When new civil rights rules goes into effect, travelers who are disabled will find it easier to travel with greater access to accessible rooms. The ADA rules in effect will mean that hotels will need to first keep their accessible rooms for those who need them.  

I have occasionally been provided an accessible room in a hotel and certainly appreciate what it has to offer with wider doors, flat entries into showers, grab bars ( or what I would rather say: balance bars ) and quite frankly... just more open floor space.  It's too bad all rooms don't have such features.   And it's too bad that hotel property owners have not marketed their ADA-compliant rooms to such a targeted audience giving the hotel something special to offer their guests who require such features.

Prior to this ruling, hotels were required to have accessible rooms, but they weren’t required to block them for people that need them. The new regulations close that loophole – and that’s something that should have been done many years ago.  Now, it is not likely that I will get assigned to bunk in those very special places. 

Under the ADAAG rulings and starting on March 15, some long awaited access regulations will go into effect – The new regulations require US hotel properties to:

• Identify and describe the accessible features in their guest rooms and public areas.

• Ensure that guests can reserve accessible rooms in the same manner as non-accessible rooms.

• Hold the accessible guest rooms for use by disabled guests, until all the other guest rooms of that type have been rented.

• Block accessible rooms at the time of booking.

Here's a compelling story that I wanted to share.  

A very successful couple, Maggie and Joe,  well into their 80s, had never spent more than 2 weeks apart in their 58 years of marriage.  

And as they grew older together in the home they had built some 40 years ago, they determined that they should consider other suitable living arrangements rather than stay in their nearly 4,000 square foot well-appointed residence.  

They searched around for months, discussing the challenges of giving up a home they had raised five children in versus what services might be available in some extended higher-end care environment.   They finally decided to make a move. 

So they sold their home, moved into an independent living facility about 70 miles away and into a quite large two bedroom apartment.  Soon after, the Maggie had a stroke, a relatively mild one but still was something that needed attention for a short while.   

After some 10 days in the hospital, she would be released with her doctor's permission to return back home to be with her husband and companion.  But the administrators at the facility determined that she could not return back "home" as they determined she needed more attentive care including extensive physical therapy, much more than what her doctor had recommended and placed her in a full service nursing care environment, . . . away from her Joe.

Maggie and Joe were heart broken being apart. And though Joe could walk the two long blocks across the facility campus to see his Maggie once or twice a day for the next 6 months, it wasn't like having her around the house. He so missed that in-person 24/7 companionship he had experienced with Maggie but no longer would they share a bed.  

Four weeks ago, Maggie attempted to get out of her bed in the nursing home to go to the bathroom. She slipped on the floor just inside the bathroom. She died from hitting her head on the toilet. Staff did not find her body for three hours and sadly,....didn't notify Joe about what happened.  

He showed up the next morning to visit Maggie only to discover she was gone, literally.  

Joe is now alone. Alone in an environment that is far from what he and Maggie shared together previously.  Joe tries to remember life with Maggie by going thru old picture books, many filled with fading Polaroid photos of trips, of family and of their home.  He is filled with grief for loosing his wife, as one can imagine, but he also contemplates about how life might have turned out had they stayed in their own home, perhaps turning that third bedroom into a space for a caregiver to watch over the two of them. He blames himself for the decision to move. 

Aging in place is not about just safety and security in a home with few barriers.  It is about maintaining ones independence, choosing how life should be and who you should be with in those later years.  

RIP Maggie.  


 

This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.

As we age, life can present all sorts of challenges and consequences.  And if there is one thing that I have learned in my practice of design for more than three decades is that you can never plan for all the challenges that life will deal you.  But you can create a "safety" net that will help cushion some of the consequences and ease the challenges when you come face to face with them.

One is just starting to think more strategic and forward thinking.... like designing a home with more safety features.  Certainly one can add a grab bar to a shower but there are many more opportunities to do create safe and secure spaces.  Here are five top ideas that can make spaces more safe and secure by addressing the exterior spaces first....

