-6299
STEP 1, 2, 3
1. PHONE CALL
2. HOME ASSESSMENT
3. ACTION PLAN
Areas of Expertise
✅ Aging in Place & Fall Prevention
✅ Remodel & Space Planning
✅ Accessibility & Universal Design
✅ Home Safety Assessments
✅ EOL Home Transition Set Up (hospice)
✅ Smart Home & Adaptive Technology
✅ Contractor-Ready Specifications
✅ Project Coordination & Homeowner Advocacy
✅ Cost Projections for Home Mods & Aging in Place
✅ Vetted Professional referrals & Caregiver Support
✅ OT assessments and court ready reports for medical complex malpractice and personal injury lawyers.
PEO - Model
Person: strength, balance, vision, cognition, health, routines
Environment: layout, stairs, lighting, floors, supports, resources
Occupation: daily activities like bathing, cooking, and getting in/out of bed
WHY OT?
Occupational Therapy brings a functional, human-centered lens to home modifications. We look at the person, the home, and daily routines - then translate needs into clear, practical recommendations that reduce risk and support independence over time.
Kelly Nesbitt
OTR/L, CAPS, ECHM
Founder • Accessibility Specialist • Occupational Therapist
I’m a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) through the National Association of Home Builders and hold an Executive Certificate in Home Modification (ECHM) from the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology.
I’m first generation by way of Ireland and Canada, with roots in Maine, the Pacific Northwest, and Austin, Texas. I’m also a lifelong artist and creative, so I’ve always been drawn to how spaces feel, function, and tell the story of the people living in them.
Over the past 18 years, I’ve remodeled two of my own homes and later managed new construction as my own general contractor - hiring and coordinating a timber-frame build for a double-decker tiny house that also serves as a backyard theater (see photos below). I also oversaw and completed a private guest-suite home addition. Together, these projects became a home-share, sustainable living setup that supports my values and deepened my practical understanding of how homes can evolve over time.
In parallel, I’ve spent 25+ years as an Occupational Therapist, working across hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and home settings, with a focus on neurology, geriatrics, and complex care. That blend of clinical experience and real-world remodeling led me to found Adaptable Abodes.
Today, I help older adults, people with disabilities, and families create safer, more functional, and future-ready homes by translating health and mobility needs into clear design priorities and workable modification plans - and by collaborating with contractors, architects, and care teams to support projects from concept through completion.
Backyard double decker timber frame theater. Before/After.
Certifications
Certified Occupational Therapist in Oregon # 1036721 / Oregon Business Registry # 2369980-92
Certified Occupational Therapist in Washington # 60952325 / Washington Business UBI #: 606 027 121
NPI Number (National Provider Identifier) # 1508193830
Executive Certificate in Home Modifications - ECHM
Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist - CAPS
NBCOT - active
Member American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
Member Home Modification Occupational Therapy Alliance
Member OT Potential
Member Next Level OT Home and Community Therapist Network
Member Oregon Gerontological Association
Member National Aging in Place Council NAIPC®
Founding Member NAIPC - Oregon Chapter (in process)
Member Aging-in-Place Directory
Member Metropolitan Senior Network
Member Portland Area Rental Owners Association
(Red grab bars in photo by PONTE GUILIO in Italy)
Example of a space-saving 2-in-1 solution that works as both a staircase and a wheelchair lift. FlexStep by Liftup (see video).
READ TESTIMONIALS
Google Reviews
Kelly brings a rare combination of relationship-building skill and credibility. She has a strong network of professionals who value her perspective, and she consistently shows up as someone who is collaborative, thoughtful, and action-oriented. I believe Kelly is at the beginning of a significant growth trajectory, and I would recommend her without reservation.
Kabir Bhatia, MS, MBA
CEO and Co-founder, Hello Everyday
AgeTech company providing privacy-first home wellness monitoring for older adults.
Veteran Home Modification Grant for 121k
Dennis Serov (Serden Group, LLC) and I worked together with a Veteran on the SAH grant.
See BEFORE / AFTER bathroom photos below.
Portfolio
Before / After
Photos of my personal home renovation projects .
The Tower of Power.
New construction (in my backyard), hybrid timber frame, double decker art studio, backyard speakeasy performance space, tiny home, 10-12 footprint, 25ft eave, seasonal plumbing (sink/toilet), electric heaters, mini fridge, ceiling fan, and 50 amp panel. Portland, Maine.
GC/Project manager; Kelly Nesbitt, Designer; Rachel Conly @ Juniper Design, Construction; Greg Gilman & company
IN-LAW SUITE
Personal remodel and new addition construction, 3 room, single level studio, 500 sqft.
GC/Project manager; Kelly Nesbitt, New Addition Designer; Das Chapin Design, Construction; Mark Pendergrass & company
Accessibility Design
"Kelly was instrumental in helping us make design choices when building my mother's casita.
After my father passed, my husband and I decided to transition my limited mobility elderly mother to our home. Soon after, we recognized we needed our own spaces and plans for an ADU to suit her needs quickly began.
Though new building codes already mandated certain ADA accessibility requirements, we quickly recognized that we needed a more customized plan. Kelly gave us a detailed list of design requirements specific to my mother's needs, including: appropriate flooring selections, lighting considerations, floor layouts that would accommodate a future live-in caretaker, specific shower bar adaptations, design layouts that would create clear pathways, AND SO MUCH MORE.
We were able to pass this detailed list on to our architect, who was able to incorporate these accommodations into our final design. We are super grateful for her insight and guidance. Her input saved us thousands of dollars and time in what would be future renovations." - Dee Roberts - 10/2024
(ADU seen in photos, first floor is her mother’s casita apartment)
Meet Marty.
Company mascot.
RESOURCES
Remodeling for Home Accessibility
via OT Potential
DSHS Washington State
(Adaptable Abodes does not accept Medicare)
Home Financing for Seniors with Landis Group
Renovation Loans, Retirement Loans, VA Loans and much more
Complex environmental modifications: OT perspective
By Goldhammer, T 2024. Journal of Nurse Life Care Planning. (Requires access through your institution)
AGE TECHNOLOGY
Home Safety & Well-Being Device (founded in Lake Oswego, Oregon) Radar based. No camera. No microphones.
Architechs, Designers, Accessibility OT’s
A model that the Irish are doing.