Unsuitable Housing Of Elderly

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31499, 13 October 1967, Page 3

Unsuitable Housing Of Elderly

Many elderly people in New Zealand are living in their own houses and are “overhoused” and “underserviced,” according to the report of the Board of Health’s committee on care of the aged in New Zealand. Many lived in houses much

too large for their present needs, often most unsuitable for their old age, with gardens, rates and maintenance bills which outstripped the occupants’ capacity to satisfy.

“In many cases the detailed structure of flats is unsuited to the needs of elderly people,” the committee added. “Some of these difficulties are due to limited finance and the resulting small floor area. “There are many features, however, such as the height of door handles, plugs and switches, the height of benches and cupboards, which are not influenced by these factors.” Some of the difficulties of design were the result of bylaws on building produced to dear with a structure entirely different from a compact pensioner dwelling. “One in particular is the by-law requiring that a ventilated space be provided between the lavatory and the kitchen. The efforts made to comply with this by-law have often ensured that the letter of the law is observed, but completely defeated the original purpose of it, and resulted in producing major inconveniences for the unfortunate inhabitant.” The committee said that in densely populated areas there should be no objection to multi-storey developments. If the building was properly equipped with lifts, the elderly could be housed on any floor, but preferably the upper levels. Ground floor and lower accommodation could be reserved for people with young children, as this made supervision of children at play easier for the mother. The report said the committee would prefer the term “pensioner housing” to be done away with and replaced by a more descriptive term, such as “retirement housing.” “Housing officers and welfare workers might be able to compile a register of sum-

mary of situations where old people, not eligible for pensioner bousing, might demonstrably benefit from a move to more suitable accommodation,” said the report It suggested that an investigation be made into corporate building and ownership of housing suitable to the old

for lease or rent during the lifetime of the occupants. Municipal advisory and service bureaux on housing for tbe elderly were also suggested. It was suggested that more could be done for elderly people living as members of a larger household if the means of providing semi-de-pendent living quarters could be facilitated, either as an extension to a family home, or a detached unit on the same section.

Obvious advantages were the privacy and a measure of independence for the elderly person, or couples, with oversight from the main household.