Trend: Bathroom design that helps seniors stay in their homes

According to a recent study by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), nearly 80 percent of Baby Boomers surveyed said they plan to age in place, which means living in the home safely, independently and comfortably, regardless of age or ability level.

According to recent data gathered and reported by the National Association of Home Builders’ Remodelers:

• 70 percent of remodelers surveyed reported making universal-design home modifications—a significant bump from 60 percent in 2006
• The two most frequent aging-in-place modifications include adding grab bars (78 percent) and installing higher toilets (71 percent)
• 84 percent of homeowners have at least some knowledge of universal design solutions
• The majority of aging-in-place remodels are for those age 55 and older although younger audiences are becoming more interested to make it easier for older visitors or children
• 70 percent of homeowners started remodeling projects for aging in place to plan for future needs

According to a survey by the Home Safety Council, the most common reasons given for not taking action to increase the safety of their homes include: not having time (48 percent) and not knowing what actions to take (28 percent)

Homeowners looking to remodel with universal design can hire a Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist (CAPS), a specialist trained in designing to meet the unique needs of the older adult population and adding aging-in-place home modifications.

For more information about aging-in-place remodeling visit:

www.nahb.org/aginginplace

Installing Grab Bars in Fiberglass Showers

Fiberglass shower install

  Recently I was asked if I could install bars in two fiberglass showers. Yes it is possible, usually. The reason molded fiberglass units can be difficult is the gap between the shower panels and the wall framing. Though I have seen it done, it is extremely unsafe to attach a grab bar directly to the fiberglass panel. The fiberglass wall itself is to thin to support the weight of a person pulling on the bar.
  Some fiberglass and acrylic tub wall sections are now made with reinforcing already in the walls to stiffen the fixture. If the reinforced fiberglass or acrylic wall is not specifically labeled as built for grab bars and meeting the ANSI load requirements, then additional reinforcing may need to be installed.
  One way to attach grab bars to fiberglass is to install solid wood blocking into the cavity between the fiberglass wall and the studs. This would be easy to do if done while the molded fiberglass unit is being installed. This is very rarely done unless the builder is adding grab bars right away. Another way to install the wood blocking is from the back side of the shower walls. This would involve cutting into drywall and then repairing the drywall when done. This adds considerable cost to installing the grab bars.

Solid Mount grab bar anchoring system

  The method I chose in this application was the Solid Mount anchoring system. The Solid Mount system allows the installation of grab bars into existing fiberglass shower walls. The Solid Mount installs through a 2" hole drilled into the fiberglass with a  mounting assembly that attaches directly to the stud leaving a surface to which standard grab bars can be attached.

Solid mount pads ready for grab bar

The tricky part of installing the solid mount system is locating exactly where the studs are behind the fiberglass in order to drill the 2 inch holes. If you are off on this step chances are you will be buying and installing a new shower.
The length of the grab bar and how it's to be mounted depends on how the studs are spaced in the shower area. They are seldom exactly where you would like them to be. In this job I used 16 inch grab bars and mounted one vertical and the other horizontal because of the stud spacing. The bar can also be mounted at an angle.

vertical mount

Horizontal mount

Once the 2 inch holes are drilled in the fiberglass and you discover they are centered on the wall studs it becomes a standard grab bar installation. The solid mount shafts are mounted to the studs with the included carriage bolts. The mounting plate is then screwed to the shaft and bedded into some silicone. Once the grab bars are mounted they can not be removed and then mounted into the same holes again. The homeowner was very happy with her new grab bars as she was able to enter and exit the shower with much more comfort than before.

Visit my website for more info. http://www.iowagrabbars.com

Vertical Chair Lift Install

AmeriGlide Platform Lift

For the past few weekends the Des Moines Remodelers Council including myself, have been working at the home of a long time employee of Gilcrest/Jewett, Janet Kauzlarich, who has been diagnosed with ALS and was in need of alterations to her home so that she could  continue to live there. The Des Moines HBA Builders Care has been installing 3 wheel-chair accessible doors and a vertical chair lift so that Janet will have access to her garage on the basement level. 

Through the Floor

The major portion of the project was spent cutting through a spare bedroom floor and installing the AmeriGlide Vertical Platform Lift. Having never installed a platform lift of this type there was a learning curve with very little helpful information for our specific installation found on the internet. Most of the information that was on the web seemed to be geared to exterior installations. 

Though there will be adjustments made for the next time we install a platform lift of this type, overall all it turned out very well.

Very Happy Homeowner

Thanks to the efforts of many individuals and companies of the Des Moines Remodelers Council Janet has access to her car and more independence in her home.

3 Hot spots For Aging In Place Design

There are three areas of the average home that cause the biggest inconveniences in Aging in Place design and remodeling. The kitchen and bathroom areas are obvious, the third area is the entrance to the home. These areas need special attention for aging in place design whether you are building a new home, buying an existing home or remodeling.

Here we are walking up to the front door and the first entrance barrier hits us right away. Outdoor steps can be a fall waiting for the unwary, an annoyance for you as well as your visitors, especially when old man winter comes to stay. In Iowa, full basements are common which typically means that the first floor can be at least 18" above ground level.The standard way of dealing with this height offset is stairs up to your exterior doors.

