Wheelchairs
The number of Americans over the age of 65 will increase steadily over the next decade, reaching nearly 45 million. When polled, the overwhelming majority of people say that they would prefer to stay in their current home for the duration of their life, not move into a retirement or assisted living facility.
As elderly people are more likely to be confined to wheelchairs, making homes wheelchair accessible should be a design consideration when building or purchasing a home.
For existing homes, making homes wheelchair accessible will require renovation.
The next area to consider is the bathroom. It needs to be spacious enough to maneuver in with a wheelchair and to include grab bars on the wall. Sinks and vanity countertops also may need to be lowered so that they are at the proper height for wheelchair access, which is about 30″ from the floor.
