Baby boomers spend more money on remodeling projects than any other segment of the population, according to a report by Harvard University's Remodeling Futures Program. Adding universal design features, however, is usually not on their agenda, nor do many remodelers think of it as a priority.
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Masterful Master Bath
In the master bedroom, architect Milford Cushman included easy-to-operate pocket doors for the entry-way to the bathroom and the closet.
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When Stowe, Vt., architect Milford Cushman was asked to design a custom home for a couple, the fact that the wife is in a wheelchair was just another design issue. Though Cushman chose universal design elements for the kitchen and bath that work specifically for these clients, he says much of the...
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Many remodeling clients over age 55 have a medical condition that the project needs to accommodate or are anticipating old-age infirmities that they want to plan for.
Though they're not exactly new ideas, a recently established nonprofit group hopes to give aging in place and universal design new national prominence. The event was held last fall in conjunction with the first ever Aging In Place week, a series of events the two groups coordinated nationwide.
The National Center for Seniors Housing Research awarded University of Arizona architecture student Travis Bunt first place in its annual Aging In Place design competition.
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A new demonstration house features design techniques and products that facilitate aging in place. The senior-friendly LifeWise house was built by the NAHB Research Center, a subsidiary of the NAHB.
It falls to designers to educate homeowners about including accessible designs and appliances in their kitchens.In general, Lefkovich says, the room should have enough space for a wheelchair or walker. Johnson says some companies offer wall ovens with knobs on the side or indicators in Braille...
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Seeking to more vigorously market his company's "indefinite guarantee," John Frazier hired a construction management intern to survey past clients about his remodeling company's workmanship.
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Fifty remodelers at the Seniors Housing Symposium in Orlando, Fla., became the first to earn the CAPS -- Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist -- designation from the NAHB Remodelors Council.