A portable shower, for which she received Government funding, was installed at the house, where she lived until moving into her new home in October.<\/p>\n
The disability advocate is calling on the Government to act.<\/p>\n
She travels for work and \u201cI never know what I\u2019m going to find\u201d in a supposedly accessible hotel room.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no enforceable standards that say, \u2018This is the specifications.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Disabled people already suffered from isolation because of barriers preventing them from fully participating in society, she said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThen you have Christmas time, and you cannot visit your family … because there\u2019s steps or the doors are too narrow, you won\u2019t be able to use the bathroom.\u201d<\/p>\n
Juliana Carvalho’s home in Tauranga has an accessible bathroom, kitchen and wardrobe, wider doorways, sliding doors and no carpet. Photo \/ Megan Wilson<\/p>\n
Speaking to the Bay of Plenty Times at her P\u0101p\u0101moa home, Carvalho said she contacted Barrett Homes in October 2023 to buy her first house.<\/p>\n
Nothing was suitable on the market.<\/p>\n
In June 2024, she bought a home-and-land package and worked with Barrett Homes to make accessible alterations to the plans.<\/p>\n
Building from scratch allowed a \u201cfit for purpose\u201d home to be built. It was also cheaper than retrofitting an existing home, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a dream.\u201d<\/p>\n
Juliana Carvalho has an accessible ensuite bathroom. Photo \/ Megan Wilson <\/p>\n
Originally from Brazil, Carvalho said she was a healthy 19-year-old university student when she started feeling unwell.<\/p>\n
\u201cI went to hospital walking, and then in 48 hours my body totally paralysed.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the intensive care unit, she could only move her head.<\/p>\n
Lupus had caused inflammation of her spinal cord.<\/p>\n
She did a lot of physiotherapy to regain movement in her arms and fingers, which was a \u201cmiracle\u201d. <\/p>\n
Her legs were still paralysed.<\/p>\n
The consultant, author and comedian wrote a book, In My Chair or Yours.<\/p>\n
She said she was \u201cproud to be disabled\u201d as it built her resilience.<\/p>\n
Juliana Carvalho can now easily cook and do the dishes thanks to having an accessible kitchen. Photo \/ Megan Wilson<\/p>\n
Barrett Homes national sales manager Lianne Simpkin said it was important that elderly or disabled people could choose accessibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve looked to make a specification that people can opt for … and it\u2019s not that much of a variation in cost.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ben O\u2019Meara, the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha\u2019s deputy chief of executive policy and insights, said an analysis of accessibility and disability-specific legislation in Australia, Canada, the UK, the US, Bangladesh and Brazil was completed in July last year and provided to the minister\u2019s office.<\/p>\n
It found legislation was \u201cnot a silver bullet\u201d, with several countries experiencing issues with implementation and enforcement.<\/p>\n
Whaikaha had focused on accessibility initiatives, including reviewing the building framework standard to ensure buildings and facilities were accessible, and improving the mobility parking system, he said.<\/p>\n
Housing was a main focus for the New Zealand disability strategy. It would soon appoint members from the disability community to a newly established advisory group to provide expertise and advice on accessibility matters.<\/p>\n
Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston said she sympathised with disabled people facing challenges with accessibility, especially in housing.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs minister, my absolute priority is to ensure the disability support system is more consistent, transparent, sustainable and fair \u2013 this includes improving accessibility for the disability community.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said Whaikaha\u2019s analysis was used to frame work within the disability strategy, and Whaikaha had just finished consulting on it.<\/p>\n
The importance of accessibility was clear across all priority outcome areas within the draft strategy. <\/p>\n