From the Cradle to the Grave Essay Example

a trip to the restroom could literally have those on wheelchairs crawling since their wheelchairs Anton fit into the bathroom. Being hauled up a steep flight of stairs or from one room to the next can be embarrassing for the person that cannot move freely. Availability Is has a direct correlation to universal design.

Ron Mace Is the pioneer of universal design. Universal design is defined as the design of products and environments to be useable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design (Universal Designers and Consultants, Inc. 2008). Universal design and availability are Inclusive concepts.

It allows for people tit disabilities and those without disabilities to use the homes. Since universal design is aimed towards people of all ages, a new movement called "aging in place" has been born. The elderly would not have to move to another home or an assisted living facility just to leave under the concepts of visibility and universal design. A home should be comfortable for its inhabitants and visitors from the cradle to the grave.

Visibility, universal design, and aging in place will benefit owners and operators but It affects government and developers as well, Subtle Improvements such as veers as door handles instead of door knobs would benefit an older person who has arthritis or the young woman who is coming into the home with an arm full of groceries.

Improvements such as non-skid flooring, no-curb showers, and zero-step entries do not cost more In the construction phase. It Just requires a deferent way of thinking. Style is not a sacrifice for function In the case of availability

and universal design.

When houses boasting universal design are up for sale, the changes that 1 OFF adds to the value of the home. Since a home is an asset, it is necessary to maximize he value of that asset (Stations, 2011).

Operators of universal design homes will also benefit from the structure. Particularly in the multi-family housing sector, universal design and visibility can be a great selling point to potential renters. By nature, people are creatures of habit and are fairly reluctant to change. As an operator off universal design multi-family unit, it is crucial to point out that a person has the capability to live there for the rest of his or her life.

This not only benefits the resident, but it makes lease renewals more likely.

A resident normally does not become profitable until eighteen months into living in a community. If a resident can comfortably live in a community for five, ten, or even twenty years, that means that the operators of the community are making money off of the lease renewals. Though visibility and universal design may not benefit the government and developers, these topics could have a great impact on both of these industries. It has already been mentioned that it does not cost anymore to build homes according to universal design.

It Just calls for developers to think outside of the box. The way that they would normally do things will probably soon become antiquated and innovated thinkers and builders will benefit the most from visibility and universal design.

The government will also be affected by the universal design and visibility. Because of the demands for people wanting

to live in willable communities, the government may sign into law some aspects of visibility and universal design. For future research, I would recommend seeing the exact dollar amount of percentage making a home universal design compliant would increase the value of the home.

It would be a lengthy process, but I think that seeing if a person can truly comfortably live in a universal designed home from the cradle to the grave is possible. This would give way to the opportunity to see what accommodations would need to be made if any. I would also recommend comparing the close rate before and after universal design on multi-family communities.

Visibility, universal design, and barrier free lifestyles are not topics that should spark only the interest of seniors. These topics are applicable to everyone; therefore, everyone should be interested.