 Building a new home, it's relatively easy to avoid the steps by taking advantage of natural slopes and/or landscaping to make at least one exterior door a ground level entry.  When remodeling and retrofitting, it can take a little more work to deal with the elevation, but there are good options. A wood, aluminum or concrete ramp is probably the most cost effective solution. You can also combine a ramp and deck for a more graceful solution. Depending on your lot restrictions you can also use landscaping to build up a berm of dirt and build a new walkway to the existing building. Another alternative is mechanical lifting equipment, which in a typical Iowa winter climate can be problematic to keep in running condition.

Some other things to be considered when planning your entrance would be:

• Door needs to be a minimum of 36" wide
• Porch floor, stoop, or landing, ideally, at the same level as the floor inside the home so there is no awkward step up or step down when entering the home.
•  Door locks should be easy to operate, consider keyless locks with a remote control or keypad. 
•  Lever-style door handles are much easier to open then round or oval door knobs.
• Adequate lighting both inside and outside the entrance. 
•   No raised threshold – much easier for strollers, wheelchairs, rolling luggage and reduces the risk of tripping. 
•  Roof, canopy, or awning to protect the entrance from rain and snow, especially when there isn't a raised threshold.   
•  When possible, landing space both outside and inside the entry, at least 5' x 5' for the outside landing. The outside landing should be offset on the handle side of the door to be out of the way of the door swing.
• A bench outside the door makes a great place to set things down while opening the door, setting down to take boots off or a place to rest before continuing. 

Other things to consider if for a friendlier entrance:

• Lighted doorbell
• Intercom system
• Large house numbers, easily visible from the street
• Power activated door for easy entrance 

The entrance is the first impression of your home, eliminate the barriers. 

Design Your Home To Live In

"Aging in Place" design, simply put, is the process of making a home as comfortable and convenient for as many different people who are at different stages of life as possible.

Using common sense solutions in your new home design or remodeling will make your home a much more pleasant and safer place to live now and in the future.

Traditionally the majority of homes built in the United States are tailored for the imaginary "average" person. A healthy, fit, young person of average height. Aging in Place or Universal Design uses simple, proven ideas to make any home more comfortable for a wider range of people:

• Families with younger children
• People wanting to stay in their homes as they age
• People looking to simplify housekeeping and maintenance
• People taller or shorter than average
• People using wheelchairs, walkers and other aids

Aging in Place Design adds :

• Flexibility- It's easier to adapt as your lifestyle changes, or as others move in or out of the home.
  
• Simplicity- Aging in Place Design makes everyday life simpler in many ways: housekeeping, storage, entertaining, home maintenance.
• Style and Individuality- Aging in Place Design can be both beautiful and comfortable.
• Safety- Eliminates common causes of home accidents

No matter what our lifestyle needs are at this point in our lives, good design to meet the variety of demands in everyday living just makes the most sense.

 

Grab bars were not always as stylish as they are today

Ten years ago, you could only find them in hospitals and nursing homes. They all looked alike. And, if truth be told, they were all pretty ugly.

Times have changed. Today, you'll find grab bars in fancy private homes and hotels. And you'll swear that no two look alike. Some are straight, while others are curvy. Some attach to the wall at both ends. You can move others out of the way when you're done with them. And grab bars now come in enough colors to satisfy every decorator.

Grab bars can help anyone stay safer in the bathroom. You don't have to be old. You don't have to have physical limitations. You might be a prize-winning athlete. Or a well-known ballerina. Grab bars don't care who you are. They will still help you climb into the tub or stand in the shower. They will steady you while you reach for the hand-held shower. They help you get on and off the toilet. They can even keep you from slipping on wet tile.

The Three Types of Grab Bars

• Wall-mounted grab bars are the most stable. They attach to the wall at both ends. You can position them any way you want. Some people like grab bars to be vertical - pointing up and down. Other people feel more secure when they grab a bar that is horizontal - stretching from side to side.
• Some grab bars attach to the wall at only one end. They connect to a hinge right at the wall. When you're not using these grab bars, they rest against the wall. When you need support, just pull them out to where you need them most.
• Sheltering arm grab bars provide the best support for getting up and sitting down on the toilet. These grab bars come around both sides of the toilet. They look a little like the armrests on a chair.

 

Will It Hold You?

A grab bar won't be much use if it doesn't hold you up when you need it most. Don't buy a bar unless it will hold up to 250 pounds. And be sure you install the bar correctly so it can do its job.

You must attach a grab bar to your wall studs or to blocking in your walls. If your walls don't have blocking, add it by nailing a piece of plywood into the studs. The plywood should be ¾ inches thick and 6 to 12 inches wide.

Don't screw a grab bar into sheet rock. It will pull away from the wall. If you are holding onto the grab bar when this happens, you could be seriously injured.

Can You Grab It Easily?

Your grab bar should have a diameter that is 1¼ inches to 1½ inches. Choose a bar that has a textured surface. This will make it easier to grip.

The amount of space you leave between the grab bar and the wall is also important. That space will be 1½ inches for most people. You should be able to fit your fist to fit between the grab bar and the wall. Don't make the space too large, though. You don't want your arm to become wedged between the wall and the bar.

Reprinted from AARP