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Harnessing best practices for inclusive design

BY TED McINTYRE WITH DESIGN-FOR-THE-AGING EXPERTS MICHELE COHEN, MARGOT SCHULMAN, AMY POTHIER AND LINDA KAFKA

We've all heard the numbers, but they’re still staggering: By 2030, more than one-quarter of Canada’s population will be aged 65 or over. And with 1,200 Canadians turning 65 every day, the ratio is increasing. That brings with it a rising challenge of addressing inevitable cognitive and physical deterioration in a population that doesn’t ever want to move out of their home.

But it shouldn’t mean the end of quality living, notes a foursome with expertise in the field: Amy Pothier, Inclusive Design and Building Code Strategist at Gensler; Margot Schulman, principal at Schulman Design; Michele Cohen, principal of Health Sciences with NORR Architects and Engineers; and Linda Kafka, principal at the Living in Place Network and a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) and Certified Living in Place Professional (CLIPP).

The foursome were part of a seminar entitled “Designing for an Aging Population” at this year’s Interior Design Show in Toronto.

Pothier cited a UK study noting that 80% of the homes the current population will grow old in are already built, but that just 7% of them have even basic accessibility features. Stats like that have this group concerned.

OHB: BEYOND CODE, WHAT SHOULD BUILDERS AND RENOVATORS CONSIDER WHEN DESIGNING FOR SENIORS?

MARGOT SCHULMAN: “We’ll rais e all the electrical outlets so that they’re 20 inches above the floor, and bring the switches down. People love it becuse they have trouble bending down.”

AMY POTHIER: “I think they need to include seniors in the conversation and product testing and integrate the parameters for visitable housing— no-step entrance, a clear path through the main floor and an accessible bathroom (or one that could be easily converted) on the main floor. Designing for visitable parameters means that if you have a temporary condition, such as a ski accident, or you have a more permanent condition, you can still live in your own home. “A grab bar can make all the difference in a person’s ability to live in their home longer, but the ones on the market are not the ones you want to put in your beautiful home, especially if you just renovated your bathroom. But you can put an integrated grab bar that’s aligned with the shower alcove—something you can lean on and grab that’s safe and will result in a more adaptable home that suits your needs for longer.

MICHELE COHEN: “It was encouraging that in 2017 the Ontario Building Code added the AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act). But there are also guidelines you can follow from the Facilities Guidelines Institute that are not part of the OBC.

“For example, it’s difficult for those with disabilities to detect whether a floor is shiny or wet. So lighting and surfaces should prevent glare.

“And colour selection is important. It can help with wayfinding (particularly in a seniors’ home). People lose their ability to distinguish certain colours as they age, so contrast is important. In a completely white bathroom, it might be hard to differentiate between fixtures and floors.

“And handrails can be life-changing. But you need to think about having the proper backing if you’re going to be able to later adapt a space for handrails, or reinforce a bathroom ceiling to be able to put a lift in there to help a support worker or loved one mobilize the patient. Where you put the plumbing should be considered, so that if you’re in a wheelchair or walker there is ample clearance for turning radius and knee clearances beneath the sink. Hot pipes should be properly wrapped.

“We need to eliminate one- or twostair transitions, and leave five feet of space to manoeuvre a wheelchair—six feet for a scooter. Modifications can be as simple as ensuring that every fire alarm in the house has a visual alert. “And think about where you’d put an elevator in a new home to help the homeowners age in place.

“Allowing people to easily control their environment—lighting, sound, temperature is also key.”

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE GUIDES OUT THERE TO ASSIST BUILDERS AND RENOVATORS?

AMY POTHIER: “CMHC Accessible Housing By Design has guides on how to make individual portions of a residence accessible. And the CSA B651, Accessible Design for the Built Environment , has requirements for residential spaces. There’s also the government’s National Housing Strategy Co-Investment Fund, which includes requirements for making accessible apartments and provides a baseline checklist. It’s great that there is federal funding out there for developers who are trying to create accessible rental housing but who can’t make the business case.”

LINDA KAFKA: “There are also training programs like CLIPP, endorsed by the NKBA, and the CAPS program from the National Association of Home Builders in the States. The U.S. is about 15 years ahead of us in terms of the need for accessiblilty in residential, but a lot is filtering to Canada. CHBA has licensed the CAPS program and is converting it to Canadian (standards). Eventually they’ll have a list of accessibility-related products that will be open to the trades as well as consumers. And CMHC has an innovation fund they’ve earmarked to put toward new and creative building. I think we’ll start seeing a lot more funding to support home modifications so people can live in place.

IS THERE A FINANCIAL ARGUMENT TO AGE IN PLACE?

LINDA KAFKA: “The whole idea of modifying my home isn’t just because I’m turning old; it could be my mother visiting or my cousin in a wheelchair. And there’s always a cost to modifying. But the alternative is ridiculous. My mother resisted a renovation, even though her bathroom was a death trap.

And then when we had to move her to a retirement home, we ran into a worse scenario, since we were paying $6,500 a month but the retirement building (built in the ’70s) was no better—she was in a wheelchair and couldn’t even use the facilities. We then located her to another newer, fully accessible facility. But if we had just taken the money and insisted on doing the renos, she could still be living in her home today and would have saved a lot. We had PSWs and family support, so there were no isolation or assistance issues.

“As a baby boomer, I will not go down that path. I will renovate and design my home so that my space adapts to me as my needs change. On the rise are companies like Daniels Corporation, Great Gulf Homes and Minto, who recognize the importance of designing products that adapt to us. Builders and renovators who understand the importance of designing and building for living in place will have a competitive advantage.”

ARE THERE MODELS OUT THERE FOR BETTER SENIORS’ HOMES?

MARGOT SCHULMAN: “I visited the Hogewey Dementia Village in Holland and met the founder. It helped form the vision I have behind Curatta Village. It would be a 1.5-acre, gated community with 24-hour security that would allow people experiencing dementia the right to live in an engaging village-like community that honours their wellbeing, with best practices in dementia care for both residents and caregivers, so that there is less staff turnover. It will focus on what residents can do, instead of what they can’t do. There will be 10 bungalows of about 4,000 square feet with personalized bedrooms—each housing seven people whose lifestyles will be similar, right down to the decor and foods they like. And there will be areas to wander and feel the sun on their backs, with a sealed property perimeter. There will be different recognizable doors for each bungalow, perhaps different trees outside. The main street amenties will range from from a grocery store and exercise classes to cooking clubs. Lots of choice. And a restaurant is open to residents, the public and staff too.”