how housing affects mental health
Our homes can have a negative, or positive, impact on our mental health and general wellbeing, depending on housing quality. Research suggests that children growing up in poorer-quality housing compared to higher-quality housing are more likely to experience depressive symptoms, highlighting the importance of adequate living spaces for families.
when home no longer feels like home
For Victoria, having sufficient living arrangements not only improved her mental health, but also meant her children could have their independence back.
Victoria is a chartered accountant, though she’s no longer practising due to the needs of her family. A mum of four, Victoria faced difficulties when it came to light that one of her children needed extra care.
‘’She was born with special needs, and it was just a struggle. I stopped working at that point and became a stay-at-home mum. I probably would have been described as a bit depressed, but you just have to carry on as a mum, or I felt I had to and just kept going.’’
At first, while difficult, there hadn’t been a great strain on her family, but things became more complicated as her daughters got older and outgrew out of their living arrangements.
‘’Fast forward a few years, and my eldest is about 9 years old, sharing a room due to our house not having enough bedrooms- we are in a three-bed house with four kids. It was unmanageable. We were in and out at night, changing her, which meant her big sister was constantly waking up. Her quality of life wasn’t good.’’
the turning point
For Victoria, her family’s wellbeing is her number one priority and so, seeing that her eldest daughter was suffering, she decided to see what help was available. ‘’I knew of the government facilities grant to help with home adaptations. We had a small garage that could be converted, so I reached out. I did everything within my power, but when we had an assessment from an occupational therapist from the local council, we were denied. It felt like no one could help me - it was a low point.’’
With every door seemingly being slammed shut, Victoria felt at a loss. Desperate to help her family, she finally reached out to caba – a step she’d avoided because she wasn't sure caba was for people like her – but thankfully she was proven wrong.
‘’The support officer at caba was so generous and explained the whole situation,’’ she said. caba organised for another occupational therapist to visit the home, and this time, it made a real difference.
a home that works for the whole family
Because caba helped Victoria appeal the government grant, she was able to convert her garage into another bedroom. This meant her daughters no longer had to share a bedroom, and the quality of life for her entire family improved.
‘’They were just so supportive throughout the whole process. Even just that has changed the trajectory of life for my eldest daughter, who’s had a much better quality of life and even got into grammar school, thanks to having a sufficient space to study.’’
As Victoria’s story proves, your surroundings change your mood, wellbeing and even the trajectory of your life. If your home is negatively impacting you, there is help available.
As well as helping navigate local councils, caba can support with benefits advice, emergency housing and grants for furniture, home adaptations and bills. Get in touch with us to talk about our support.
