“Accessibility Equals Energy” – Meet Accessibility Strategist Julie Sawchuk!
Release Date: 11/07/2022
Making Homes More Accessible for Disabled Children in Tennessee – How Tucker’s House transforms Houses into Homes
Accessible Housing Matters
How can the design of a home transform the daily life of a child with disabilities and have a lasting impact throughout their lifetime? How does this transformation affect their family and caregivers? This episode features Marcel Hernandez Development Director of Tucker's House, a nonprofit in Tennessee that customizes homes for disabled children. They focus on creating accessible spaces that cater to each child's needs, considering their future growth and independence. Marcel emphasizes the importance of a holistic and therapy-informed approach, not only making physical adjustments but...
info_outline
Here’s an idea: Make homes more accessible in an affordable way AND create jobs for marginalized groups at the same time!
Accessible Housing Matters
What if we could bridge the gap between accessible housing for the aging population and job creation for marginalized communities? Join us for an inspiring conversation with Kat Kabat, Director of Construction Operations at Hope Renovations, a non-profit organization transforming lives through accessible home renovations and construction training for women and genderqueer individuals. Discover how Hope Renovations is breaking down barriers, building safe living spaces, and creating a more inclusive world, one home and one career at a time. Learn how to support initiatives that...
info_outline
Living Safely in Your Home – Making Your Space More Accessible and Aging in Place
Accessible Housing Matters
Why is early and effective planning crucial for long-term home safety and independence? In this episode, Stephen interviews Janet Engel - an occupational therapist, certified aging-in-place specialist, and an executive certificate in home modification holder - to share her expertise and help people understand the importance of making their living space more accessible and safer for them to navigate. She explains how universal design features can help make life easier and stresses the importance of automation systems for those who don't do well with technology. Stephen and Janet discuss...
info_outline
Your House is “The Hub of Your Happiness” -- How Architect Aaron Murphy Empowers Housing by Advocating for “Aging in Place” for his Clients and by Coaching Other Professionals
Accessible Housing Matters
Why is it crucial to make homes more accessible for everyone? Today, Aaron Murphy, the founder of ForeverHOME, discusses how to create a safe and comfortable space for aging in place. Learn what universal design is and why it is vital to creating accessible homes for everyone. Hear how Aaron has been helping people age in place through his program and how to help those with limited financial resources access quality care. Discover what it’s like to be part of the sandwich generation and how Aaron’s own experience drives him to help others access the best care possible. Tune in...
info_outline
A Passion for Building Accessible Homes in South Florida – Meet Mike Donnelly and Garrett Mayersohn
Accessible Housing Matters
How do you envision a future where every community prioritizes accessibility and inclusivity in their housing options? Join us as we explore the inspiring story of Michael Donnelly and Garrett Mayersohn, two people working together to provide accessible housing for people with disabilities and seniors. They discuss their plan to market barrier-free housing as well as the Certified Aging in Place (CAP), which helps people understand how to design for accessibility in the home. They also touch on solutions that can help disabled people live more independently and have better access to...
info_outline
Designing Accessible Housing in New York State -- A Commitment to Supportive and Inclusive Housing
Accessible Housing Matters
How can you make housing more inclusive and accommodating for people with disabilities? This episode explores Ari Aufgang’s journey into creating supportive and inclusionary housing, his challenges, and the lessons he has learned along the way. He covers topics such as accessibility features for people with disabilities, how to manage public perception of inclusionary housing, and how to choose economical yet attractive elements when designing a building. Join us as we dive into understanding the needs of various populations and creating community within their designs! ...
info_outline
Accessible Housing Through Medicaid? How California’s CalAim Program Has the Potential to Change the Way We Think about Health Care Benefits
Accessible Housing Matters
Are you looking for a game-changer in healthcare and housing support? In this episode, Jacey Cooper – the California State Medicaid Director – talks about the changes being made to Medicaid in California to provide a broader range of services related to housing and accessibility. From providing community supports such as medically supportive housing and home modifications to recuperative care and rental assistance, she explains how these services are designed to help those in need remain safely housed. Hear how the CalAim initiative has successfully changed the trajectory of people’s...
