The revised version of the Housing Enabler now available in Danish
The latest, revised version of the Housing Enabler instrument has now been translated to Danish and is available for sale. Contact National Housing Enabler Center at University College Nordjylland for more information. The new rating forms in Danish are available here.
The Housing Enabler Screening tool as web form
With the financial support of The Swedish Institute of Assistive Technology an electronic rating form of the Housing Enabler Screening tool [in Swedish] has been developed and launched on the web. The web form includes a library with photo illustrations of environmental barriers, intended to help and support raters in validly assessing the presence or absence of environmental barriers. A project report [in Swedish] is available here.Accessibility in Swedish housings built before and after introduction of governmental directives, presentation at GSA in San Diego, USA
At the annual congress of GSA (Gerontological Society of America) in San Diego, USA, 14-18 november 2012, Björn Slaug presented a new study where characteristics of accessibility problems in representative dwellings from mid 1960's and early 2000's were compared. The title of the presentation was "Using Knowledge on Combinations of Functional Limitations to Support Improved Housing Accessibility".The Enabler methodology in a public health perspective: PhD examination
The PhD thesis by Björn Slaug, orally defended at Lund university early this summer, represents an attempt to refocus public health on the built environment it once had. In a historical context, the link between the features of the built environment and public health was evident, and early interventions for health promotion often targeted the built environment. The framework of the thesis "Exploration and Development of Methodology for Accessbility Assessments" is available here.Housing Enabler course in Riga, Latvia
In collaboration with the Latvian Association of Occupational Therapists a Housing Enabler training course will be held in Riga, Latvia this spring. The course will be held 23-27 of April 2012. Course language will be English and the course will be open for all interested, in Latvia and other countries. For more information, please contact Liene Saukuma, email liene.saukuma@inbox.lvThe Housing Enabler Screning tool presented at congress in Bologna, Italy
At the European congress Healthy and Active Ageing for all Europeans IAGG 2011, April 14-17, the Housing Enabler Screening tool was presented with a poster: "Reliable, feasible and efficient identification of accessibility problems in the ordinary housing stock: introduction of the Housing Enabler Screening tool". It was the first time the Housing Enabler Screening tool was presented at a scientific congress, with an international audiance.The Swedish Institute of Assistive Technology supports the development of Housing Enabler web applications
The Swedish Institute of Assistive Technology will financially support the development of a library with photo illustrations of environmental barriers and an electronic rating form for the Screening tool. More information [in Swedish] is available here.
The revised version of Housing Enabler now available!
The complete instrument Housing Enabler and the Housing Enabler Screeningtool are now available for purchase! Contact us for further information and to take part of introductory offers. Rating forms for the new revised version are available for download.
Website update
For the fall/winter 2010/2011 a thorough update of The Enabler Website is planned. For example, a library with photo illustrations will be made available, where photos illustrating the environmental barriers of the Housing Enabler instrument can be searched, in order to assist the rating process.
The Housing Enabler Screening tool
Together with the complete instrument Housing Enabler a much shorter tool intended for use as a screening tool in surveys of accessibility problems, will be published as well.
New revised version of the Housing Enabler to be published
In September 2010 the new revised version of the Housing Enabler instrument will be published in Swedish. The English translation of the new version is planned for October 2010. Among other things, the new version will contain revised item checklists, and a new and more clear design of the rating forms.
Housing Enabler course in Heidelberg, Germany
In october and november 2008 a Housing Enabler training course will be given at Heidelberg University.
Agreement on collaboration with Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences
An agreement on collaboration has been signed with Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences concerning translation into Finnish of the instrument, including the software. It also concerns Housing Enabler training courses, education of instructors and technical development.
Article about Housing Enabler on Finnish website
The Housing Enabler instrument continues to receive great interest in Finland. The Finnish webportal ESOK publishes an article on Housing Enabler, based on an interview with Susanne Iwarsson made earlier this year.
