The experience of home for social housing tenants with a disability: security and connection but limited control

ABSTRACT

Research exploring the meaning of home is well established; however, limited attention has been paid to contexts outside of western, owner-occupied homes. One context which requires further investigation is the experience of home for adults with disability living in social housing. This study aimed to investigate this experience in Australia. Fifteen households participated in in-depth interviews. Two themes “home is still home” and “loss of control” emerged from the thematic analysis. Participants described their homes’ as providing security, stability and a sense of “home”, but many also experienced limited control over the location, condition, and modification and maintenance of their home. The study highlights the importance of secure tenure, the need to support people with a disability during housing transitions, and the impact of policy on the experience of home. Ongoing research on the impact of housing policies on the lives of people with a disability will be key to improved policy.

KEYWORDS:

• Social housing
• housing policy
• renting
• home modification
• disability
• qualitative
• Australia

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the social housing service for distributing letters of invitation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research project did not receive any financial assistance from a funding agency.

Notes on contributors

Tammy Aplin

Dr Tammy Aplin’s research focuses on the home environment in a range of health and social service contexts. This includes home modifications, occupational therapy community practice, home care and housing. Her research aims to understand the relationships between home and health and develop and improve practice provided within the home.

A key research area for Tammy is home modifications. Her PhD sought to understand the experience of home and how this influenced and is impacted by home modifications. Applying these findings, she developed two measurement instruments for home modification practice. She has continued research into home modification practice along with other projects exploring the relationships between home and health and evaluating and developing services provided in the home including community OT practice and home care. Additionally, Tammy has research interests in assistive technology, including best practice in their provision. Dr Aplin has a career total of 18 publications and has received over $100,000 in competitive research grants.

Shari Canagasuriam

Shari Canagasuriam is an occupational therapist with an interest in housing and community practice. She completed this project as part of her honours thesis work and is currently practicing clinically.

Maree Petersen

Dr Maree Petersen is a lead investigator on a number of research projects concerned with housing and older people. A program of research over the past six years has comprised three projects concerned with understanding older people’s homelessness in Australia, addressing the housing and support needs of older women experiencing homelessness, and advocating for the intersection of housing, homelessness and aged care policy. Maree has a longstanding interest in older people’s access to community aged care. She was a CI on an ARC project concerned with rural older Australian’s wellbeing seeking to understand the experience of growing old in rural and remote areas, and access to health and aged care services. A project concerned with how older renters manage their health in private rental housing, in particular accessing home maintenance and modifications, extends her concern with the wellbeing of poor older people. Dr Petersen teaches in social work, and supervises students in social gerontology; and housing, homelessness research. She is Program Lead for the Masters of Social Work Studies program.

Louise Gustafsson

Professor Louise Gustafsson has consistently conducted research that has contributed to the development of clinical practices. She has two main research areas: stroke rehabilitation and recovery, and promoting community mobility and participation. Prof Gustafsson is a recognised expert is stroke recovery and rehabilitation and is a member of national and international collaborations in this area of practice. She has established and developing research collaborations within Queensland, nationally, and internationally with colleagues in Sweden, the Netherlands, and United Kingdom. Prof Gustafsson has a career total of over 90 publications and has received grants up to the value of $3 million. She has experience in quantitative and qualitative methodology and mixed methodology.