Centres for home environment adaptation
About this good practice
The centres aim at supporting home adaptation for elderly and people with disabilities to increase their personal autonomy, the accessibility and usability of their homes and thus promote their stay in the domestic environment as an alternative to care in residential facilities.
The centres were financed and activated by Regione Emilia-Romagna, in collaboration with municipalities; they operate at the provincial level and citizens can access directly to them.
The centres provide information and advice to elderly and disabled people, their families, social and health service operators, and public and private sector design technicians. They offer first-level counselling on how to reorganize interior, remove or overcome environmental obstacles and architectural barriers, study expedients and solutions to facilitate everyday activities, access grants and tax benefits, on products and aids available on the market, and on services and opportunities offered by the various entities in the area. For more complex situations with high, very high or intensive support needs, they work in conjunction with two “second-level” regional centres.
These centres also carry out informative, promotional and training actions aimed to social and health services workers, professional orders and professional colleges of designers, artisans, associations and trade unions etc. Specifically, information activities are carried out through the website and newsletter.
Expert opinion
Resources needed
Between 2021-23,the annual expenditure for centres averages over €700k,funded by municipal, regional, and state resources.In some areas, costs are supported by local health authorities' personnel.Each centre has a multi-professional team,including social workers, physiotherapists, and administrators
Evidence of success
On average, more than 2,000 non-self-sufficient users per year go to these centres, joined by an average of more than 1,500 people, including family members and professionals (i.e. specialists, salespeople, health and social professionals etc.).
Considering the centres activities, more than 5,000 intervention per year are carried out, including counselling, front office activities and remote information.
Potential for learning or transfer
The key success factors and strengths of the home environment adaptation centres can be described as follows: direct and free access for citizen and professionals, multiprofessional integration in the team operating in the centres; at their start-up phase, regional funding and strong regional commitment, support and guidance.