Housing Enabler in Danish
The Housing Enabler instrument has been translated into Danish and is now released for sale. Contact The University College of Health - North Jutland for more information. Table of Contents from the Danish translation of the book and Rating Forms in Danish are available here.
Collaboration with The University College of Health - North Jutland
An agreement on collaboration has been signed with the The University College of Health - North Jutland. The agreement concerns a translation into Danish of the instrument, including the software. It also concerns Housing Enabler training courses, and education of instructors. A new training course organised by the University College of Health - North Jutland, will be held in Aalborg in march-april 2008.
News articles on reduced version of Housing Enabler
The reduced version of Housing Enabler attracts attention in Swedish news media, Sydsvenskan 10/1 2008 and Kristianstadbladet 16/1 2008.
Reduced version of Housing Enabler
A reduced version of Housing Enabler will be published shortly. This gives a unique, research-based list of the most important environmental barriers in housing, that can be used as a powerful screening tool for housing accessibility problem identification. See press release.
Housing Enabler course in Jyväskylä, Finland
In january and march 2008 a Housing Enabler training course will be given at Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences.
Report on project Housing adaptation planning
A report [in Swedish] on the project carried out in Kristianstad 2004-2005 is now available. The aim of the project was to foster development of more efficient strategies for public planning and building design, focusing on home environments at target for housing adaptation. In this project the Housing Enabler instrument was implemented for data collection and as an analysis tool in practical work.
Housing Enabler course in Aalborg, Denmark
In november 2007 and january 2008 a Housing Enabler training course will be given at the University College of Health - Aalborg. This will be the first Housing Enabler course held by instructors that took part in the instructur course in august 2007.
Housing Enabler instructor course in Lund, 27-29 august 2007
In august 2007 an instructor course will be arranged in Lund. Housing Enabler instructors from Sweden, Denmark and Finland will then be educated, with the intention that they henceforth can hold Housing Enabler training courses themselves.
Housing Enabler workshop in Hong Kong
In Februari 2007, Susanne Iwarsson gave a three-day workshop in Hong Kong. The day before the workshop, the local hosts representing Tung Wah Hospital and Hong Kong Housing Society arranged study visits for Susanne and her husband. They visited several sheltered housing units but also several patients in their flats in ordinary housing in central Hong Kong. The first day of the workshop was a lecture for an audience of 90 persons. Thereafter, during one and a half day 25 of them participated in more applied training tasks where they had the opportunity to accomplish housing accessibility assessments in Hong Kong. Finally, the participants presented their experiences to the other participants, including some colleagues that had participated only during the first day. The exchange was very constructive and appreciated, and the participants were very positive and interested in further co-operation. In December 2007, Susanne will return to Hong Kong for follow-up and planning of future research co-operation.
Financial support granted for a research center
Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research has granted 15 million SEK in financial support for CASE, Center for Ageing and Supportive Environments, where Susanne Iwarsson is principal investigator.
Update of project descriptions
The Enabler projects have been thoroughly updated.
Finnish helpdesk has been updated
The finnish helpdesk launched earlier this year has been further developed and updated.
Intensive course in Lund October 2006
After continued requests from different parts of the world, we have decided to run an extra Housing Enabler training course in Lund, October 2006. More information is available here.
Housing Enabler course in Aalborg, Denmark
In late autumn/winter 2006/07 the Housing Enabler training course will again be given, this time in Aalborg, Denmark. The course will be given in collaboration with the University College of Health - Aalborg. More information [in Danish] about the course, registration forms etc, is available here.
Helpdesk for users of Housing Enabler in Finland
Finnish speaking users of the Housing Enabler instrument now have access to a helpdesk in their own language. It is hosted by the University of Applied Sciences in Jyväskylä, and webmasters and responsible for the content are students Kalle Lindgren and Timo Repo, under supervision of Aila Pikkarainen and her team.
