You only renovate a house maybe two or three times in a lifetime. It is worth considering using the principals of Universal Design in any new renovation. Incorporating Universal Design principals will not only make your house easier to live in but may delay moving into a care facility in your later life. You can live in your house longer. Here are five things to consider when you are planning your renovation.
Accessible building entrance on an accessible route.
An accessible route means a continuous, unobstructed path connecting accessible elements and spaces within a building or site that can be negotiated by a person with a disability who uses a wheelchair, and that is also safe for and usable by people with other disabilities.
Usable doors - that allow passage into and within all premises must be wide enough with a (nominal 32-inch) clear opening to allow passage by persons using wheelchairs.
Light switches, electrical outlets, thermostats, and other environmental controls in accessible locations.
Reinforced walls in bathrooms for later installation of grab bars.
Usable kitchens and bathrooms - that is, designed and constructed so an individual in a wheelchair can maneuver in the space provided.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms are one of the most dangerous rooms in a dwelling due to the hard, slippery-when-wet surfaces. Bathrooms typically have few handholds or other gripping surfaces useful for support. With the growing number of people with disabilities and the aging of our society, we have come to recognize that to be able to bathe safely and independently, people must be given a variety of bathing options. Traditional fixtures often do not meet the variety of individual needs.
Bathrooms designed using Universal Design principals provide a basic level of accessibility for a person using a wheelchair to maneuver about the space, approach and use the fixtures.
They do not differ in appearance from conventional bathroom designs.
Clear Space
In bathrooms, the basic building block of space used is a 30-inch x 48-inch clear floor space.
Clear floor space allow persons using wheelchairs and other mobility aides to approach and use the fixtures.
A 30-inch x 48-inch clear floor space is the approximate space occupied by an average size person in a conventional manual wheelchair.
Clear floor spaces for fixtures and appliances may overlap. The 30-inch x 48-inch clear floor space must be positioned for either a parallel or forward approach to toilets, vanities, baths and showers. Neither a vanity cabinet nor toilets should encroach on this clear floor space.
Shower Stall Size
A 36-inch deep or deeper stall better contains water and minimizes uneven warped surfaces so all four wheels of a persons shower wheelchair stay in contact with the floor. Thus, the user is better able to maintain traction and control when maneuvering into and out of the shower.
Other Considerations
Using vinyl safety flooring in conjunction with trench drains throughout the bathroom will ensure that you eliminate one of the major accident risks - wet slippery floors. Utilizing a trench drain at the perimeter of the shower stall, means that you only need to have a fall run one way for water run off. This will allow you to place a portable shower chair within the stall with minimal "wobble".
Installing single outlet mixer taps and a hand showers will enhance ease of use.
Putting some Universal Design thought into your next renovation project is bound to pay significant dividends in your later life.
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