Community starts at home: Toward understanding the dynamic relationship between home usability and community participation for people with mobility disabilities

To foster meaningful participation within a community, people must have access to suitable and safe housing. Unfortunately, many people with disabilities currently reside in homes that fail to meet their functional, social, and psychological needs. Limited research has explored the interaction between housing and home usability on community participation for people with disabilities. This analysis seeks to delve deeper into the intricacies of the relationship between home usability and community participation. Employing a qualitative approach and analysis, we examine the experiences of participants who completed the Home Usability Program at Centers for Independent Living across the United States. Results indicate that home usability affects community participation dynamically through five, interconnected mechanisms: Health and Function, Autonomy and Choice, Social Interaction, Organization, and Safety.