The presence of universal design features in consumers' current residences and planned use in future homes

by Nunn, Teresa L.

This study measures both the number of universal design features present in the respondents’ current homes and their desire to have these features in a future home as well as housing, household and personal characteristics that predict the incorporation of universal design features. Data were collected from mail survey responses from 444 households selected from a national random sample of U.S. households. Home owners 60 years and older were over sampled. Descriptive results show that the current selection and future desire for specific universal design elements varies by age. Multiple regression analysis shows that the increased age of the home owner and the newer age of the dwelling predicted more universal design features in a current home. The increased age of the home owner, the presence of a person with mobility impairment in the home and having plans to move predicted the desire for more universal design features in a future residence.