Most Americans want to remain in their homes as they age, even if they should require assistance and care. More and more American homeowners age 45 and older are showing interest in receiving information about remaining in their homes as they get older.
We start aging from the day we are born. We face ever- changing challenges depending upon our stage in life, and sometimes we face the same challenges no matter if we are one or ninety-one; wheelchair dependent, or just having to deal with a temporary cast.
With a little forethought when the houses are first built, most of these issues can be avoided very easily, and without much additional cost. If we initially design our homes for EVERY stage of life using universal design principals, we lessen the likelihood of having to overcome inconvenient (and sometimes life-threatening) obstacles posed by our own homes.
Much discussion on designing for aging in place focuses on ways that designers can improve accessibility and functionality for persons with limited mobility or other types of disabilities. Designers can play another, important role in assisting occupants as they age. By creating environments that ensure their safety and provide sensory and cognitive stimulation, designers also can help keep elderly persons healthier longer.
Although the CDC report, The State of Aging and Health in America, does not specifically mention design, it does highlight several areas of concern that, “if effectively addressed, will significantly improve the quality of life for older adults.” Some of these involve indoor environmental issues that can be addressed in part by design solutions:
- Maintain cognitive function and possibly prevent cognitive decline by providing surroundings that stimulate the senses and curiosity, and that evoke positive emotions while helping to relieve stress and depression
- Prevent or delay disease or disability through environments that encourage physical activity
- Prevent falls, which are the leading cause of hospitalization and injury among the elderly
These may seem like small improvements when viewed within the context of other health issues affecting the elderly. Yet, they could greatly benefit potentially millions of older adults for many years, as well as reduce health care spending and caregiver burden.
The biggest difference from general residential design is increased emphasis on and depth of the client profile. We always ask our clients about their personal preferences and desires. We always find out what about their home they like or hate. We always ask about the improvement they hope this project will have on their lives. Those are still relevant questions, but now we frame them in a more personal way:
- Are some household activities more difficult now than they were in the past?
- Do you have health conditions that may impact your ability to use space and design?
- What else about your health and prognosis should I know to do a good job on this project?
If you think these questions are too personal, think first about aging. It is really popular. Everyone is doing it. This is a trend that cannot become dated.
The facts on aging are pretty clear. It is not an acute illness like the flu or bronchitis. It’s a chronic condition, meaning it will not get better in the short term. We have to live with the impact. Aging is progressive, meaning change will continue and it is downhill from here.
Prognosis is no more than what a reasonable person can expect from dealing with current information. If you have grown to be sore after a day working in the garden, yoga may help, but it will not bring a reversal. Maybe you are stiff and sore more often, take longer to recover from tennis aches, make more trips to the bathroom and sleep less regularly. None of that is so bad. It is the cost of progress we all aspire to, considering the alternative! If you are being treated for other conditions, your doctor should help you know what to expect.
It is important to remember that people age differently, for different reasons and at different rates. Just because two people may be 80 years old, their flexibility, cognitive skills and physiology may not be the same at all. One may be able to ride a bicycle to the store, while others may not be able to walk down the hallway unassisted. Therefore, you must really do your homework. Each and every project will bring its own unique aspects and challenges. Accessibility issues are highly specific to each individual’s household and usually depend on the occupant’s degree of independence in daily living. We help decipher what is most appropriate for those specific needs.
In order to determine what adaptations are needed to make the home accessible, it is important to conduct an assessment of the person with regard to their physical condition and to evaluate the living space to determine what can and can not be implemented. Gather and organize information about each client by asking questions about their particular strengths and limitations. You will need to identify if there are problems associated with everyday living in specific areas and rooms.
Sometimes, the client cannot or will not be forthcoming in revealing issues that they may face or might have to face in the future. Therefore, you must learn to collaborate with others, working as a team to provide the most appropriate solutions to each and every project. By communicating with family members, caregivers and medical professionals, such as physical therapists, occupational therapists, doctors or nurses, crucial information can be gained about your client’s current and future limitations. With this information, you can then plan the appropriate design solutions for your client’s particular needs.
As designers, we tend to focus on the aspects of an installation, such as width of doorways, bath layout or kitchen design. There are an infinite number of products and approaches that can be employed to meet your client’s needs. We must keep current with all the new technical information, products and resources that are available to assist in making decisions.
Also referred to as "green" design or "eco-design," sustainable design is concerned with the environmental/ecological, economic, ethical and social aspects and impacts of design. A sustainable approach to the built environment involves the creation of spaces that are healthier for people, conserve natural resources and energy, and are resource efficient.
Sustainable design takes into account the relationship among the health of the natural environment, the built environment and humans. It involves the use of design and construction methods and materials that will not compromise the health of the environment or the health and welfare of the occupants of a space.
10 Ways to Go Green
- Conserve energy by purchasing major appliances with an Energy Start rating and by adding timers and automated thermostats to control usage. Also, consider switching to fluorescent light bulbs and adding more natural lighting with additional windows or skylights.
