bathroom refurbishment
Towards an accessible and inclusive future
Adapting bathrooms to the needs of an ageing population should be seen as a top priority, explains James Dadd of AKW.
T
here are four compelling reasons why it’s impossible for social housing managers to ignore the needs of the elderly and disabled. Firstly, there is a concentration of people with disabilities in social
housing – and landlords are being encouraged to work more closely with health services to help accelerate hospital discharges. Secondly, as tenants age they continue to live in housing that lacks the special adaptations necessary to ensure the occupants’ safety. Thirdly, dementia is becoming increasingly widespread – and extra safety
requirements are needed to protect these particularly vulnerable tenants. Finally, an additional 215,000 residents with mobility and/or serious memory problems are predicted to be living in housing association properties by 2034 according to the English Housing Survey 2011-12 produced by the Department for Communities and Local Government. These critical factors place enormous pressure on housing associations,
“Nearly 24,000 people remain in urgent need of wheelchair accessible social or affordable housing in England”
local authorities, managing agencies and residential landlords to cater for those with special needs. However, the situation is not static – the burden is increasing as more people live longer and require additional support. As well as housing the elderly, landlords face increasing demand to
accommodate disabled people of any age. According to the English Housing Survey, people from this social group are twice as likely to be social housing tenants than those without disabilities. Moreover, a recent survey of local authority waiting lists revealed 23,886 people remain in urgent need of wheelchair accessible social or affordable housing in England (source: Aspire report entitled Wheelchair Accessible Housing).
Balancing the costs of adapted living
Value for money is key for social and residential landlords looking to provide support for vulnerable tenants. One way to balance cost and effectiveness is to future-proof rooms to meet the changing needs of tenants. Bathrooms in particular have to be carefully planned and appropriately designed to address any dangers that could arise in the future.
www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMM November 2016 | 33
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