Explore every inch of the UK no matter of your ability Access and accessibility can include a wide range of requirements; from full wheelchair access and further measures to assist the visually impaired, to simply those less capable on their feet, or those who find travelling up and down stairs and steps difficult. We aim to provide relaxing and enjoyable holidays to all and strive to make sure our accessible cottages have features to ensure your holiday is one to treasure forever.A stay in one of our holiday cottages with increased accessibility means you can enjoy your holiday without worrying about getting around, both inside the cottage and in the local area. Our bookings team will be happy to help you find the perfect property to suit your exact needs and if you need anything extra, we can arrange that too. The UK has lots to see and do for all abilities Tips for accessible travel Family cottages Cottages near the beachFarm cottagesNear a pubRomantic cottagesWaterside viewsTake a short break
You might also be interested in... Travelling around the South West Our top accessible holiday cottages Holiday home delivery services across the UK If you have additional needs and are looking for a park home that provides the comfort and facilities to make your life easier, then Wessex can help. Most homes in our range can be modified to suit individual living requirements and we make no extra charge for this personal service. In addition, we will discount our standard prices on any Accessible Living Solutions home by 5% depending on the modifications required. Accessible Living Solutions include: Major and minor modifications Grab bars, hoist and tracks Adjustable / bariatric beds Call us today on 0845 257 0400 or email info@wessexparkhomes.co.uk to find out how we can help to create your perfect home. Visitability is the design approach for new homes whose main principle is that a non-resident using a wheelchair should be able to visit the home.
A social visit requires the ability to get into the house, the ability to pass through interior doorways of the house, and the ability to get into a bathroom to use the toilet. Newly constructed homes often contain the same major barriers as older, existing homes: steps at every entrance and narrow interior doors, with the bathroom door usually the narrowest door in the house. Supporters want to change new home construction practices so that virtually all new homes, whether or not designated for residents who currently have mobility impairments, offer three specific accessibility features that will make it possible for most people to visit: These features are designed around the needs of a person using a wheelchair while visiting, but they are also helpful to people with other kinds of mobility impairments, for example, if a resident breaks a leg. Living permanently in the home with a significant mobility impairment requires two additional basic features on the main floor: a full bathroom and a bedroom (or a space that could be converted to a bedroom).
Visitability is similar to Universal Design in general intention, but is more focused in scope, more specific in parameters, and more explicitly grounded in a social reform intent. Visitability features make homes easier for people who develop a mobility impairment to visit friends and extended family rather than having to turn down invitations, or not be invited at all. These features also provide a basic shell of access to permit formerly non-disabled people to remain in their homes if they develop a disability, rather than forcing them to do expensive renovations, relocate to a different house, live in an inaccessible home which endangers their health and safety, or move from the community into a nursing home. Basic access goes beyond visiting. It also helps a person of any age who develops a temporary or permanent mobility impairment. Without basic access in place, architecture forces severe choices: These issues can apply equally to a person who is recovering from surgery, or to a person who has used a wheelchair for decades.
Zero-step entrances on new homes are nearly always easy to construct, whether the terrain is flat or hilly. The entrance can be constructed at the front, side or back, wherever is most feasible for the topography. A driveway or sidewalk can be a tool for access to the best entrance. Porches and decks can be used to incorporate access, often in a manner where it is not as obvious as many ramps. On new construction, a zero-step entrance can usually be incorporated without a “ramp” per se, i.e. without a structure that has 90-degree dropoffs at the edges and rails at the sides. In most cases, this type of ramp is not necessary because the entrance can be achieved by deliberately grading the lot in a way that permits the sidewalk to meet the porch without a step. For the 40% of homes built with a slab-on-grade foundation, the zero-step entrance is typically extremely easy. The methods for homes are virtually identical to those used for slab-built commercial buildings such as banks and restaurants.
For homes with basements or crawlspaces, several solutions can provide low-cost, attractive zero-step entrances. Among these are using a porch as a bridge to the sidewalk; lowering the first-floor rim joist into a notch in the foundation wall at the time of construction; a short, conventional ramp tied into a side or back deck or porch; creative use of a small retaining wall; and constructing the zero-step entrance from the garage. With all methods, siting the home properly on the lot and grading the earth with the zero-step entrance in mind are essential. In the United States, the Visitability movement was begun by grass roots advocates led by Eleanor Smith in an organization called Concrete Change. She originated and developed the concept in 1986, at that time using the term "Basic Home Access". In 1990, when US advocates learned that the term “Visitability” was used in the United Kingdom (UK) for a similar concept, they adopted the term to emphasize that the goal is not the traditional “more homes for the disabled” but rather a change in standard homebuilding procedure.
The Atlanta chapter of Habitats for Humanity became the first organization to commit to going beyond accessibility in homes with disabled family members. By including these basic access features in every home built their commitment contributes to an inclusive neighborhood for people with disabilities. Concrete Change continues to grow in number of participants and number of open-market houses built with the basic features. The UK has applied the most widespread legal application of the concept to date. In 1999, Parliament passed "section M", an amendment to residential building regulations requiring basic access in all new homes. Advocates maintain that the philosophical underpinning of Visitability is as important as the list of features. They maintain that building homes with steps at all entrances and narrow interior doors is an unacceptable violation of human rights, given the harsh effects the barriers have on so many people's lives: physically unsafe living conditions, social isolation and forced institutionalization.
Because not all locations use the term “visitability” in their efforts, it is difficult to definitively track the adoption of visitability across the country. Other factors complicating the research include the lack of an organization assigned to monitor visitability ordinances, and ordinances and laws that often do not specify the agency responsible for implementation. In the United States, successful Visitability legislation has been passed in many localities, including Atlanta, Georgia; and the State of California.[6] As of June 2006, 46 state and local municipalities had a confirmed visitability program in place; while 25 of these programs are mandatory ordinances, the other 21 are voluntary initiatives (i.e. cash and tax incentives for builders and consumers, consumer awareness campaigns, and certification programs). In addition, there are numerous efforts to establish visitability programs in other states, counties and cities across the country. The research identified another 30 initiatives currently underway.