Current Developments of the Housing Enabler Methodology

Abstract

Twenty years of methodological development, empirical research and practice application have resulted in an updated version of the Housing Enabler instrument and a screening version. The methodology rests on Lawton's and Nahemow's ecological model, with accessibility defined as the relationship between the individual's functional capacity and the demands of the physical environment. The complete instrument is based on one checklist of functional capacity in the individual (personal component) and another of environmental barriers (environmental component), followed by an analysis of person-environment fit giving an accessibility score. The Housing Enabler Screening Tool requires a less complex and less time-consuming procedure.