A national housing conference report highlights the role of Age Friendly, universal design in responding to Ireland’s changing housing needs, particularly for older and disabled people.
The report, co-authored by Age Friendly Ireland, the National Disability Authority (NDA), the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH), and Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA), highlights a gap between current housing design and evolving demographic needs. It outlines how Universal Design can support more inclusive, adaptable and long-term sustainable housing that is accessible and usable for people of all ages and abilities, including older and disabled people.
Catherine McGuigan, chief officer of Age Friendly Ireland Shared Service, said: “Ireland has a rapidly ageing population with the percentage of older people over the age of 65 increasing to approximately 30% of the population by 2057.
"Age Friendly Homes designed to universal principles supports people to age in place and is fundamental to Ireland’s commitment under the Dublin Declaration of creating Age Friendly Cities and Communities developed by the World Health Organisation.”
Report’s key findings
The report’s key findings are:
- Current building regulations may not fully reflect demographic change or the principles of Universal Design;
- There is a perception that incorporating Universal Design is prohibitively expensive, when in fact research shows that planning this approach from the outset can do much to mitigate additional costs;
- There are opportunities to further incorporate lived experience in the application of Universal Design in housing.
The report outlines several considerations to support progress, including reviewing regulations, exploring a more consistent national approach to Universal Design in housing, and strengthening collaboration across policy, design, and construction sectors.
Director of the National Disability Authority, Dr Aideen Hartney, said: “A Universal Design approach is a key driver for advancing inclusive housing for all and in particular for disabled and older people.”
Irish Wheelchair Association advocates with and on behalf of people with disabilities around their housing needs. Recently they supported a mother of a wheelchair user who shared: “I have to lift my 18-year-old daughter upstairs because we have no downstairs bedrooms. I am on the transfer list, but the council say they have no accessible houses.”
A considered approach to Universal Design and Age Friendly principles can support the development of homes that are more flexible, inclusive, and responsive to people’s needs over time. This is particularly relevant for older people and people with disabilities, while also benefiting the wider population.
Donal McManus, CEO, ICSH: “As housing delivery across all tenures increases, it is imperative that more is done across the entire housing sector to embed Universal Design principles and to ensure we are meeting the housing needs of our entire population.”
You can read the full report here.