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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. 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