February 2013 - Volume 28, Issue 4

Smart Home II

Possibilities for Independent Living (Part 2 of 2)

By Andrew Chia, OT, ILC NSW

Following the first article on Smart Home (SH) from the last journal, this article aims to describe the general working principles of SH and considerations for application. This article is meant to provide introductory information on this ttopic.

Imagine SH as a piece of perfect cut steak served with juicy ruby red tomatoes and potatoes with earthy aroma, dressed with freshly cracked black pepper sauce on a warm china plate. Complete with a glass of matching red wine and sparkling silver utensils. The dish could not be possible without the chef and kitchen helpers, who carefully select, prepare, cook, and then present the dish to the customer.

So, how is SH like the above? The author "takes" the reader into the kitchen to whip up a great meal of SH...

Livable Housing Design

The Lowdown of Livable Design

By Amelia Starr, Executive Director, LHA

LHA is a partnership between the residential development and construction industry, consumer groups and government.
LHA champion the adoption of Livable Housing Design features in all new homes built in Australia.

Formed in June 2011, LHA is the brainchild of the Kirribilli Dialogue on Universal Housing Design. A national Dialogue that brought together key stakeholders from the industry and community sector and government to develop a national plan of action on livable design. The key outcome of the Dialogue was the development of the Livable Housing Design (LHD) Guidelines – a new voluntary, national standard for livable design in mainstream housing.

In a Nutshell
Livable design is neither a new concept nor, necessarily dificult to achieve – it is however revolutionary in the social and economic dividends it will deliver to future generations of Australians. It’s about simple refinements, a refashioning if you like, in the way we design standard features and amenities in a home.

Hoists for the Home Environment

A Trifecta of Types

By Esther Huner, Ruwani Siriwardene, Rebecca Howard - OT, ILC NSW

This article describes the three types of Hoists available and explores the key features of each
- to assist the reader to make an informed decision when choosing the most appropriate hoist for any situation.

A hoist is designed to lift and carry a person, who is unable to stand unsupported, between two points. When choosing a hoist, the needs of both the individual being lifted (occupant) and the hoist operator should be considered. If an appropriate hoist is chosen and used effectively, the benefit to all include an improved quality of life and a greatly reduced risk of injury.