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Source:
Migette Kaup, 785-532-1317, kaup@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, 785-532-6415,
ebarcomb@k-state.edu
Monday,
October 23, 2006
S3IDEBAR:
K-STATE EXPERTS OFFER TIPS FOR INCORPORATING UNIVERSAL DESIGN INTO
HOMES
MANHATTAN
-- Putting universal design principles to work can make your
home more livable and comfortable as you get older, and make your
home more welcoming to all guests, regardless of age or ability,
according to Kansas State University universal design experts.
Changes
can be as simple and inexpensive as rearranging the kitchen to make
pots and pans easier to move around, or as elaborate as installing
a shower that allows a wheelchair to roll right in.
K-State
experts offer some ways universal design can be applied at home.
In
the bathroom:
*
Shower or tub on the home's ground floor.
*
Vanity sink that moves up and down at the touch of a button, and
a sink bowl that hangs over the edge of the vanity to accommodate
a wheelchair.
*
Sink faucet with a retractable nozzle for easier reach.
*
Mirror that can be moved to tilt forward, allowing someone in a
wheelchair to see themselves better.
*
Taller toilet and foldable grab bars for better balance while sitting
down and standing up.
*
Side-entry, walk-in tub with height-adjustable shower head.
*
Roll-in shower that accommodates a wheelchair or someone who has
difficulty picking up his or her feet.
In
the kitchen:
*
Rearranging cupboards for easy access to heavy items, such as placing
cups and plates on a lower shelf, or installing cabinets that move
up and down for easier reach.
*
Using turntables or lazy Susans to organize frequently-used materials
in a refrigerator or cupboard.
*
Lower countertops with higher toe-kick to better accommodate someone
using a wheelchair.
*
Large handles on cabinets that make them easier to open and close
with arthritic hands.
*
Ovens placed higher off the ground to move items easily from oven
to countertop, and dishwashers that pull out like a drawer for easier
access.
*
Stronger lighting underneath cabinets.
Elsewhere:
*
Adequate lighting where necessary, and filtering or blocking out
harsh light that hurts the eyes.
*
Flat thresholds that are navigated easily by someone using a wheelchair
or walker, or even someone who shuffles his or her feet.
*
Non-slip flooring in kitchen, bathroom and laundry room.
*
Using "grabber" tools that act as an extended arm to reach
and grasp out-of-the-way items.
K-State
has a universal design laboratory that gives students and visitors
alike a chance to see how many of these products and principles
can be employed. More information about the facility and universal
design at K-State is available at http://www.humec.k-state.edu/atid/udf/
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