More than 800 people visited our Rapid Interim Housing prototype when it was displayed in Melbourne and Geelong in July and August.
The unit was designed to support people with a newly acquired brain injury (ABI) or spinal cord injury (SCI) to leave hospital more quickly and return to the community. It addresses the gap these people face between leaving hospital or rehab and finding appropriate permanent housing.
The prototype looks just like any other small house – with a living area, bedroom and ensuite, kitchenette and laundry. Assistive technology increases the occupant’s independence, safety and security.
People with ABI and SCI are often unable to find suitable housing in the community due to their accessibility and support needs. But not returning to the community as soon as possible after an injury impacts a person’s health and wellbeing, their ability to live independently declines quickly, their connections with the community drop away and their mental health often suffers.
Working with Oscar Building and Stretchy Tech, the Summer Foundation prototyped and displayed the interim housing unit that can be rapidly located to provide housing for someone who is waiting for accessible housing to become available or for home modifications to be completed.
With philanthropic support and funding from the Transport Accident Commission, this project aims to have a long-lasting impact on the way people with disability are discharged from hospital and into the community.
The Summer Foundation set out to demonstrate a concept. The next step is to pass this knowledge onto providers who have the capital and expertise to scale this up.