How Accommodative Are Houses in Trinidad? Implications for Older Persons With Disabilities

This paper examines the accommodation in houses in Trinidad in the context of older persons with disabilities. An exploratory sequential mixed-methods research design was used. In the qualitative phase, a list of accommodation items was identified via interviews. This information was used to develop a questionnaire to measure accommodation items of a large nationally representative sample of houses in Trinidad. Only physical accessibility items were identified, and data from 768 houses indicated that no house had all identified items. There is a need for urgent adoption and implementation of accessibility standards. Findings also indicate modification cost is a challenge and that responses targeted to low-income and rural households are needed. Lastly, the social care context, specifically the family care potential, is an important consideration in housing policy debates, and community homes for the aged and programs involving multiple experts to identify and support housing modification are recommended.