(1) Start outdoors.  Place at least one set of house numbers where they can be very easily read by emergency personnel.  Imagine the frustration by police, fire or ambulance drivers who can't find the one house they have been called to.  And in such cases, time matters. 
(2) Create a defined path to the front or main door that anyone - no matter age or ability - can navigate. Make it level and flat when possible.  If the topography doesn't permit that, don't fall back to just building wooden ramps.  Build walkways and paths thru the use of landscape features to raise the approach to the main entry door. And by the way, one foot rise for every twelve feet of path will be just right.
(3) Make sure there is plenty of lighting around the entry areas and above.  Install a secondary set of lights to back up the main lighting fixtures because you never know when those light bulbs may go out,.. plus it's better to have more lighting in those critical areas and doing so will increase your home's security. 
(4) Install two peep holes in the main doors... one at a standard height about 5 foot above the floor and a second one at 30" above the floor.  Why?  Imagine the ability to see someone who might be crouching and up to no good. Better to be safer than sorry.  
(5) And a final thought,... in addition to a standard door knocker or door bell, install a wireless door bell system that can be heard from the main bedroom area. They are less than $30 at the big box lumber stores. That's a cheap price for such additional security.  

I had the opportunity to visit the campus of Oklahoma State University for several days last week and what I learned is that aging in place is alive and well ~ at least for the students, OSU faculty and local Stillwater OK residents.  In addition to meeting the educators associated with the Human Sciences Department, I had the chance to engage with the students in the interior design program and provide some insight on the practice of design.  There was also a one hour workshop on aging in place at the School of Architecture for nearly 50 people who braved the cold to come out and learn more about this cultural evolution.

What was great about last week was the diverse groups of people I had the chance to meet who are all talking about aging in place - but from different points of view.  The gerontologists spoke of this topic from social barriers. Another group was creating an older 55 development in far west Stillwater and yet another group was planning a seniors co-housing community that is ready to break ground this week for the construction of 24 homes. Representatives from the United Way of Central Oklahoma also chimed into the conversation during the week long trip and spoke about a symposium they will hold in the Spring of 2012.  Students were being educated on creating residential spaces with an aging client.  There was even a financial consultant on hand in one meeting to share how elders were facing challenges in light of the current economic environment and what solutions there are for this group. 

So while the American economy may have delayed many from taking a planned retirement, and some being forced to consider their future live and work environments, aging in place was on the lips of many in Stillwater, a community an hour north of Oklahoma City.   

If there was a lesson to be learned from the experience to engage with such a diverse audience, it was this:  There is a need to create a larger conversation and venue among all the parties who see this evolution as something more than just a trend.  It is an opportunity to raise the standard of life and quality of care for millions.   

With 76 million baby boomers contemplating their retirement and with the previous generation living longer years, we have an obligation to create all sorts of spaces that will support and sustain a quality of life that allows one to choose independence over dependence.

Imagine the possibilities to bring together designers, architects, builders, financial planners, real estate professionals, occupational and physical therapists and gerontologists together. Just imagine the outcomes as these groups cross pollenate and as a result the development of programs to educate the elders and boomers about their options as they look to their later years.  And imagine the support that could be created by joining forces to help those with limited abilities to stay in a place of their choosing and at a cost they can afford,... saving the taxpayer in the long run from having to provide the resources to institutionalize so many.

As Ted Drab, ASID, OSU senior professor and educator stated during at the conclusion of last week's activities, "Your trip to OSU was to be a catalyst to get the departments of human sciences to start talking with one another and you helped us succeed."  But the amazing things was that the conversation grew rapidly to include so many outside the OSU design department and it clearly shows that Aging In Place is alive and well. 

People are certainly challenged by circumstances and situations as they grow older.  But what we sometimes fail to remember is that people are also challenged by attitudes. No one wants to feel that they are not in control of their own lives and not personally able to take care of oneself.  Because of issues with health, the ability to live an independent elder life is not always as easy as one would like.  And while one may have to make sacrifices, one thing remains: You don't have to give up how you approach these significant times as long as you have the right frame of mind and a good attitude. 

