Universal Design
Retirement and Nursing Facilities 2004 Special Needs Study Results
30% incontinent, 40% use wheelchairs or walkers, 50% have some form of memory loss, 60% need help bathing, 25% need toileting assistance
Storage maximum height in the case of obstructed high reach over a surface exceed 20 inches in depth is:
44 inches high
Ability Based Design
Addresses specific concern to design for people of all abilities. Not just about accessibility. Ability-based design focuses on what people can do. Instead of focusing on what occupants can not do, environments adapt to users.
Bariatric
Bariatric furnishings, fixtures, and equipment are not just for "bigger" or "hold more weight". Bariatric equipment must combine load limits, appropriate dimensions, and aesthetic blending environment, comfort, and safety needs.
Unified Approach
Design should create environments that cater and give experiences for people, all people have differing abilities. this is the essence of universal design, and what makes it different from accessible design.
Major Design Opportunities for Design in Family Homes
Designers can provide safety features to make homes easier to use for all family members. Including those sheltering place or even schooling at home. Upgrading and modernizing a home can provide flexibility to adapt to changing needs.
Universal Design
Designing spaces and product that everyone can use.
7 Principles Center for Excellence in Universal Design Suggest
Equitable, Flexibility, Simple and Intuitive, Perceptible Information, Tolerance for Error, Low Physical Effort, Appropriate Site and Space
ANSI/BIFMA X5.11
Furniture standards for large occupants that approach bariatric weight ranges upwards of 600 pounds. Published in 2015.
Addressing Special Needs
In education, this includes teaching styles and special equipment facilities. Impacts the application of finishes, color, lighting, wayfinding, and other design criteria. These are identified in programming and implemented throughout.
Ability Level
Oxford dictionary defines this as "possession of the means or skill to do something."
Planning for a 36 inch door leading from corridor to another room with limited space. The corridor orientation is flexible. The door will only have a latch, no closer.
Providing accessibility and minimizing the width of the corridor, a hinge side approach with a door swing into the room would best meet the criteria. Side approach with door swing in requires a minimum 42 inch and allow for a narrow corridor of 42 inches.
Problem: Limited mobility
Solution: Higher electrical outlets and lower electrical switches
Problem: Difficulty getting in/out of shower
Solution: Install grab bars, tub-cut, and/or shower seat
Problem: Too weak to climb stairs
Solution: Install handrails on either side
Problem: Fear of falling
Solution: Non-slip flooring, entrances without steps
Problem: Need for emergency help
Solution: Personal alert system
Problem: Difficulty turning doorknobs and faucet handles
Solution: Replace with level handles
Problem: Doorways too narrow for wheelchair
Solution: Widen doorways or install swing-clear hinges
Problem: Can't get in/out of home without help
Solution: install a permanent or temporary ramp
Where a high forward reach is over an obstruction the clear floor space shall extend beneath the element for a distance not less than the required reach depth over the obstruction.
The high forward reach shall be 48 inches maximum where the reach depth is 20 inches maximum. Where the reach depth is greater than 20 inches the high forward reach shall be 44 inches with the maximum reach depth being 25 inches.
ADA & Universal Design
There is an overlap between Universal Design and Accessible Design which references the ADA legislation. ADA outlines the minimum requirement to stop discrimination towards those with disabilities.
Inclusivity/Inclusive Design
Universal Design promotes as inclusive a design as possible, yet, features that enhance access or use by some people should not hinder or diminish the user experience for others.
Accessible Design/Accessibility
Universal design isn't synonymous with accessible standards. Accessible design focuses on the needs of people with disabilities while Universal design goes further in seeking best practices in design to everyone.
Design Accommodations to Seniors
Upgrading, modernizing and providing for flexibility can help those with reduced eyesight, poor balance, reduced flexibility.
Disability
World Health Organization WHO defines disability as "any restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being." Disability is an experience, not a condition.
Bariatric Consideration: Functional load
a level of loading intended to be typical of hard use
Bariatric Consideration: Dynamic load
accommodates the weight of a patient in falling motion. Dynamic must always exceed static load. Critical rating for unstable patients. A falling human is double their weight.
ADA & Related Standards
address physical needs. Universal design also addresses people's special needs and developmental challenges. It applies to the elderly and those who have declining physical and/or mental issues.
Inclusive design, sometimes referred to as universal design is characterized by this main feature:
addressing the needs of the broadest range of individuals
Flexibility in Use
benefits a wide range of preferences and abilities
Low Physical Effort
can be used efficiently and comfortably with minimum fatique
Designing for Overweight/Obese: bathrooms
choose floor mounted fixtures and add oversized toilet seats with ample space for caregiver assistance or adaptive equipment like lifts
Special Needs
describes individuals needing assistance for medical, mental, or psychological disabilities. These individuals need support beyond ADAAG and other codes and standards.
Perceptible Informaation
easily communicated to the user
Appropriate Size and Space
enough size/space provided for approach, reach, and function, regardless of body size, posture, or mobility
Pediatric Design
focuses on the needs of infants, children and adolescents. Most commonly seen in pediatric healthcare and education settings, though residential and retail spaces address younger users' needs and abilities
Bariatric Design
focuses on the overweight user group
Circular accessible handrails should:
have a diameter between 1 1/4 inches to 2 inches
Percentile Grown Charts Aiding Design
helps plan for the widest range of children. Should be carefully weighed against actual space user needs to address the majority. Adults will also use spaces designed for kids. To accommodate for many, design for those at extremes of range.
Designing for Overweight/Obese: public seating areas
include seating with and without arms to accommodate various body shapes at height that allows for easer standing
Designing for Overweight/Obese: wider doorways and accessible routes
include turning circles and wider spaces for equipment such as motorized scooters or wheelchairs
Bariatric Consideration: static load
maximum amount of non-moving weight a piece of equipment can bear. It would be applied to furniture, handrails, grab bars, toilets and the like.
Designing for Overweight/Obese: bedrooms
minimize the distance from the bed to the toilet, allowing for clearance for equipment and multiple caregivers. Include multiple or continuous handrails to reduce risk of falling
Bariatric Consideration: Dimension and shape
not all people have the same physique so a person's shape must be considered.
Child-friendly design
not just about making everything smaller. Focus on specific needs, colors, materials, textures, decorative elements, weaker grips, smaller reach ranges, developing eyesight, mobility issues, daylighting, noise control, air quality, and privacy
Bariatric Consideration: Safe working load or working load limit
rating for bariatric beds, lifts, and other equipment. it is the largest load, in pounds, that equipment can safely lift
Tolerance for Error
reduces hazards and the consequences if an accident occurs
Aging in Place
refers to a senior living in the home of their choice as they age while having the services and support they need over time as their needs change. Focus on maintaining/improving quality of life with independence
Special Needs and Facility Types
special needs in institutional design can also address detained or prison populations. Public facilities, including governmental facilities, each have their own set of concerns
Simple and Intuitive Use
use is easy to understand, regardless of experience, knowledge, language skills, or concentration level
Equitable Use
useful and sellable to people with diverse abilities
