Universal Design and Aging In Place Part 2

In Part One of this series,we gave you a very brief idea of what Universal Design and Aging in Place is all about. We would like to expand upon that in this installment. The term Universal Design (UD) has a fairly broad scope. Aging in Place really is a portion of UD. The definition of Universal Design is;“The design of products and environments to be usable by all people,to the greatest extent possible,without the need for adaptation or specialized design”. The intent is that anyone … tall,short,young,old,obese,blind,deaf,partially impaired,severely impaired,mentally challenged,etc.,can use the space or product without any special adaptation or special knowledge and so that in the future,no matter which of those categories someone fits into,the house will be suitable without major modifications. Flexibility of use is the main idea.

Aging in Place is something more specific to accommodating for the issues of age,which also happen to be many of the same principles applied in UD. An entry with no steps for instance accommodates a wheel chair for an aging person but also accommodates for those who are blind or partially impaired and is not so specifically adaptive that it causes a problem for those with no impairments at all.

Your First Step? Start thinking about what it will be like in 10 years,or 30 years? Do you have any known issues or potential disabilities you or a loved one might be facing? What would you do if help were unavailable? Look ahead and start making provisions for the future now.

• Why not design and build the house right in the first place?

• Why not adapt the house to your life,rather than making yourself adapt to the house?

• Why not make doorways,hallways,and bathrooms wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair?

• Why not make entries to the house easier for all of us to go through,without tripping over steps?

• Why not add a little reinforcing in a few places in bathroom walls so you can easily install grab bars?

• Why not choose doorknobs,faucet handles and light switches that are easier for everyone to use?

   

The fact is that as our bodies change over the years,our homes don’t always keep up! Universal Design and Aging in Place principles apply virtually everywhere in a home. They can be put in place in the kitchen,bathroom,bedroom,entry,garage,deck,stairs,halls,driveways,windows,doors,patio,laundry room … and the list goes on. It has to do with all kinds of abilities and impairments such as hearing,vision,mobility,strength and stamina,touch,smell,limited reach,balance,etc.,much of it relating to general safety,ingress and egress,fire safety as well as comfort,convenience,familiarity and feelings of independence.

In Part Three of this topic we will debunk the three myths of Universal Design and Aging in Place and talk about how to get started in your planning.

See you next time.