Call it the power of positive expectations.  
Call it  positive thinking.  
Call it using your cane to beat the daylights out of someone who wants to take you out of your life of quiet solitude and independence long before you need to because they know what's best for you.  

The speaker and author Brian Tracey says.... “You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.” 

This issues of "attitude" is likely.. no, make that very probably “the” biggest issue in getting older, particularly as I have discovered with Baby Boomers.  Certainly science can help boomers live longer.  Assistive devices can make residential environments safer to live in. Removing physical barriers provides more accessibility. But we must also address the cultural attitudes that “getting older” means only crippled and feeble.   

As we live older and active elder existences, perhaps the change of attitude starts with those who are facing it square on, not give in to the opinions of others and give those who consider anyone older than 50 the middle finger. 

How's that for attitude?

It wasn’t long after my book Residential Design For Aging In Place was published that a great review appeared in a local newspaper.  It also featured my Ten Essentials Checklist for aging-in-place.  Of course, my co-author Drue Lawlor and I were thrilled with such publicity.  But it was also important the message was being delivered that a safe, secure environment does provide a way to maintain personal independence no matter age or ability.

After the review, an existing but somewhat irascible client requested an appointment.  In the meeting, he let me know that at the age of 78 and after decades of tennis and golf, he was to have hip and knee replacement surgeries.  He would then require 8 weeks in an assisted living center.

He loudly objected to the thought of being in his words, “locked up with a bunch of old people.”  He asked if there was a way to remodel his bathroom to cut short his rehab and be home sooner than later.  He firmly instructed me to “use your ten essentials checklist and design me a bath I’ll be proud to come home to.”  
















In meetings that followed, we had conversations about bathing and grooming habits. Discussions included how he would first use a wheelchair and then a walker. The need to sit at a vanity would be important.  I provided options for a taller toilet to help reduce the strain on his knees and hips when getting off the toilet seat.   And we talked about a curb-less shower, one with a bench, a handheld shower and the requisite grab bar.

Things were moving along great until the words “grab bar” were mentioned.  He quickly stood and demanded why I would even consider such an element.  I was not surprised since he could be cantankerous.  I tried to explain that the shower was the most dangerous place in his home and should he fall, a grab bar was important for his safety.  But it was clear he would not have it.

 “After rehab is over, I don’t want to be reminded every day that I was once a cripple.”  The conversation about grab bars was dropped.  I reminded myself to lose the battle but win the war.  What was needed was a different approach.

Shortly prior to his surgery, I offered a new solution.  No longer would he need a grab bar.  What he required was a “balance bar,” something a ballet artist would use.  He was intrigued.  I showed him the picture and described it as a seductive, sexy polished chrome support.  Of course, it was a “grab bar” but one with a high style and greater aesthetic. Need I say, he approved of it.

I think fondly of this elder client and the lessons learned about working with individuals who face temporary or permanent physical challenges.  For me, there were two lessons in this client exchange. 

•  Firstly, people do not want to be visually reminded of the challenges of the aging process. The careful specification of high style products can help reduce this perception

• But secondly and most importantly, the choice of alternate words and certain key phrases will help clients achieve acceptance of your design intent and avoid objections.  Stop using the words "grab bars" as they cause some to think about places they would rather avoid. 

So be savvy. Constantly demonstrate the value of design as a solution when creating for a lifetime of independency. After all, design isn’t just about the quality of the environment.  It’s about the quality of life. 

If you’d like a copy of my Ten Essentials For Aging In Place, CLICK HERE

This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.

Safety is often on the minds of those who live alone but also for caregivers who take on the responsibility to monitor the safety and security of others.   The creative use and application of technologies provides the opportunity to keep homes and their occupants more secure to age in place.

