Tenant Experience
As part of this project, we met with people living in a range of housing types and design categories of Specialist Disability Accommodation. We talked to them about their individual experiences of housing, their support needs, and participation in home and community life. We completed a published measure of support needs(i). We talked to them about their experience of setting up the house, and the activities they undertook in and around the home. We asked people to explain and demonstrate the features they found useful, and those identified as barriers, in their experiences of the home. With the permission of participants, we also spoke to family and support staff. Key things to consider as a result of our findings are listed below.
1 | Living in an apartment development can offer incidental contact with neighbours. |
2 | Installation of additional handrails can be more flexible with plywood lining behind wall finishes. |
3 | Consider location of tap for reach by tenant + support staff. |
4 | Items that are used often should be placed within easy reach. |
5 | Accessible home environment offers the capactiy to develop skills + build independence. |
6 | Joinery may need to be customized for individual’s reach + access. |
7 | Consider installed height of appliances for individual access + independence. |
8 | Location of laundry equipment in bathroom presents cross contamination of bodily fluids in other areas. |
9 | Additional ventilation may be required if laundry is located in bathroom. |
10 | Planning storage of consumables, such as continence or nutritional equipment, will be necessary – larger supplies may be stored in specified private areas (e.g. built in robe), with a smaller number of items are stored in area of use (e.g. in bathroom cupboard) for ease of access by a support person or tenant. |
11 | Consider need for human support for transfers to/from bed, vs use of assistive technology. |
12 | If tenant spends extended periods in bed, consider access to recreation equipment in bedroom. |
13 | Furniture can also offer inbuilt storage + options for overnight guests. |
14 | Consider use of natural light to manage thermal + visual comfort + utility costs. |
15 | There are potential conflicts between expectations of ‘homelike furnishing’ versus functional use for resident. |
16 | Direct connection of interior + exterior home allows additional living space in small area. |
17 | Site + glazing orientation can offer low-cost clothes drying options. |
