Twitter #KBTRIBECHAT transcript 11/16/11
Look For Long-Term Livability With Aging In Place Design
Say "aging in place" and people often get visions of turning their homes into some sort of barrier-free institutional setting. Fortunately the kind of Universal Design that allows aging in place has come a long way since its earlier "barrier free" versions. Today what needs to be considered from design and decorating aspects are improvements that increase safety, comfort, accessibility and ease of upkeep.
The latest innovations in home decorating ideas, along with products and floor plans, pay close attention to these principles. Architects and builders have realized that people can use safer, more comfortable, more accessible and lower maintenance home environments at any stage of life or with any physical condition.
In fact, most advocates for people with handicapping conditions say that nearly everyone will be in need of a safe, accessible living environment at some point in their lives. Small children need to be protected from all kinds of hazards. Pregnant women, especially in late pregnancy, have mobility issues just like elderly people or people who've injured a limb.
As a result, more and more designers are alert to ways to incorporate the ideas behind "aging in place" in every aspect of the home. Here are some of the more common suggestions made by universal design experts.
* Install laminate flooring, cork, engineered or wood-flooring in the bathroom and kitchen to reduce joint pain and muscle fatigue while standing.
* Install lever handles on doors and closets for easy access for all, especially people with conditions such as arthritis or Parkinson's disease.
* Reduce tripping hazards by eliminating floor transitions greater than 1/4 inch deep. Remove high-pile wall-to-wall carpeting and replace it with no-slip flooring and low-pile, well-anchored area rugs with non-skid backing.
* Replace knobs on cabinets with D-shaped or U-shaped hardware to allow space for fingers to slide behind the pull to open the door.
* Request "comfortable height" toilets or toilets seats that are 17-18" off the floor when remodeling a bathroom. These higher toilets are easier to use for older residents with limited mobility or for those who use wheelchairs. Check the product's specifications to get a toilet that's approximately the same height as a resident's wheelchair.
* Select faucets with levers or "fins" for handles to make their use easier for all residents.
* Everyone loses visual acuity as they age. Install more task lighting, such as lights beneath cabinets to illuminate kitchen countertops better. Add or enlarge windows to bring in more natural lighting, or use natural lighting bulbs or fixtures. Change lighting fixtures to reduce glare.
* Increase contrasts throughout the home to compensate for lower vision from age or physical conditions such as cataracts or age-related macular degeneration. Use brightly colored area rugs to denote different floor levels, such as black rugs against light flooring.
Above all, consider long-term livability when building or remodeling a home. Anything from varied counter heights to help sitting and standing to level thresholds that allow easy entry improve a home environment for people of all ages. Don't think in terms of age necessarily; think in terms of quality of life, and improvements will naturally suggest themselves.