#8 of the Beloit College’s list of the mindset of incoming college class of 2014, is:

With increasing numbers of ramps, Braille signs, and handicapped parking spaces, the world has always been trying harder to accommodate people with disabilities.

Which makes me think of how much progress we have made with the creation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 20 years ago. I can’t help but to think of the mindset of students for the class of 2034.  

• They will likely know homes that are universally designed. 
• Multi-generational housing will be the norm. 
• Grab bars are likely a common item in all bathrooms.

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What do you hope for the mindset of the class of 2034?

5 Ways to Make Your Bathroom Accessible for Under $40

Here are 5 easy changes that you can do to make your bathroom more accessible - all under $40!

1. Add no slip bath mats - No slip bath mats help prevent falls both in and out of the shower. Falls can be lead to serious injury sometimes even resulting in death. Did you know... more than 10,000 people over the age of 65 die from fall related injuries annually?

2. Change existing door knobs into lever door handles. Round door knobs require finger strength and rotational dexterity to operate. Lever door handles can be opened with the arm or hand with less effort.

Watch this video for step-by-step instructions on how to install a lever door handle:

How to Remove & Replace/Install a Door Lever -- powered by eHow.com


3. Install Rocker Light Switch- Unlike toggle light switches, rocker switches are easier to operate and can be turned on or off with the arm or elbow.

4. Remove Clutter- Using shower caddies, above the toilet shelving, drawer dividers, robe and towel hooks and behind the door hangers are great for keeping items off of the floor in and out of the shower. Keeping a hamper in the bathroom also helps keep laundry from piling up on the floor.

5. Install a handheld shower head- Handheld shower heads are great for bathing whether you are in a seated or standing position. They are also great for bathing children or pets, to help minimize stress on the back.

Here is a video on how to install a handheld shower head:

Accessible Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Accessible Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 3/4 cup rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup  whole wheat flour
2/3 cup wheat bran (or germ)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup natural cane sugar or light brown sugar
1 cup firmly packed Muscovado or dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 oz semi-sweet chocolate bar, chopped and shaved into chunks and splinters

Directions:

• Preheat the built in oven placed 30" from the floor to 350 degrees F with racks placed in the middle. 

• Line two baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set aside.
• On a pull-out mid level work table and combine the oats, flour, wheat bran, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl found in the kitchen pull down shelves. Set aside.

• Using pop up mixer shelf cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar,found in the Super Susan cabinet, for 3+ minutes, scraping down sides a few times along the way.

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• Incorporate the eggs found in side by side refrigerator with slide out freezer drawer, one at a time, then the vanilla- scraping the sides of the bowl another time or two.

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• Add the dry mixture, and stir until everything barely comes together. Then stir in the chocolate, from the pull out pantry, until it is evenly distributed throughout the dough.

• With a soft grip ice cream scoop, make uniform dough balls and arrange each cookie at least 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. 

• For extra crisp cookies, bake until deeply golden brown on the bottom for 15 minutes. Using a durable oven mitt, like OXO grey silicone oven mitt, to turn the pan once 2/3 of the way through baking.

• For chewier cookies bake for less time. Cool on rack.
• Makes about 2 dozen large cookies.
• After baking sheet has cooled, place all dirty dishes into a raised dishwasher for cleaning.

Are your Grab Bar Selections Decorative, Design Neutral or Devoid of Design?

In the past, many hospitality designers and architects paid little attention to their ADA bathroom accessory selections. These selections were not a part of the decorative package, but were merely a utilitarian afterthought.

Grab Bars and shower seats have been excluded from the carefully planned and orchestrated interior bathroom selections. This methodology allowed the specifiers to select the same old reliable products that have always been used, but had the end result of taking away from the look of the finished bathroom.

How many beautiful bathrooms have you seen that have standard stainless steel grab bars?

How did it make you feel?

With shrinking material budgets and more demanding guest requirements, this is no longer a design choice that any design professional can afford to make. Designers now have the option to choose from many of the great decorative grab bars on the market.

There are bars that add flair and the unexpected to bathroom design like the Great Grabz Wave bar.

A grab bar can also be used as a towel bar, allowing for both function and added safety.

The concept of Design Neutral is to make no statement with your design. (this is not the same as being devoid of design) To be Design Neutral in your grab bar selection, try specifying the a Great Grabz Splash bar powder coated in a custom color of your choice to blend in with the shower stone.

Whatever your design style, be sure your guests are Wow'd that you paid as much attention to their safety and comfort as you did for the color of the walls.

Right-Sizing Your Home

Last week I received a copy of Right-Sizing Your Home: How to Make Your House Fit Your Lifestyle by Gale C. Steves. The first thing that caught my eye was the beautiful photography and exceptional layout of the book.  If nothing else, this book is a great resource for those looking for design ideas.

Each chapter focuses on a function in the home: Where you cook, eat, relax, etc. and helps readers assess their individual style and approach to each. Steves then walks the reader through the process of creating a living space that is the “right size” for their lifestyle.

Right-Sizing Your Home has a ton of wonderful ideas, including many Universal Design products. This book covers everything for someone looking to remodel their home.   


Buy your copy here:

Bathroom Safety Checklist

Shower

__ Grab bars should be placed both in and out of the shower to prevent falls anywhere in the bathroom

__ Apply non-slip grip to shower or tub floor
__ Shower seat or bench for a safer way to shave legs or wash feet

__ Handheld shower head
__ Curbless shower entry
__ Lever handles
__ Anti-scald faucets on sink, bathtub and shower

Toilet Area

__ Grab bars next to toilet

__ Supportive toilet paper holder

__ Toilet seats 17” – 19” off the floor for older persons

__ Toilet seats less than 17” for children

Vanity Area

__ Countertops with rounded edges

__ Easy glide drawers that close automatically

__ Bright non-glare lighting

__ Eliminate clutter

Does your grab bar selection compromise your bathroom design?

From mints on the pillow to complementary bathrobes- great hotels know that it’s the details that make a guest's stay memorable.

Even grab bars, which were once installed only to meet ADA code, are being given a second thought when it comes to bathroom design for both ADA and non-ADA hotel rooms.

“There is no excuse for ugly utilitarian grab bars and other universal design elements either. Sophisticated alternatives abound as baby boomers grow older and the spa-as-sanctuary trend expands,” says Jeffrey Ornstein, CEO of J/Brice Design International.

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Great Grabz, the leader in decorative grab bars, is seeing this trend among luxury hotels. They’ve recently partnered with Disney® and Marriott® in providing them with grab bars for all of their guest bathrooms- keeping their guests safe without compromising the bathroom design.

“Institutional grab bars are now a thing of the past as guests demand both safety and style,” says Great Grabz President, Abbie Sladick. "We carry a variety of grab bars at various price levels to meet the needs of the hospitality, commercial and residential markets."

For more information on Great Grabz you can visit them online at: www.GreatGrabz.com.