With ranch-style homes continuing their reign as the leading home model for aging in place, the crucial question for many homeowners is how to update their current space to address and support aging residents and those with other physical needs.
Industry experts Rosemarie Rossetti, Ph.D., owner of the Universal Design Living Laboratory; Betsy Owens, president of Owens Construction; and Cristy “Critty” Buenconsejo, president and CEO of Creative Housing, share tips on how to create spaces with family and visitors of all abilities in mind.
Owens Construction
Zero-step entry
Universal remodel
To promote universal accessibility, consider how guests who struggle with mobility, dexterity and reach will interact with your home.
A zero-step first floor is the ultimate user-friendly floor plan for those with mobility challenges. Though achieving a zero-step entry can be difficult, creating at least one no-step entrance, or a steady rise or ramp into the house, helps ameliorate some of the difficulty.
From there, each expert picks a few different rooms to focus on.
The bathroom is one common focal point. Beyond upgrading specific features, Owens points to one spot you might not think about much: the vanity. A floating vanity, or a vanity with a nook, could fit a wheelchair or seating underneath to provide extra accessible space.
Mark Leder
Vanity with nook
“You (may) think to yourself, ‘I don’t need that thing in a bathroom. That seems like wasted space,’ but not necessarily,” Owens says. “If it turns out that it can be helpful to a family member or visitor down the road, then it’s worthwhile.”
Rossetti’s own kitchen has an island with three different countertop heights, she says, as well as knee space under the cooktop and a sink with toe rests.
Furnishings are a consideration in each room. Buenconsejo suggests assessing how family and guests will interact with the layout and furniture of each space and whether additional accommodations will be needed.
“You want to think about, ‘Are you making a space for someone to join the party in their chair or transfer into a sofa or chair? What is that (seating) like?’ If it’s a super low, cushy sofa, someone in a wheelchair has a hard time transferring into that and getting out of it back into their chair,” she says.
Integrated storage solutions, such as built-ins and benches, are other impactful ways to ensure pathways stay clear for mobility aids. Focus on drawer storage: Rossetti recommends that at least 50 percent of storage be reachable from a seated position. Experts also suggest keeping storage between 18 and 48 inches from the floor.
Mark Leder
Starting fresh
Mark Leder
A new build may be the easiest option for integrating universal accessibility into your house, though it can present its own set of challenges as features may be costly and materials may be harder to find. However, the market for universal design tends to increase with the rise of homes designed for aging in place and accommodating disabilities.
“Consumers are becoming more aware of accessibility through their own personal experiences with aging,” Rossetti says. “They’re understanding that a home with universal design is the home that will support them for all their needs, regardless of their age or ability.”
For a zero-entry floor plan, assess any incline into the entryway and determine if steps can be avoided before any building begins. Buenconsejo reminds homeowners to look at access to garages, backyards, decks and sunrooms.
“Most doors that are designed to go out of the house, they don’t have an accessible threshold, and it is very common that the deck or sunroom off the back has just one step down,” Buenconsejo explains. “At my house, when I did my back patio … I made sure it was flush, because who knows what’s going to happen.”
For Owens, lighting is key to everyday functionality and accessibility.
“Bright task lighting is very important, especially as you age. … (You) just can’t get enough light,” she says. “Natural light is super important, too, with good-sized windows (and) doors of glass. Really letting the outside in just makes everybody comfortable and happy.”
For multi-floored houses, stair lifts remain fairly common, though more integrated and permanent options, such as residential elevators, have risen in popularity. These elevators, designed to be sleeker and quieter, often can carry two passengers, and if they are not a solution for right now, the homeowner can be plan for them budgeting closets in the same spot on separate floors, or empty spaces to be enclosed for the shaft.
In general, it’s a good idea factor extra space into your overall floor plan to accommodate ADA-accessible doorways, hallways and access points into rooms. ADA guidelines call for an ideal width of 5 feet in hallways and 35 inches for doorways, compared to the common 32-inch doorways and 3- to 4-foot hallways standard in most homes, especially on the first floor to accommodate guests.
Owens Construction
Other suggestions
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Hardware and switches
- Lower switches and outlets to be reachable from a seated position
- Use button or rocker switches, or automated, motion-sensor or smart lighting
- Use lever doorknobs, touchless faucets and cabinet edge pulls
- Install grab bars in your bathroom and railings in transitional spaces and by steps
Flooring
- Remove rugs and use only slip-resistant vinyl plank flooring or carpets with low piling
- Integrate consistent flooring throughout the home to remove need for thresholds
- Choose matte finishes to reduce reflecting light
Appliances
- Pick front-loading (e.g., washing machine and dryer) and front-buttoned appliances (e.g., front-range stove top)
- Lower appliances to be reachable while sitting; integrate microwave below countertop height, for example
Windows
- Select casement windows with cranked locks integrated at a lowered height
Storage
- Prioritize storage with drawers, pull-down cabinets and racks
- Add benches for extra storage and seating
Bathroom and shower
- Use a higher toilet seat and/or bidet
- Design with a non-curbed shower model and non-slip materials; include handheld showerhead, shower chair or integrated bench; and install a shower rail or integrate blocking for future installation
Jane Dimel is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at jdimel@cityscenemediagroup.com.
