What Is Adaptive Housing?

Over half of Canadian households are expected to be headed by people over the age of 55 by the year 2036. As the population ages, a more significant proportion of them is expected to desire to age in their own homes. In addition to those who are aging, there are approximately 6.2 million Canadians who live with a life-impacting disability. 

Knowing those statistics, consider how impactful it is that home designs for single-family homes haven’t changed in approximately 70 years. Houses aren’t built to easily accommodate those with accessibility needs. Adaptive Housing is the answer to this issue. 

What Is Adaptive Housing? 

Once called Aging in Place, Adaptive Housing refers to housing that has been changed to take the accessibility needs of the homeowner or occupant into account. Whether the person needs accessibility adaptations temporarily or permanently, Adaptive Housing helps individuals remain at home even with their limitations. 

Who Can Benefit from Adaptive Housing? 

Each homeowner will have different needs for Adaptive Housing. Some families will need accessibility for children with special needs. Others will need accessibility for an elderly family member or someone who has experienced an unexpected health crisis. 

Sometimes the needs of the individuals will be simple. Other times they will have complex needs that require more extensive modifications. The key to Adaptive Housing modifications is accessibility and safety. 

Common Adaptive Housing Modifications

The needed modifications will vary depending on the family and the individual with accessibility needs. Some of the most common modifications include widening doors, adjusting toilet heights to make them higher, making showers curbless to make it easier to enter them, or installing walk-in tubs. Additional adaptations include safety measures like grab bars or non-slip floors. 

Barriers Individuals with Disabilities Face

People with disabilities face multiple barriers both at home and in their communities. It can be dehumanizing to have the inability to access areas that you need to access in public. Imagine how much worse it can be to be unable to access areas of your own home. 

Architectural barriers such as doors that aren’t wide enough or steps that are difficult to navigate are just a portion of the issue. Your furniture placement can also cause issues within your home for someone with mobility issues. Your lighting can make a difference in accessibility within your home as well. 

There are simple things you can do to make your home more adaptive for older people or those with physical impairments. Changing out hinges so the doors open wider, painting a contrasting color on thresholds to help a visually impaired person keep from tripping, or removing unnecessary doors are simple suggestions to help maneuverability around your home. 

Even more simple is taking measures for safe moving throughout the house. For example, make sure to keep clutter and furnishings out of the walkways. Ensure that electric cables and phone cords are organized and out of the way so no one trips. 

The kitchen can be hazardous for people with mobility issues. However, there are ways to adapt that area as well. For example, slip-resistant flooring, easy-grip cabinet handles, and pot stabilizers can make the kitchen area more accessible and safe for your mobility-impaired family. 

Closing Thoughts

Unfortunately, traditionally homes aren’t as accessible as necessary for older people or those with disabilities. As people grow older, they may suffer from impaired mobility. Impaired mobility shouldn’t mean they can no longer stay in their own home. Adaptive Housing measures make changes that allow people to remain home safely while adjusting for accessibility.