HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1994-05-11, Page 22f
PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 11,1994.
& o & & tt & o & Home and Gorden’94
Ideas make homes user friendly for elderly
There may be no place like
home, but as people age, the home
that has always surrounded them
with comfort may become
something of an obstacle course for
daily living.
Non-disabling conditions often
associated with aging can make a
familiar home less user-friendly. It
may be arthritis, which affects the
ability to bend, stoop or grip; or it
could be hearing or vision
impairments, such as depth
perception problems.
The kitchen and the bath, two of
the most frequently-used rooms in
the home, can present special
challenges for an aging resident.
But today, there's greater sensitivity
to designing spaces and products
that are accessible and adaptable to
changing needs.
For older adults who are planning
to build or remodel a home in
which they expect to remain for the
rest of their lives, the key is to
think ahead. Consider products and
design features that are suitable for
How to
make a
table skirt
Continued from page 21
books. The possibilities are almost
endless. Just picture how a fabric-
covered trunk, wicker baskets with
starched fabric bows, a decoupage
breakfast tray or a covered
wastebasket could add even more
charm to a room! Here are
instruction for a favourite project: a
table skirt.
• Prewash fabric. Measure
tabletop diameter, divide number in
half to find table center.
• Measure from tabletop center to
edge, then edge to desired length
(floor-length here), adding 1/2 inch
for hem. Record this measurement
(in this case, 39 1/2 inches).
• Cut out semi-circle, unfold raw
edge to make hem, blind stitch.
able-bodied residents now, and that
also will work if a family member
needs more assistance later on, due
to age or infirmity.
• Make sure there's sufficient
space for a wheelchair's standard
turning radius of 60 inches (five
feet). And don't foTget that a person
using a walker also needs some
extra room to swing the device
around.
• Plan for wider doorways and
hallways. They improve accessi
bility.
• If you think you may need grab
bars later, have walls reinforced
during the construction project, and
mark a set of plans so the
reinforcements can be found when
needed.
• In the kitchen and bath, plan for
some counterspace with the right
height and sufficient clearance
underneath it for someone who is
seated.
• Adequate lighting is
“tremendously important,” but it
should not glare. Matte finish
surfaces also will cut down on
reflected glare.
There's nothing like natural
daylight to give skin tones a
healthy glow, so make provisions
for natural light wherever
possible.”
• Avoid too much contrast in
floor treatments. For a person with
poor depth perception, a floor
pattern with strongly contrasting
colours can give the illusion that
there is a step to be negotiated.
To equip these newly-designed
spaces, there are new products on
the market that address the issues
of accessibility, safety and
convenience with style, according
to Tony Lett, product manager and
accessible products specialist at
Kohler Co., the nation’s leading
manufacturer of plumbing and
specially products. Bathtubs are
becoming more user friendly.
Some come with a removable
transfer scat, which enables the
user to sit down on the seat, and
swing his or her legs over the side
of the bath, Lett says. This is
helpful for those with back, hip and
knee problems.
Grab bars have been integrated
into bath tubs and shower
enclosures. These new grab bars
are made of sturdy, attractive
materials such as nylon, and come
in a variety of colours.
It's now possible to have a
wheelchair-accessible lavatory in a
convenient countertop installation.
“These specially-designed lava
tories have shallow basins that
provide leg clearance for
wheelchair users, and a shape that
brings the faucets closer to the
user,” Lett says.
New shower faucets offer a
pressure balancing feature that
prevents dangerous hot and cold
water surgers. And there are hand
held showers which bring the
showerhead to the user for safe
shampooing and localized
cleansing. Some products, like
toilets with higher bowls to make it
easier to transfer from a wheelchair
to the seat, and faucets with lever
handles that can be easily operated
with the palm the hand, have been
available for some time. They are
now available in attractive styles
suitable for residential use.
(ADDA TASTE OF YESTER-YEAR >
TO YOUR HOME WITH A SOLID
PINE HANDCRAFTED SCREEN DOOFL )
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