We’ve known about our aging society for many years. We’ve seen this coming. Builders and developers need to incorporate more long-term utility, allowing residents to maintain their lifestyle as it changes over the decades. Homes need to be flexible over time, so the functional customizations that have to be made can be accomplished more easily.
BLD Call For Action
1.) We want architects, designers and builders to start including curbless showers, which are good looking and work well for everyone.
2.) We want them to start thinking creatively about where and how to include step-free routes into homes.
3.) We want them to start including covered porches that are at the same level as the first floor, whether or not the porch has a step-free route. That way people can spend time in a shaded outdoor space regardless of their ability to navigate stairs.
4.) We’d like the home building industry to stop creating bathrooms that can’t easily adapt to long-term needs. It’s not hard to locate and orient fixtures that will work even if someone needs to use specialized care or mobility equipment later or needs a caregiver to provide assistance.