Social Value Of Home Adaptations Revealed
Home adaptations for older and disabled people can deliver improvements in mobility and overall wellbeing, as well as bringing wider physical benefits.
This is according to a new study, revealing that making properties more accessible can increase independence and self-respect, while enabling residents to maintain a greater sense of purpose and identity.
Conducted by the Foundations Independent Living Trust, the report found that enabling people to stay in the homes they love through the funding and use of property adaptations is significantly valuable at human level.
Paul Smith, director of Foundations, said: ““Calculating social value or showing a return on investment usually involves complicated algorithms that can leave you wondering.
“With this report we wanted to take a different approach – to look at four stories of ordinary people who are disabled by their home, and the difference that adaptations can make to their lives. Each story has a sliding doors moment, where they are supported to make changes to their home or not.
“Of the hundreds of thousands of people who received a Disabled Facilities Grant in the last few years, many will have remarkably similar stories. Their health and wellbeing will have improved, and they will be using fewer health and social care services. That’s a win-win.”
The study went on to note that ensuring people are able to stay in their own homes is even more essential when construction of accessible properties isn’t quick enough to meet the needs of an ageing population.
In addition, it is not economically sensible to build new properties if it’s possible to meet people’s needs at a lower cost in houses that are already built and occupied, the report concluded.
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