New home a ‘weight lifted off shoulders’ for Len

The hospital told Len he’d be unable to return to his double-storey house due to the stairs, which were incompatible with his recovery.

Recognising the urgency, the Kāinga Ora placement and housing support teams worked quickly to find a suitable home.

They identified a newly finished single-level home with accessibility features such as an accessible shower and wheelchair access and arranged a viewing—allowing Len, still in hospital, to discuss its suitability with his sister Gaye.

“Hearing about the new house over the phone was a huge relief,” said Len. “I’m so grateful to Gaye and the Kāinga Ora team for making this happen so quickly.”

Once Len agreed to the move, Kāinga Ora wasted no time and movers were immediately contacted.

“We understood the urgency,” said Senior Housing Support Manager David.

“Len’s whānau supported the move so well that we were able to visit him in the hospital and complete the sign-up process while they carried out tasks in his absence.”

“Fortunately, in Hamilton we’ve delivered 206 new homes with accessibility features in the past financial year, which allowed us to act so quickly,” said David.

Just a few days after the initial call, Len moved into his new home and says the accessible features have made daily life much easier.

“I feel safe and comfortable here, and it’s been a huge weight off my shoulders knowing that everything is set up for my needs,” he shared.

Gaye also reflected on the smooth transition saying, “Kāinga Ora was incredible. They moved at lightning speed and made sure everything was perfect for my brother. We couldn’t have asked for better support.”