Posted on Tue, Jul 13, 2010
Posted by: Brian Ciota, Vice President
The “Universal Design” movement has gained momentum because of the advocacy efforts of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). One of the goals of AARP is to enable retirees and older adults to remain in their homes and live independently, safely and comfortably for as long as possible. The U.S. Baby Boom generation is 77 million strong (28 percent of the population) and has reached the age of 50+. As this cohort ages, making changes in their home environments will be essential to their quality of life.
To address this issue, AARP collaborated with the National Association of Home Builders to train contractors and remodelers in modifying homes to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities and senior adults. The Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) training program was designed by the Remodelers Council of NAHB, the NAHB Research Center and NAHB Senior Housing Council in consultation with AARP.
Graduates of the CAPS program are trained in:
- Communication techniques.
- Identifying home modifications or changes that will help people live independently in their homes.
- Finding solutions to common obstacles that make houses unsafe or uncomfortable.
- Technical/construction aspects of designing environments for a lifetime.
- Ethics.
Once certified, CAPS contractors must maintain their credentials through continuing education and subscribe to a Code of Ethics.
A CAPS contractor will typically address the barriers and obstacles in a home of a person with special needs by:
- Creating access to enable an individual to safely and securely enter and exit their home.
- Improving the function of the kitchen for easy meal preparation and eating.
- Modifying bathrooms for safety and access.
- Enabling a person to maneuver in their home safely, securely and independently.
- Designing accommodations while preserving the aesthetics of a home.
AARP maintains a list of certified contractors and remodelers and will help consumers locate CAPS contractors in their area. Scott McClurg is a CAPS-certified professional and is available to answer your questions about “Universal Design” and “Aging-in-Place.”
One final note, not only are organizations such as AARP and NAHB promoting “Universal Design,” but consumers are beginning to show more interest in home features that promote comfort, ease of access and safety. Adding these amenities can add value to your home.
Posted on Tue, Jul 06, 2010
Posted by: Brian Ciota, Vice President
If you’ve had a child with a broken leg, parents who are experiencing problems with walking or if you have had an injury or surgery which has impeded your mobility, you know that entering and exiting buildings can be a problem. There is nothing more frustrating than being unable to enter or exit your home easily.
When considering new construction or remodeling your home, consider designs that accommodate residents at all levels of ability and at life’s various stages. In the construction and remodeling business, designing for easy access is referred to as “Universal Design.” The living space should be usable by all regardless of age, size or abilities.
Here are some tips for making entryways secure and easy to access:
- Add lights to pathways and entryways to your home.
- Install flood lights with motion sensors and lights with photoelectric eyes that automatically turn on at dusk and off at dawn.
- Check walkways frequently to be sure they’re in good condition. Repair holes, cracks, loose pavers and unlevel areas of sidewalks and paths.
- Install handrails on both sides of steps.
- Install lever style door handles.
- Install no step, no trip thresholds near doors.
- Exterior doors should be 36 inches wide to allow for 32 inches of clearance.
- There should be at least one no-step entry into a home.
- Consider non-slip flooring in the foyer.
- Install a peep hole at an appropriate height for residents for security.
- If needed, install ramps to doorways. The slope of a ramp should be no greater than a 1 inch rise for each foot of length and there should be handrails. A 5 foot landing should be built at the entrances and a ramp should have 2 inch curbs for safety. Ramps can be built to look attractive and to complement the architecture of a home.
For more information, check out these Web sites:
Posted on Tue, Jun 29, 2010
Posted by: Brian Ciota, Vice President
A friend of mine was talking about the experience of caring for her elderly mother and noted, "I never thought our family home (a two story cape, built in the early 1950s) could be so hazardous." One of her most difficult tasks was helping her mother to the bathroom. "The bathroom is next door to her bedroom but with her walker the halls and doorways are too narrow. Although we installed grab bars and purchased a shower seat, it's hard to lift her into the tub. I don't know how long she will be able to live at home."
Homes can become hazardous not only for older adults but even for those with temporary mobility impairments like a teen who breaks a leg in football practice or a person recovering from surgery.
If you're planning to update or remodel a bathroom consider the following "Universal Design" adaptations to improve access and safety in your home:
- Install a no-threshold walk-in shower or mini-threshold water dam shower with minimum dimensions of 5 feet by 3 feet.
- Add a built-in shower seat.
- Place grab bars in the shower, tub and near the toilet.
- Install several showerheads, including a hand-held adjustable height showerhead with easy to operate controls.
- Widen the doorway to 36 inches in the bathroom entrance.
- If possible, allow for maneuvering space. Ideally, allocate space to accommodate a 60 inch turning radius.
- Replace twist handle faucets with lever handle, anti-scald faucets.
- Consider installing a pedestal sink. Not only are they attractive, but the sink is accessible to those in your home who use a walker, wheelchair or crutches.