It can start with simple basics such as adding an easy-to-operate wireless security system that makes it economical for people of all abilities and income level to protect their environment from unexpected entry,.. often less than $100.00.  While it can be connected to call an alarm company ( for a fee ) many systems can be programmed to call pre-assigned numbers including a caregiver or perhaps the baby boomer child of an elder parent.

In what other ways can technology provide a measure of security and peace of mind?  Here are a few creative ideas that can keep everyone just a bit safer.

• Adding a wireless door bell system that can be installed and heard in a main bedroom or master bath helps someone who might be spending time in those spaces to know when a guest is at the door. And place a doorbell switch at all entries into the home, not just the main front door.  

• Consider purchasing timers to operate lamps in an unused bedroom and perhaps in a den or other space to make it appear there are other people at home.  Have the the timers activate at various and random times in the evening, during the night and into the twilight of the morning.  Several inexpensive timers easy to set can be programmed to come on over a 24 hour period and at differing intervals to making less a target by unsavory individuals.  The Stanley 38425 TimerMax Digislim sells for about $13 for a pack of two.

• Add a wireless and waterproof telephone in the bathroom so that should an emergency occur, a call for help is easy to make.  Make sure the phone has speed dialing as a feature.  Then pre-program the phone buttons with a call to 911 plus a second ( and third ) speed call button to a family members or caregivers.  And to make it even easier, use fingernail polish as a visual cue to highlight what buttons to push.  Then decide the best location and then rehearse how to make the call for help.  

• Motion-activiated LED puck lights that operate on batteries can illuminate the path to a bath, down a hall or accentuate the steps.  A set runs less than $100. and makes a great investment.  use them also near doorways where there might be a small step or tall threshold. 

• The leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in North America, Carbon Monoxide (CO) is odorless, tasteless and invisible – it’s a silent killer. The only safe way to know if carbon monoxide is present is to install CO detectors (alarms) on every level of a home and in sleeping areas.  They can be purchased for as little as $25.00 but can make the difference between life and death. 

• Grab bars - or what we should be calling balance bars - are an important necessity for many.  But while many boomer and their parents frequently reject their use because it brings to mind an institutional or hospital environment, great looking ones can keep the most dangerous place in the home -the bathroom- a safer place.  But grabs bars also can be great looking like those from greatgrabz.com including teak wood, acrylic and a variety of metal finishes complimentary to the plumbing fixtures like polished brass and oil-rubbed bronze.   A new one glows in the dark making it easy to see and reach out for. 
                        
• A new product from Schlage called the Link Wireless Keypad Deadbolt is a great example of the use of technology. The lock can be operated by key or by keypad with the use of a code.  Better yet, when connected to the Internet, the lock can be operated remotely using a computer or a cell phone and even send an email should it detect activity.  It sells for $300 plus installation. 
                  
• How about a surveillance camera that is connected to the Internet would allow friends or family to "check-in" on a loved one to ensure they are going about their normal daily routines. Logitech's Alert Line of Internet-connected cameras will also record images whenever there is movement in its field of vision. 

• Consider a secondary front porch light that will flash at regular intervals to alert emergency workers and direct them more quickly to a location.  With so many homes looking alike and house numbers too small or not easily seen from the street, then a flashing light will give the visual cue when time is of the essence. 
        
• And finally, it won’t be long before our cars “talk” to each other, keeping tabs on everything around us and alerting us to threats we aren’t aware of.  But what about homes?  Using a computer and a set of X-10 wireless control units can informally monitor an individual's ADLs or activities of daily living.  It would require one to go thru a simple routine such as checkin emails by 10 am everyday or turn off a light in a hall way by bedtime.  When there is an exception to that routine, a pre-recorded voice would announce to the resident of such required activity and ask for a response by going back to the computer and "checking-in."  Without "checking-in" in a pre-determined time, a call or text message is sent to someone so that a "live check" on the loved one can be made.

If you have other creative uses of technology in order to provide safe and secure independency at home, please share them here by adding a comment. 

This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.