- Repair leaky fixtures and install low-flow showerheads and faucets.
- Use water-based paints, finishes and sealants. Some milk-based paints are available, also.
- Look for wall coverings that are made of paper or natural fiber, rather than synthetic materials, and printed with natural inks.
- Choose carpeting, rugs, window treatments and other textiles made from natural fibers, such as cotton or wool, that are untreated and free of toxins, such as pesticides or chemical cleaners.
- Ask for flooring products made from rapidly renewable resources, such as bamboo or linoleum.
- Select solid woods, when possible, for furniture or cabinetry, rather than pressed woods or composites that may contain formaldehyde or other chemicals that may be toxic.
- Reuse materials, such as brick, stone, glass, tile or metal, in new and interesting ways. Old wood also can be safely treated and used for accents.
- Consider the “lifecycle” of furnishings and accessories before purchasing: Are they made of materials that can be reused or recycled when the item eventually wears out or is not longer needed?
- Recycle packing and shipping materials from any newly purchased items, and safely dispose of paint cans and other containers whose contents could potentially contaminate the ground or water supply.
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.
There are little or no additional construction costs occurred if features based upon these principles are incorporated into the home’s original plans. A few small design changes will make living in your home easier, no matter what stage of life you are currently in. For example; a “stepless” entry is much easier to maneuver through whether you are using a walker or pushing a stroller. Additionally, wider hallways accommodate persons in wheelchairs or those who need assistance, and are more fun for toddlers with toys! Lever handles, as opposed to round knobs, are much easier to use by someone who suffers with arthritis, as well as someone carrying an infant. Multiple-height kitchen countertops offer convenience not only to those in wheelchairs, but to young children who want to help in the kitchen! In addition, selections of easy-to-clean and maintain finish materials and surfaces will make housecleaning much easier and quicker for everyone.
These features enhance the home’s beauty and function; will accommodate the needs of many different people with varying levels of ability; and maximize safe and independent living throughout all the stages of life. Additionally, the home’s value increases. Applying universal design principles now will ensure that your home will be a safe haven no matter how old you are!
Just imagine that every bathroom had grab bars (because anyone can fall!) and more bathrooms had large curbless showers. The installation of a curbless shower in more hotel rooms as well as more homes could also expand the floor space available if necessary for mobility aids. Then, of course, imagine that all bathrooms had “comfort height” toilets and that at least one bathroom in each home allowed for space to transfer on and off the toilet from a wheelchair or other mobility aid.
Connecting Universal Design and Baby Boomers
Turns out universal design and boomers go together like a hand and glove. As boomers become mature consumers, universal design becomes a perfect fit. This is good news for all parties. The design and building/remodeling industry is well positioned to serve this huge population bubble.
Many boomers know that life throws you curves, that change is constant, and that responsibilities may change but never disappear. Think sandwich generation, telecommuting, the bursting tech bubble, career changes as jobs are outsourced and global warming. Universal design is a bigger picture than the skylight example and a bigger opportunity to educate and inform clients how to get good value. Coach them about the potential for good ideas and better design. Flexibility, one universal design principle, is just what boomers want to get lasting value for an uncertain future.
Another way boomers are matched to universal design follows the way decision making changes as we mature. As leading edge boomers reach their sixties, they are purchasing a home not to secure a roof over their heads or to strut their success. Now it is about personal fulfillment. Is the new space about exercise, spa, meditation, art, writing, starting a new business or working from home? The space is a vehicle, your home a gateway for the experience you hope to have. Decisions are about the feeling they evoke for the client’s life. It is not about a desire you share with everyone, but about your own personal desires—not something specific, but the potential of your own dreams. Think comfort, convenience, ease of use. Consider the feelings of natural light all around or the day they play too much tennis to climb the stairs. That is universal design. Conveniently, it is boomers, too. Coach your clients to recognize that all they want to be is inherent in a space that is prepared for anything.
Boomers want to preserve their independence. They want to make their own decisions, darn it! Independence means controlling your home, your day, your life. Universal design reduces the risk of needing to rely on your kids or others. Universal design is a best bet for a home that helps you age with dignity and respect. That is aging in place. Coach them to see peace of mind, universal design, aging in place and independence as different sides of the same coin. That holistic, long term view is good planning and fits the boomer psyche.
Altruism is another way universal design is right for boomers and other mature consumers. My mom bought her airline tickets from a travel agent that supported a non-profit she appreciated. She felt she was doing good with every trip she took. People do not buy a Toyota Prius to save money. They buy it to tie their purchase to something large than themselves. The older we get, the more we want to have a lasting impact at every opportunity. Universal design has long term value for our housing stock. Legacy purchases, so to speak, can almost be seen as gifts to our grandchildren. To have lasting impact in the same purchase that improves our every day lives is a double win.
