The Housing Enabler is standardized instrument for assessing accessibility problems arising from the relationship between an individual’s functional limitations and physical environmental barriers in the home and its immediate external surroundings. It is based on the principle that an environmental feature may not be a barrier for every resident but may become problematic when it interacts with a particular functional limitation.
The Housing Enabler generally involves three stages: assessment of functional limitations, assessment of physical environmental barriers and calculation of accessibility score.
It is particularly relevant for adults with physical disabilities, mobility limitations, progressive functional decline or dependence on wheelchairs, walkers or other mobility devices. It can inform occupational therapy assessments, home modification planning, rehabilitation, accessible housing research and evaluation of person-environment fit.
Health status and risk factors Disability, Functional decline, Fall risk, Mobility impairments
Age group Adults
Assessor Health professionals; occupational therapists
Sections / items 2 sections; 203 items
Self-administered No
Multi-component No
Indicators Environment barriers; accessibility
Authors Iwarsson, S.; based on the original Enabler concept developed by Steinfeld and colleagues
Organizations Division of Occupational Therapy, Lund University, Sweden
Publication date 1999
Iwarsson, S. (1999). The Housing Enabler: An objective tool for assessing accessibility. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62(11), 491-497. https://doi.org/10.1177/030802269906201104