DIFFICULTY, DEPENDENCE, AND HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE AGING WITH A DISABILITY

The purpose of this paper is to describe the ease-difficulty and independence-dependence in routine household activities as well as the accessibility characteristics of current housing reported by a sample of 104 older people aging with a mobility impairment. Participants in this study lived in the community and responded to a mail questionnaire. Many had become disabled in middle age or younger and had aged with a disability. Most of the respondents reported only a moderate level of difficulty and dependence in daily activities, although many did not engage in some activities, particularly housekeeping. In general the tasks that were perceived as posing little or no difficulty were the same for all respondents, irrespective of level of disability (i. e., walking aid, manual wheelchair, and power wheelchair users). The respondents utilized accessible features in completing activities. Some of these accessible features had likely been added to their housing, and some were likely part of the original design of their housing but not as an accessible feature.