- If you are installing a vanity, mount the sink bowl close to the edge for easier use and select cabinetry with easy-glide drawers that close automatically.
- Toilets should be centered 18 inches from any sidewall, tub or cabinet and the seat should be 18 to 19 inches off the floor for older persons, lower for children.
- Replace round door knobs with lever handle knobs.
- Install lighting to provide good visibility when using the shower, tub, sink and toilet. Also, add a night light.
Many bathrooms are part of a master bedroom suite or located just outside the bedroom. To make your bedroom space more accommodating:
- Add a night light.
- Install additional electrical outlets to accommodate technology or future medical equipment.
- Fit closets with multi-level clothing rods or multi-level pull-out drawers and shelving. Don't use bi-fold doors on closets because they can be difficult to open and close.
The television show "This Old House" has an interesting "how-to" video on Choosing Universal-Design Bath Fixtures. Also, AARP offers a home accessibility checklist for bathrooms.
Posted on Tue, Jun 22, 2010
Posted by: Brian Ciota, Vice President
Recently I met with a client who wanted to remodel a kitchen. Her house was built in 1958 and the kitchen layout and cabinets were original to the home. She told me it wasn't a practical design. She had to get down on her hands and knees to access the lower cupboards, the work triangle didn't provide for modern appliances, food prep space was scarce, the sink had an old fixture that lacked a spray to clean dishes, and the faucet was too low to fill large pots. When she was preparing meals, she often banged her head on an exhaust hood placed over a cook top on a peninsula.
This homeowner, who is a "Baby Boomer", plans to live in the house for another 20 years. She wants the kitchen to work for her today and in the future. She's also concerned about installing any "accessibility" features that might affect the resale value of her home.
If you can relate to this situation and are planning to remodel your kitchen, consider the following ideas to enhance the function, safety and value of your home:
- If your plans include "gutting" a kitchen, reframe doorways and allow at least 36 inches for clearance and easy access.
- Install multi-height, rounded edge countertops so household members can work either standing or sitting.
- Install storage with pull-out shelves, carousels and adjustable height shelving to keep you off your knees and from stretching on your toes and losing your balance when you reach in the back of upper cabinets for stored goods and dishware.
- Add a stove top "pot filler" water fixture to your cooking area so you won't have to lift heavy water filled pots and carry them from the sink to the stove.
- Place your garbage disposal switch in a location where it is easily accessible.
- Install built-in storage space for recyclables and trash.
- Add anti-scald faucets with lever handles to your sinks.
- Use D-shaped or pull-style cabinet and drawer pulls.
- When selecting a refrigerator, consider an easy access side-by-side model or an under-counter drawer-style unit.
- A drawer-style dishwasher will reduce the need for bending.
- Add extra electrical outlets for small appliances, including under the counter for easy access.
- Install bright non-glare task lighting over work areas, -sink, stove and counters.
Before you remodel, consult a kitchen designer or a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist about your needs and options. They are knowledgeable about aesthetics and details that you may not have considered. More information about "Universal Design" ideas for kitchens is available on the American Association of Retired Persons Web site.
Posted on Tue, Jun 15, 2010
Posted by: Brian Ciota, Vice President
Over the course of time, we experience many changes in our lifestyles and our homes must evolve to adapt to these changes. If you're a parent of young children worried about home safety, a family caregiver attending to the needs of elderly parents, or a person with a disability, you'll want your home environment to accommodate your lifestyle.
"Universal Design" is a concept that considers the home environment of individuals at all stages of life by eliminating barriers and installing products everyone can use. Construction and design professionals realize that people go through changes and we work with homeowners to create attractive environments for all people to function in regardless of age, size or abilities.
Here are some general tips for making your home user-friendly throughout the years. I will be writing about "Universal Design" room-by-room in upcoming blog posts and welcome your questions and comments.
- Entryways can present obstacles. One step-free entrance to your home will ease access and safety.
- Add handrails to existing steps and porches. Falls often occur in these areas.
- Use lever-style handles to make opening doors easy for all.
- Install flush thresholds when installing carpeting and flooring to eliminate tripping hazards.
- Wide doorways and halls simplify life for everyone. Doorways at least 36 inches wide make it easy to move furniture or appliances into the home and accommodate people with wheelchairs or walkers. Hallways at least 42 inches wide give a home a spacious look and make it easier to maneuver and move furnishings.
- Install rocker light switches to turn lights on and off with ease. Place light switches 42 to 48 inches from the floor where everyone can reach them.
- Place electrical outlets 18 to 20 inches off the floor.
- Install thermostats no higher than 48 inches off of the floor.
- Create a laundry area on the first floor. Purchase raised front-loading washing machines and dryers to avert bending and back strain.
- Install lever-style faucets on sinks.
- Install windows that can be opened and closed easily.
- Consider single story living if you are building or purchasing an existing home.
For more information about Universal Design, check out the Web sites of the National Association of Home Builders and the American Association of Retired Persons.