“When we came down here to build our home, we knew we
wanted to incorporate some of those features,” she says. “It was
tons of fun to design this place with all the Universal Design
technology. But it requires a great deal of planning. That’s the
operative word.”
Planning and lots of money? Well, not always. Much of the
Universal Design technology is about making choices — what
height to place the kitchen and bathroom counters, what
about cabinet styles? (Suggestion: go for drawers instead of
cupboards). Of course, some features can cost more, but the
Goldwassers weighed the costs of features like elevators and
accessible landscape design against the costs of assisted living.
“It’s a smart thing to think about when you’re an older adult
having a house built. Why not plan ahead and build a place
that can function for you no matter what happens to you physically?”
Goldwasser says. “Or what if you’re an active adult who
plays tennis four days a week. What if you need a knee replacement?
Wouldn’t it be cool to rehab at home and be able to get
in and out of your shower?”
The kitchen and the bathroom are two obvious places where
aging mechanisms can be elegantly designed into the structure
of your home.
Kitchen
Let’s face it — being able to function efficiently in the kitchen can make or
break your ability to age well at home. As you get older, you’ll need things to
be within easy reach from firm footing — no more climbing onto stools and
stepladders to access your wares. With that in mind, Goldwasser designed the kitchen
with accessible counters, cabinets and appliances.
For example, the Goldwasser’s dishwasher was strategically placed opposite a dish
storage drawer for convenient unloading. Heavy items can be moved into cabinet
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