info_outline
Remembering Bill Pelter, a Lifelong Disability Advocate, 1948-2023
Accessible Housing Matters
Remembering Bill Pelter Last month, our community lost one of our most beloved members. Bill Pelter was a life-long advocate for the civil rights of people with disabilities in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was wise, passionate, and tireless in his advocacy. He was also my friend. In recent years, he frequently spoke about how an aging society meant that many family members are “aging out” of their ability to care for loved ones who rely on their support and whom they have supported their whole lives. I had the immense privilege of interviewing Bill for this podcast in 2021. It was a...
info_outline
Housing Unlimited – Helping Hundreds of People in Mental Health Recovery Live Independent Lives
Accessible Housing Matters
How does providing affordable, independent housing through Housing Unlimited improve the quality of life for adults in mental health recovery? In this episode, our guest is Abe Schuchman, CEO of Housing Unlimited, a Maryland-based nonprofit that provides housing services to individuals with mental health challenges. Abe breaks down their unique shared housing model and focuses on the importance of natural support in shared living environments. He touches on the benefits of portable vouchers and stresses why focusing on people's strengths rather than weaknesses is vital. Join us in this...
info_outline
The Corporation for Independent Living – Developing Housing Opportunities for People with Disabilities in Connecticut & Massachusetts for More than 40 Years
Accessible Housing Matters
People and families thrive best when they have a place to call home and are fully included in the community. In this episode, Chris Canna dives deep into the challenges faced when providing accessible, safe housing for people with disabilities such as staffing needs and the cost of housing. He touches on CIL's work in Massachusetts & Connecticut and discusses how this is leading the way in providing accessible housing for people with disabilities, and their families and the importance of funding services. Let's dig into it! Chris Canna is the Vice President of Real Estate Development - an...
info_outlineAre you looking for ways to create an accessible space to live in? In this episode, Julie Sawchuk digs into how to identify any potential accessibility issues in a building, what can be done to make the building more accessible, and how much money should be budgeted for accessibility. She also describes better practices that would be more comfortable and safe for people with disabilities. Tune in and discover how to create an accessible home for you, your family, and your future!
Julie Sawchuk is a best-selling author, accessibility strategist, and educator at Sawchuk Accessible Solutions. After sustaining a spinal cord injury in 2015, Julie turned from teaching high school science to educating everyone that accessibility matters. Julie has completed accessibility ratings for commercial and institutional buildings all across Ontario Canada, but more importantly, she has helped people see that achieving a meaningful level of accessibility benefits everyone.
Key Highlights:
[00:01 - 06:47] Opening Segment
• Julie Sawchuck shares her background and work
- Her journey as an accessibility strategist
- She experienced first-hand the challenges of living with a disability
• How to help people build accessible homes
[06:48 - 13:15] Giving People Independence
• How thinking about the future can save money b
- Implementing universal design and accessibility
• Julie's insights about ramps
- How to improve access for people with disabilities
[13:16 - 20:02] Accessibility Equals Energy
• Why accessibility equals energy
- Check out Building Better Bathrooms
• Working with a professional to help you implement these strategies in your everyday life
• Realizing how important it is to have accessible housing
[20:03 - 26:47] Tips for Making Spaces More Accessible
• Julie shares her experiences as a person with a lived experience of accessibility issues
- How that has helped her become an expert in the field
• The importance of reaching out to your customers to get feedback on how accessible their spaces are
- People with accessibility concerns should reach out to experts in the field to make informed decisions
• Make sure to connect with other advocates for accessible spaces
[26:48 - 29:12] Closing Segment
• How to improve energy efficiency in a bathroom
Want to connect with Julie? Follow her on Instagram. Visit her website to move forward with accessibility!
Key Quotes:
"People with disabilities are problem solvers by nature, we have to be in order to basically live day to day." - Julie Sawchuk
"Accessibility adds up to give people independence, dignity, and safety, and all of those things together equal energy." - Julie Sawchuk
Please check out videos of many of the podcast episodes on my YouTube channel: Accessible Housing Matters,
To learn more, share feedback, or share guest ideas, please visit my website, or contact me on Facebook and Twitter.
Like what you've heard? Please review us! That helps let other people know about the podcast.
Accessible Housing Matters is dedicated to raising awareness about important issues around accessibility and housing, and getting conversations going.
I'd love to learn more about what's on your mind and get your feedback about the show.
Contact me directly at [email protected] to share your thoughts or arrange a call.