TYPES OF LIVING STAGES

For those with limited mobility, reduced vision or other impairment, the ability to perform common tasks such as carrying shopping into the home, cooking a meal, using the bathroom or accessing items from high shelves may be unnecessarily limited by the physical design of a home. As the needs of individuals are specific to their personal circumstances, there is no single solution to designing a home to meet changing needs; however, several approaches exist:

Designed to meet the changing needs of most home occupants throughout their lifetime without the need for specialisation.

Designed to meet the needs of people requiring higher-level access from the outset, and usually designed and built with a specific person’s needs in mind. An accessible house meets Australian Standard AS 1428.1-2001, Design for access and mobility, and is able to accommodate wheelchair users in all areas of the dwelling.

Adopts the idea of a livable house but in addition, is able to be easily adapted to become an accessible house if the need should arise.

By meeting occupant needs over a greater period of time, the livable house and the adaptable house reduce the need to relocate to alternative housing, which can break community ties. They are also attractive housing options for the greatest number of people and therefore provide a sound investment for resale and rental.

Design for adaptability enables rapid response to changing life needs which can be swift and unexpected. It also increases the building’s serviceable life span before remodelling, with associated financial, energy and material savings.