Hello Lisa:

One thing that I haven't seen covered in this thread is hardening one's house to prepare for "aging in place" and partial disability issues.

We have lived in the same house for over 50 years which we pre-selected because of certain future concerns.

We missed a few item like door width to  allow normal wheelchair width.

It is a one story ranch- as we have seen how seniors have problems climbing stairs at one point in their lives.

We removed the only bath and replaced with it with a shower, plus handrails and optional shower chair (when needed).

We have cut down every outside trees in the area to prevent house damage during hurricanes and outside "lime rock" trenches to prevent termite damage.

Adequate winter heating is now provided by a heat pump system. 

This may not be what you are looking forr but as one gets older these sort of things become very important.

Peter Brooks

Palm Bay Florida 

Mark Tickner said:

Everyone here so far seems to have picked up on physical disabilities which are very much apparent. However, I feel there is a lack of best practices around those hidden disabilities, which there are many.

There are also the following:

PAS 6463 Neurodiversity in the built environment

Mark Tickner said:

Some of these are temporary, pregnancy, although not technically a disability, still needs consideration and reasonable adjustments made. We see those adaptions in many places, designated seats, lifts to platforms, etc.

There's lots of information from NHS and HSE about this ... and other temporary conditions.

Temporary conditions are something that's difficult for a designer of buildings to consider beyond a certain point (brings into 'what's reasonably practicable'), and even with the accessibility/disability legislation, there is still, for workplaces, a limit to 'reasonable adjustment'

Having said that, the 'limits' and 'reasonable adjustment' do change over time, because of;

• Advances in technology
• Reduction in cost of technology or other adjustments
• Changes in societal/ethical opinions

Hello Lisa::

One thing that I forgot to mention in my earlier message about "hardening ones house" is carpeting.

A full fitted carpet should be installed throughout the house except in potentially wet areas like bathrooms or kitchens.

Falling is a major problem as one gets older.

Peter Brooks

Palm Bay