Home Truths is an awareness campaign brought to you by Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) to highlight the lived experience of people with disabilities in the housing market, and to expose the barriers IWA members face to secure wheelchair liveable housing. 

Meet Katie

25-year-old Katie Kelly from Co Kilkenny, has a muscle wasting condition ‘Friedreich Ataxia’ and describes her struggle with isolation and loneliness having no choice but to remain in her rural family home, whilst waiting for an accessible home to become available in the city which will finally give her the independence that she so desperately craves and the opportunities that go with it.

“We don’t have a right, we don’t have a voice. I’m looking to live a life with purpose.”

Meet Glenn

Glenn Quinn is 61-years-of age and from being able bodied all his life is now in a wheelchair due to a degenerating medical condition. Glenn bravely shares the realities of facing eviction and living on the Housing Assisted Payment (HAP). He is now desperately seeking wheelchair liveable housing.

“I need an apartment at one level so that I can function as a human being”. 

Meet Elitsa

42-year-old Elitsa Borisova shares her long battle to secure wheelchair accessible accommodation, highlighting her concern about having to move from an area where she feels safe and secure and has established friendships. Although happy that she is not being made homeless she is sad to be saying goodbye to the community she knows so well and wishes it hasn’t come to this. Elitsa, who has an acquired disability from childhood, want choice not charity.

Meet Kasper

Kaspar Cauns is 42 years of age and lives in Co. Kildare. He suffered a life-changing injury in a motorbike accident which resulted in him spending nine years in a nursing home waiting for a home, and once he got a house he was waiting nearly two years for a Personal Assistant package. He speaks of how ‘low’ he felt, and how there was ‘no meaning’ to his life. 

Meet Yvonne

Yvonne Fahy (48) has been living independently in Galway for over 20 years.  An car accident in 2000 changed her life forever but story illustrates the positive outcomes that are possible when people with physical disabilities are provided with a suitable home to call their own. “I never thought that it would be possible for me to live independently, because I didn’t have the confidence and courage in myself to do so,” said Yvonne. “However, it was the best move I ever made.” 

IWA would like to sincerely thank Katie, Glenn, Elitsa, Kaspar and Yvonne for sharing their own personal home truth in this series of videos which lay bare the harsh and poignant challenges they have faced.

We are committed towards campaigning on this issue. Awareness is hugely valuable so please head over to our social media channels and join in the conversation using #HomeTruths.

If you have any queries, would like to be involved or kept up to date on this campaign please email us at news@iwa.ie

Together, we can make a home into a truth for everyone.

This project was supported under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) Grant Scheme.

View Home Truths Appeal