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Universal design and the built environment
Published in Alex Mihailidis, Roger Smith, Rehabilitation Engineering, 2023
Changes in public policy and new design practices emerged in response to the need for more accessible homes. Visitability represents a highly focused strategy in the continuing evolution of accessible housing policy and practice. Visitability is an affordable, sustainable, and inclusive design approach for integrating basic accessibility features as a routine construction practice in all newly built homes. Although visitability does not provide the same level of usability as older forms of accessible housing, it is a UD strategy because it provides a foundation for improving the home with additional UD features, thereby lowering the cost of housing adaptations. Visitability includes a few basic accessibility features. In the United States, they are as follows: one zero-step entrance at the front, side, or rear of the home; 32-inch wide clearances at doorways and hallways with at least 36 inches of clear width; and at least a half bath on the main floor (Maisel, Smith, and Steinfeld 2008, 1–34). Figure 13.1 shows visitable homes in Oak Hill, PA, which confirms that visitability can be introduced in cold weather regions that have homes with basements. Visitability provides benefits to a wide range of users, including those with disabilities, their nuclear family, friends, and other relatives who may, from time to time, need to use wheelchairs or other adaptive equipment.
Exploring Stakeholder Perspectives on the UK’s Regulatory Tools for Accessible Housing: Lessons for Canada
Published in Journal of Aging and Environment, 2022
Katie Vaughan, Mikiko Terashima, Kate Clark, Katherine Deturbide
Accessible housing is particularly important for older adults who desire to stay in their homes and communities for as long as possible. According to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC, 2017), 68% of all older adults’ homes do not have an accessible entrance. Accessible housing standards are yet to be established at the federal and provincial levels. The passing of the Accessible Canada Act (2019) reinforced nationally that accessibility must be considered to ensure that all Canadians are able to participate equally in society regardless of their ability (Government of Canada, 2018). However, the accessibility needs prescribed in the Act do not apply to private residences.