Different Types of Specialised Disability Accommodation Available in Australia

In Australia, many types of SDA cater to people who have disabilities. An SDA is a short form for specialised disability accommodation, which is a special house that is designed for people with disability. This type of housing arrangement is usually designed or modified in such a way that it will support people with specific disabilities. For example, a housing unit for a deaf adult will come with a slightly different modification for another adult who can’t walk. Whatever the disability, an SDA is meant to support people who have disabilities.

About the NDIS 

For a disabled person to access the specialised disability accommodation, they must go through the NDIS. The NDIS is short for National Disability Insurance Scheme and it offers various SDA housing options for disabled people who need certain supports. In Australia, this type of accommodation is very important. This is because the country is home to numerous people who need elaborate supportive living housing to ensure a great quality of life. SDA housing under the NDIS ensures that each housing solution caters to the specific needs of the recipient.

Disabled people in Australia 

In Australia, there are over 5 million people who are living with a certain type of disability. Out of the more than 5 million disabled people in Australia, a significant number of them need specialised housing arrangements. Under the NDIS, just about 30,000 Australians with serious disabilities will be eligible for the SDA. What this means is that the housing will be tailored according to their disabilities. The house will be customized in such a way that it will help disabled persons function without any external assistance apart from some special installations in the home. Such specialised housing comes with supportive and safe environments that allow these disabled people to perform their daily tasks.

Types of Specialised Disability Accommodation

Specialised disability accommodation is offered in different options. This means that you have 4 main types of NDIS-approved housing that people with disabilities can choose from. These include:

1. Houses

 Houses are simple residential units that can cater to 2 or 3 people with disabilities. This option provides people with a more intimate, shared living area where they can easily function independently. These houses are usually found around residential areas to ensure that the occupants can easily access basic services. Under the NDIS funding plan, disabled people can choose houses that have been designed with large open spaces for easy accessibility. Such houses come with large open living spaces, wide doorways, and easily accessible bathrooms that allow for mobility aids such as wheelchairs and so on. These simple houses are beneficial in that they offer more privacy and custom personal space when compared to bigger group homes. However, occupants may also share common living spaces like the living room and the kitchen. This housing option is ideal for disabled people who do not want to interact more with people and prefer quieter living spaces. The building occupants share their living spaces with one or two other disabled people which gives rise to a more close-knit community. Houses are modified to feature key components that enhance the safety and accessibility of the building occupants.

2. Townhouses, Villas, and Duplexes

Townhouses are also a type of specialised disability accommodation that can cater to at most 3 people with disabilities. Such a housing option usually comes with modern amenities. This option is suitable for disabled people who fancy a more urban residential arrangement with a special focus on privacy and comfort. These homes are designed with high functionality in mind. It is common to see features like open-plan common areas, modified bathrooms/toilets, wheelchair access, and so on.

3. Apartments

 Apartments are also available as an SDA option for people who need more independence and privacy. It is designed to cater to 1 or 2 people with disabilities. Apartments that are funded by the NDIS for disabled people in Australia can be found around residential complexes. They are modified in such a way that they are built with features that promote full accessibility. Therefore it is common for such apartments to come with open living spaces, accessible bathrooms, elevators, and so on. Apartments come with custom modifications to be more suited to the disabled building occupants so that they can go about their daily activities with little or no support. Apartments are also customised in such a way that they promote the comfort and independence of each resident. Disabled people who choose apartments will enjoy more privacy when compared to other SDA housing types. 

4. Group Homes

 Under the NDIS, disabled people can also access SDA in the form of group homes. These are special housing arrangements that are built for four or five disabled people. This option is one of the most common disability accommodation models that comes with shared living spaces like the living room, dining, kitchen, and so on. This housing option is suitable for disabled people who need a great deal of support daily. This type of housing is designed in such a way that it helps the occupants interact with each other to create a safe, supportive, and social environment for all. Group homes are often constructed to include full accessibility and would often come with housing features such as assistive technology, modified bathrooms, wide hallways, and so on to help the building occupants easily perform their daily tasks unaided.

Categories of specialised disability accommodation 

Under the NDIS programme, disabled people have access to various SDA categories and features. There are four main types. These include:

Improved livability

 Housing options under this category have been built or modified to come with a certain degree of physical accessibility. These types of houses have been modified to cater to people who have cognitive, intellectual or sensory impairment.

Fully accessible

 Housing options that have been designed under this category have been built or modified to come with high levels of accessibility. It is ideal for people with a considerable level of functional disability. With such options, homes come with housing components such as cooktops, benches, and kitchen sinks with special features. 

Robust

Housing options that are designed under this category come fully built or modified to support high levels of accessibility. Such houses are built with strong engineering materials that support the residents. Examples of building components used for such a house include the use of laminated glass, soundproofing materials, door handles, and so on. 

High physical support

 Housing options that are built under this category support high levels of accessibility for the residents. Such houses come with exceptional structural provisions like ceiling hoists, doors that have widths of 950mm, and so on. In addition, houses under this category come with various assistive technologies such as cooling and heating systems as well as home communications devices. They can also be built with emergency power systems to ensure continuous power in the event of a power outage.