Dawn Heiderscheidt

Dawn Heiderscheidt is an occupational therapist and the founder of Aurora Independence, a home accessibility and safety consulting company serving the greater Philadelphia region. For nearly a decade, her work has centered on one question: where does a person's ability meet the limits of their home, and what can change so they can keep living there on their own terms?

Dawn has built her career where clinical training and construction meet. She previously served as program administrator and lead occupational therapist for a local CAPABLE program. She has been an adjunct professor, building on her life as A teacher before she became a therapist; Dawn still teaches. She's an instructor for the National Association of Home Builders' Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist program and a national continuing education instructor with PESI.

Her credentials combine clinical training with construction know-how, so every Aurora recommendation answers two questions: will this work for the person, and can it be built in this house?