Paul Young (and before him Marvin Gaye) once sung about how home was wherever he lay his hat. However, choice and location of headwear notwithstanding, for most of us “home” is actually somewhere much more important. The American psychologist Susan Clayton has gone as far as saying that, for many of us, our homes are an important part of our self-definition—which is why we spend so much time decorating them to our particular tastes or taking care of our gardens. Home, as the old saying has it, is where the heart is; it’s the place where we should feel comfortable and safe.
For those of us with any physical, sensory or other impairments, however, where we live can be far less comfortable or safe. It’s difficult to think of anywhere as “home” if the front door isn’t wide enough to accommodate your wheelchair, there are too many steps to your bedroom, or the kitchen cupboards are out of reach…
Full article published in Able magazine, November/December 2016.
