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Housing Options

Home > Illnesses and Disabilities Home > Help with Daily Living > Housing Options

Independent living is a desire of many, if not most, people with disabilities. A number of devices can help people with disabilities perform daily tasks needed to stay living at home. Many of these devices are easy to use and low-cost. Often, products cost less at local hardware and plumbing or electrical supply stores than through disability-related product suppliers. These devices include:

• outdoor ramps to help people avoid steps
• lever door handles that replace round knobs for people with limited use of their hands
• bathtub grab bars to prevent falls
• seat-lifting chairs for people who have difficulty standing up because of back problems or weak legs

An occupational therapist can visit your home and make suggestions about which devices might make your life easier.

If you are not able to stay in your home and need assistance in daily living, there are several options:

• Group homes are houses or apartments where two or more people with disabilities live together. They help each other in performing tasks of daily living. Group home businesses also have staff who visit the homes and help residents.
• Assisted-living facilities provide a variety of services, including housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, and transportation. They have staff who are available 24 hours to help as needed.
• Nursing homes are for people with more severe disabilities who need 24-hour nursing care. Nursing homes also often have doctors on staff.

Additional Resources

Publications

1.   Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity: Disability Rights and Resources — This page is designed to answer frequently asked questions on the housing rights of people with disabilities and the responsibilities of housing providers and building and design professionals under federal law.

   http://www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/disabilities/index.cfm

2.     Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home — This booklet has information for people that have Medicare and are trying to find a nursing home. It has steps to take when choosing a nursing home and how to make arrangements, payments, and other important information.

   http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/02174.pdf

3.   Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) — HOPWA was created by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide housing assistance and related supportive services to people with HIV/AIDS and their families.

   http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/aidshousing/programs/index.cfm

4.   Housing Options for People with Mental Illness — This publication provides information on where people suffering from severe mental illness can get help with finding housing.

   http://www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpubs/ken98-0048/default.asp

5.   People with Disabilities — Visit this web page to learn about renting, buying and making your home accessible, and about your Fair Housing rights.

   http://www.hud.gov/groups/disabilities.cfm

6. Adapting Your Home (Copyright © AFB) — This guide provides basic advice for people with vision loss about making their environment safe and well organized.

   http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=40&TopicID=217

7. Directory of Centers for Independent Living and Statewide Independent Living Councils (Copyright © ILRU) — Use this map to find Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and other resources near you.

   http://www.ilru.org/html/publications/directory/index.html

8. Home Modifications Promote Independent Living (Copyright © AOTA) — This article explains how an occupational therapist helped one man make changes to his home to help him do everyday tasks easier. It explains how occupational therapy can help you and links to other information from the American Occupational Therapy Association.

   http://www.aota.org/News/Consumer/HomeModificationsPromoteIndependentLiving.aspx

9. Modifying Your Home for Independence (Copyright © AOTA) — This publication describes how an occupational therapist can help individuals and families modify their homes by recommending and implementing strategies that help a person complete daily tasks.

   http://www.aota.org/Consumers/Tips/Adults/HomeMods/35132.aspx

10. Resources for Adults with Disabilities — This publication helps adults with disabilities find organizations and resources that can assist them with employment, postsecondary education, recreation, independent living, and assistive technology.

    http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/transum/adttxt.htm

Organizations

1.   National Council on Disability
2.   National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, ED
3.   U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
4. Accessible Space, Inc.
5. Adaptive Environments
6. Alliance for Technology Access
7. Independent Living Institute
8. Independent Living Research Utilization

= Indicates Federal Resources

Content last updated May 15, 2008.