Housing Enabler course in Jyväskylä, Finland
In Jyväskylä, Finland, a Housing Enabler course is held in the spring/early summer of 2006 in collaboration with Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences. Occupational therapists from all over Finland participate to learn the instrument, in order to implement it in education as well as in professional practice.
Study of Adult Development in Heidelberg, Germany
The German Centre for Research on the Elderly (DZFA) is currently running a study aiming at investigating the interaction of biological, sociological and environmental processes throughout the process of adaptation in middle and late adulthood. The participants will be visited at home in order to analyse preventive potentials and risks in the socio-physical home environment. For that purpose, occupational therapists will assess the German version of the "Housing Enabler", adapted for hand-held computers.
References updated
The Enabler References have been thoroughly updated.
The ENABLE-AGE project completed
The ENABLE-AGE project was successfully completed in december 2004. Check the ENABLE-AGE website for more information. Reports are available for download in pdf-format.
Housing Enabler software translated
As a result of the ENABLE-AGE project the Housing Enabler software is now available in German as well as Hungarian!
Data entry interface for Pocket PC
A testversion of a Housing Enabler data entry interface for Pocket PC has been released as part of the project in Kristianstad. All Occupational therapists involved in the project have been equipped with a Pocket Pc for data collection of Housing Enabler assessments.
Implementing the Housing Enabler instrument
A project funded by FORMAS, The Swedish Research Council for environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning, was launched in Kristianstad, southern Sweden, during 2004. The title of the project is Housing adaptation planning - Implementing research-based methodology in community praxis. The aim of the project is to foster development of more efficient strategies for public planning and building design, focusing on home environments at target for housing adaptation. In this project the Housing Enabler instrument will be implemented for data collection and as an analysis tool in practical work.
New website
The EU sponsored project Enable Age has launched a website with basic information about the project, the participating partners and a timetable. A news section with updates on the progress will soon be added to the website.
Article of the Month
The Faculty of Medicine at Lund University has a website, Lund Virtual Medical Journal, that highlights recent papers from the faculty of importance and general interest. This month, february 2003, the article Accessibility, usability and universal design - positioning and definition of concepts describing person - environment relationships (Disabil Rehabil 2003 Jan 21;25(2):57-66) by Susanne Iwarsson and Agneta Ståhl has been chosen as article of the month.
Housing Enabler Training Course in Stockholm
A Housing Enabler Training Course will be given in Stockholm this spring. For more detailed information [in Swedish], check the website of The Swedish Association of Occupational Therapists - FSA
Just a reminder...
With the turn of the year getting nearer, time is running short for planning and investments within this year. We would just like to remind you, this is a good opportunity to request proposals for the Housing Enabler Training courses and to buy licenses for the Housing Enabler software. For more information, do not hesitate to contact us!
Enable-Age to start january 2002
Official startdate for the Enable-Age project is now set to january 1 next year. The main aim of the project is examine the home environment as a determinant for autonomy, participation and well-being in old age and by this create recommendations for healthy housing solutions across Europe. The Housing Enabler instrument is one of the tools that will be used in this project. You can read more about the project here.
The book Housing Enabler – An instrument for Assessing and Analysing Accessibility Problems in Housing (Iwarsson & Slaug, 2001), published in Swedish last year, contains an updated version of the assessment instrument previously published under the name Enabler (Iwarsson, 1997). In addition to the instrument the new book contains an extensively updated manual, theoretical background, descriptions of carried out and ongoing studies, etc. The book is preferably sold with a Windows-based software, Housing Enabler 1.0 (Slaug & Iwarsson, 2001), which makes data processing and analysis easier. A program manual is included in the book.
To order the book/software, there is an information/order form available. For price information, check the pricelist.Housing Enabler Training Courses
There is no longer any official course agenda scheduled, but Housing Enabler training courses are now given upon request! Read more here.
This page was last updated 2014-08-21
Webmaster Björn Slaug