Age-Friendly Cities Create Positive Outcomes

Research in the late 1990s showed that the needs of seniors were changing.  Seniors were demanding more choices and amenities, becoming more active and living longer, with a greater focus on wellness.  In response to these changes, there is a new building trend toward integrating neighborhoods into age-friendly cities. 
The goal is to have a variety of services available, such as health, recreational and shopping, so that many different lifestyles can be accommodated. The World Health Organization (WHO) believes this will help the elderly to have a high quality and independent life.

This will be accomplished by instituting the following:

• Maintaining pleasant and safe outdoor spaces
• Having sufficient, affordable public transportation
• Having housing located close to services
• Offering diverse, affordable activities which are easily found
• Recognizing the elderly for their contributions to the community
• Increasing community participation and training availability for post-retirement people
• Having better communication with large-print information in familiar language
• Better accessibility to health and social services

Strategic planning includes mixing public and social services within housing communities to support age-friendly cities.   The continued desire is to link public transportation and reduce travel distances while increasing foot and bicycle traffic for pedestrian uses.

Successful transition to a retirement community is created with strong social ties.  CCRCs, or Continuing Care Retirement Communities, provide supportive networks among residents.  Clusters of homes share walking paths, gardens, clubhouses, health clubs, and the like, reinforcing the sense of community. This is a positive approach to help the elderly to feel more attached.

There are many design options to choose in promoting the physical and emotional wellness of the aging population.  For those who are able, aging-in-place design is the best of both worlds, allowing seniors to remain in the comfort of their own homes independent of assisted living facilities.  This is possible by implementing modifications within the home which will last for years to come.

Working with a Designer on a Kitchen Remodel

The kitchen is often referred to as the heart of the home.  Because of that, current kitchens now must include space for many activities such as communicating, entertaining, homework centers, household management and, of course, food preparation.

There are many benefits to working with a designer when remodeling your kitchen. Following are some advantages: 

• Designers have a strong vision and the ability to carry that vision through for a cohesive and functional environment.
• Designers have a knowledge of how to work with contractors to direct them so you don't have to.
• A designer has knowledge on not only the latest trends but what trends have withstood the test of time and are considered time-honored innovations. 
• A designer also knows which door styles are more expensive than others, thereby keeping you on budget.
• A designer has knowledge about selecting the continually growing number of materials such as cabinets, counter tops, appliances, flooring, lighting and paint.
• Designers are all about the details.
• Traditionally, kitchen design focused on the "triangle" of kitchen, sink, and stove, to optimize work flow. However, we are now moving away from the traditional triangle and creating more individual workstations within the kitchen.
• Many people don't realize how important lighting is to any space.  A designer has experience in choosing the best lighting for the job.
• Designers can now help you to choose products which are environmentally friendly.
• When working with a designer, it is a good idea to have pictures of your likes and dislikes collected.

No matter what your concerns in your kitchen remodel, an interior designer is there to listen to your needs and walk you through the overwhelming process of choosing the right product so that the heart of your home becomes a beautiful and functional reflection of you.

I would love to help you design your kitchen for your unique lifestyle.

Not only Homes but Cars

Reading the paper this morning, I discovered another area of design which accomodates the elderly and disabled living--your vehicle.  Who hasn't tried to get into a low-riding car and moaned at the prospect?  Ever try backing up and not being able to turn your head enough to see out the small back window?  How about arthritic hands not being able to handle small dials or buttons?


The Daily Herald Health & Fitness section article, "Best Cars for Older Drivers" makes recommendations on what to look for when car shopping:

• Wide door openings and low thresholds
• Ideal seat height between mid-thigh and lower buttocks
• Crossover sport utility vehicles are lower than SUVs and easy to slide into and out of
• Adjustable seats with lumbar support
• 6-way adjustments; forward and backward, up and down, and seat-back up and down
• Tilting or telescoping steering wheel
• Thicker steering wheel
• Keyless entry
• Power mirrors and seats
• Larger buttons on the dashboards with contrasting text
• Wide-angle mirrors
• Large back windows with good visibility
• Adjustable pedals
• Simple, non-techy interiors
• Heated seats

Also, high-tech items such as parking sensors, backup cameras and blind-spot warning systems alert drivers to objects in the way.  Did you know that there are even cars which parallel park by themselves?

They also recommend roomy vehicles for visiting grandchildren and large trunks for holding mobility scooters or golf clubs.

Some cars they recommend:

• 2009 BMW 5 Series
• 2010 Ford Taurus
• 2009 Honda Civic and Civic Hybrid
• 2009 Honda Odyssey
• 2009 Lexus SL 460
• 2009 Masda 6
• 2010 Mercedes-Benz S550
• 2009 Toyota Avalon
• 2010 Toyota Prius
• 2010 Volvo XC60

Click on the title of this blog to see more specifics on vehicles which best meet the needs of seniors.

Desiging for All

Continuing on with my soapbox, I like to call "Designing for All."

My whole goal with designing for the aged and disabled is to improve the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants while still having a beautiful, harmonious and balanced space.

Just because grab bars are used in a bathroom doesn't mean it has to look like a hospital bathroom. New products are available to aid universal design which are highly functional, stylish and innovative. The key is to remain true to "form follows function." All safety measures must be put in place or it would not matter how beautiful your grab bars are if they are not reinforced.  They would fall right off the wall the first time somebody used them.

They must be placed in the proper position so they are convenient to use.  Guidelines for all these aspects  must be followed for functionality's sake. The job of a designer is to also create a beautiful, long-term solution to the problem at hand.

Of course, there is no typical project.  Every site and every challenge is unique and brings about an opportunity to create bold designs which meet the user's needs completely and facilitates their safety while maintaining an integral, cohesive design style.