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The Citizen, 2019-01-03, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2019. PAGE 19. Thank you to all who came out and shared the spirit our community by dedicating ornaments in memory of loved ones who have passed. Brussels ~ 519-887-6336 Continued from page 18 Roofing was on, the windows were in and it started to feel real. I loved going into the house with my wheelchair and feeling out the space. There is now room to move, turn, see out every window and get in and out of the garage. Location of the electrical outlets and lighting were the next decisions. Switches are six inches lower and outlets six inches higher – all this means less reach and expending less energy. Consideration was also made for the location of our bed so that lights can be turned off without having to get out of bed or roll around in the dark. Choosing flooring was tough. Wheelchairs are like dogs – they track in everything! It had to be durable, smooth, not slippery when wet and not show tracks. I rolled on a lot of samples! In the end we made a choice from Watson’s Home Hardware – hoping it will stand the test of time. When you enter the kitchen, the first thing you notice is the light coming from the large windows over the counters. This means no upper cabinets – goodbye reaching stick – but we still needed to have space to put things. This is why we have a pantry that includes an upright freezer and three walls of shelving. Outlets are arranged below the counter so I don’t have to reach all the way to the wall. Kitchen counters are at various heights, one with a small sink to roll under or sit at, the other for tall people to wash dishes. There is also a large butcher block for baking or eating breakfast. There is five feet of space between counters, enough room for me to wheel around the dishwasher when open and allow us all to share the space. Five feet seems like a lot on paper, but in reality it will lead to less cursing (by me) in the kitchen. Some of our appliances are different than those in the average home. The oven is a European convection oven with a side-opening hinged door. This way, I won’t have to reach over a hot door to pull out a pan. The fridge has an integrated front panel, blending in with the rest of the wall cabinets. It is just a fridge; a standard bottom freezer gets in the way of my wheels and a top freezer I can’t reach. Both of these, and the rangehood, are from Eurohome Appliances. The new front load washer is essential for me to be able to do laundry. The freezer, washer, dishwasher and microwave are all from Good Choice. The two bathroom vanities have knee space underneath them and the master bathroom has a roll-in shower with a (soon-to-be-complete, custom-built) fold-down, padded shower bench. Some shower benches are meant for people who need to take a seat while showering while others who must sit should have padding to protect their skin. Although there are good guidelines in the Ontario Building Code for grab bar placement, when it is your own home you can do what works for you. I will place an L-bar on the wall where the shower head is located and a drop down bar on the end of the bench to help with transfers to and from my wheelchair. The roll-in shower has a one per cent slope toward the wall with a straight drain along the wall. This allows water to flow in one direction rather than what happens with a round drain. Round drains lead to slope from multiple directions potentially causing someone to be off balance. The tiles have a bit of texture for some grip when they are wet. The shower curtain will help prevent the rest of the bathroom from getting wet and the heated floors allow it to dry quickly. There are also grab bars placed on either side of the toilet. It is taller than a standard toilet (17 inches plus the seat) and has an elongated bowl with a front-opening seat. Ideally, your toilet seat should have anti-slip bumpers on the underside. Remember that toilet paper holders should always be placed under the grab bar. We took future possibilities into consideration when planning the bathroom. There may be a time when I am not able to transfer independently and will need a lift to move from my wheelchair. In order to accommodate this, there is an outlet in the ceiling and the trusses are rated for the increased load. Storage in the bathroom will (almost) all be at a height that I can reach. The landscapers are always the last to be invited to the house- building party. Building is a mucky process, especially with such a wet fall. Paul VanderMolen and his crew from Lawnmasters will be working to make the outside of the house as smooth as the inside. The land is sloped gradually away for rain and melt water run-off. A cement pad was poured in front of the garage door and UniLock brick will be used for the front walk and patio. It will all be made at a slope that is gradual up to the door sill. There are two doorways at the back of the house. The first leads out to the patio from the kitchen. It will have several raised beds for my close-to-the-house garden. The second door leads from the master bedroom onto a small covered porch. That is my emergency escape door – straight from the bedroom outside – I can’t exactly crawl out a window in the event of a fire. We have tried to consider everything – but like any build, I’m sure I’ll have more to say once I have actually lived there. This is the short version of how to build an accessible house. The long version is yet to come, as it has not been written, but I plan on doing so this year. It will be published as a book and I’ll be sure to let The Citizen know when it is available. This is my second-to-last column for The Citizen. Thank you for following – I know you are making a difference. The Citizen 413 Queen St., Blyth 519-523-4792 541 Turnberry St., Brussels 519-887-9114 See our great selection of books at... Happy New Year A BABY BOOMER’S EYE CHART Who says aging can’t have a little fun thrown in. 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See through gorgeous photographs how wood is utilized from the exterior in siding and log homes to detailing, to interior panelling and trim to furniture. 33% off Only $29.99 Sawchuks build new house, highlighting accessibility A new beginning Accessible design is a must for Julie Sawchuk as she and her family built a new home after a collision that paralyzed her from the chest down. The new master bedroom, for example, includes an emergency exit and light switches that she can reach from her wheelchair. (Photo submitted)