National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability 2011 - 2016

• Further to consideration by the relevant authorities and bodies, planning and buildingstandards should include provision for the future installation of telecare services indomestic homes, e.g. the provision of a double electric power socket adjacent totelephone sockets;• The HSE, with the DECLG should assess the added benefit of telehealth 63 andtelemedicine 64 services for people with more marked health related needs.8.43 The recommendations of the study will be examined further in the context ofproposals to enable people with disabilities to live more independently in the community.Conclusions8.44 The physical accessibility of housing to meet the needs of people with disabilities arecurrently met, to varying degrees, through the delivery of specific design units, provision offunding for adaptation works and through the effective enforcement of Part M of theBuilding Regulations. As the population ages there will be an increased demand to makehousing more accessible to enable people to remain in their homes for as long as possible.The policy of retrofitting existing dwellings has provided very good outcomes for the peopleinvolved, but can be an expensive solution 65 .8.45 Lifetime housing policy is being increasingly utilised to facilitate the needs of anageing population. There have been some moves in Ireland by housing authorities todesign-in lifetime home features in their dwellings in order to meet the needs of people withdisabilities at local level. However, there are no Irish standards or guidance in this regard.The concept of lifetime housing policy, and how it applies to the Irish situation, requiresconsideration. This consideration should also be cognisant of the role of the revised Part Mof the Building Regulations in successfully providing for the visitability of all new housingsince 2000, by people with disabilities.8.46 Furthermore, the increasing role of technology in enabling people with disabilities tolive more independently in the community has been recognised and should be considered infuture policy development.63Telehealth comes under the umbrella of telecare within the study.64Telemedicine is defined in the study as ‘the practice of medical care using interactive audio visual and datacommunications’.65Funding of some €673 million has been provided over the period 2000 – 2010.98 98