Good Fit Poor Fit: Recent Episodes
The Universal Design Project
Exploring the interaction between people, design, and activity. Good Fit Poor Fit is part of The Universal Design Project, a nonprofit organization with a vision for every community across the USA to have a surplus of homes and opportunities for social participation that are universally and financially accessible. Learn more at universaldesign.org.
OT student, Caroline, discusses her capstone project and favorite UD things from zero-entry pools to why cooking is so important in her family!Source
Of course we want to make access easy for people, right? Well, first, you need to think about someone's living situation.Source
Grant Todd shares pictures and describes what he did to spruce up the OT House on his campus as part of his doctoral project! Source
Grant joins us to share some great options for making your storage options more accessible if you have lots of money or a little.Source
Anisha Carr explains her research! "Relevance to Occupational Therapy" is Part 3 of this 3 part series focused on interprofessional collaboration and UD.Source
Part 2 of 3: Anisha Carr explains her research in the theme - "Dynamics & Challenges of Interprofessional Collaboration" in universal design.Source
Anisha Carr explains her research! "Factors Influencing UD Implementation" is Part 1 of this 3 part series focused on interprofessional collaboration and UD.Source
Get to know Grant and snag some design ideas as he shares suggestions for making gardening and cooking tasks more convenient.Source
What is a tiny home and could it even work for people with disabilities? Explore this and more with tips to live tiny with access in mind.Source
Rebecca's OT student touches on some great points for increased accessibility of public transportation and unique benefits of a zero-step shower entry.Source
We chat about our new OT student's research project on collaboration, museum access, and adjustable countertops.Source
Love learning about all things UD and home access? Rebecca and Sarah discuss new courses to boost your knowledge!Source
Show Notes: Chart Kaylee discussed in the podcast.
UDP Process
The UD Project Course: Collaborative Teams for Optimal Outcomes
Interprofessional Collaborative Practice. World Health Professions Alliance. (2019). https://www.whpa.org/activities/interprofessional-collaborative-practice
Rachel Russell, Marcus Ormerod, Rita Newton, "The Development of a Design and Construction Process Protocol to Support the Home Modification Process Delivered by Occupational Therapists", Journal of Aging Research, vol. 2018, Article ID 4904379, 13 pages, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/4904379
Young, D., Wagenfeld, A., & Rocker, H. V. (2019). Universal Design and the built environment: Occupational therapy and interprofessional design teams—a scoping review. Annals of International Occupational Therapy, 2(4), 186–194. https://doi.org/10.3928/24761222-20190625-04
Transcript: Sarah: [00:00:00] You're Listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. A podcast that explores the interaction between people, design, and activity. Good Fit Poor Fit is part of The Universal Design Project, a nonprofit organization with a vision for every community across the USA to have a surplus of homes and opportunities for social participation that are universally and financially accessible.
Learn more at universaldesign.org.
Kaylee: Hello everyone. I'm excited to be back on the Good Fit Poor Fit podcast again. This time I wanted to bring to the table a discussion we can all relate to one way or another, collaboration. Some may get excited when they hear this term, others may shutter in a desperate attempt to avoid the conversation at all costs.
Interprofessional collaboration practice is when people from different professional backgrounds provide comprehensive services by working with patients, families, caregivers, and communities to deliver the highest quality of care across settings. This [00:01:00] collaborative approach also enhances the final product or outcome for the client.
I want to offer my capstone experience to present a process that us as occupational therapists or any profession really, can adequately and effectively communicate with others using a specific process. This process relates directly to home modifications, home renovations, or helping a client with a new build, as well as communicating with interior designers, contractors, builders, and other professions in the construction industry.
For the end product of my Capstone project, I created an extensive manual that talks about collaboration and important home design elements for aging in place and universal design. It is referenced in the show notes section of the podcast, but I wanted to bring to the table some important pieces that my manual on my last podcast with the Universal Design Project talked about.
Sarah Pruett: I am glad for you to share your work this semester, Kaylee, because I think all too often [00:02:00] there is a lot of conversation about needing to collaborate, but only a little direction on how. Plus, I think there needs to be more connection between the way someone in healthcare approaches a client, versus the way someone in a design field works through that process with a client too. Different professions do this differently and it's difficult to match the phases up to collaborate effectively. I know you've done a lot of research on this, and I'd love for you to share that with our listeners.
Kaylee: Yes, and no matter what profession you are in, it is proven that interprofessional collaboration leads to better client outcomes, which as health professionals, is our goal in the first place. When discussing universal design in the home, it is most likely that you'll be in contact or collaboration with an interior designer.
The very first week of my capstone project I attended the popular High Point Market, which is the largest home furnishing industry trade show where thousands of interior designers, businesses, and all attendees [00:03:00] gather to network, purchase furniture and attend seminars to grow their knowledge on various topics.
While I was there, I had the opportunity to collaborate with senior living interior designers and talk to them about the role of an occupational therapist and how our perspective is important. This discussion sparked many people's interests during the aging in place and senior living design panel. It was encouraging to see an aging-in-place panel at the largest interior design market in the world.
Designers were curious about what occupational therapists have to offer in this setting and agreed that accessible homes are needed. Overall, it was a big success and evident that interior designers and occupational therapists could make a big impact working together when creating accessible homes.
Rebecca: This is a great example, Kaylee, of how simple conversations among professionals can lead to a more comprehensive understanding of what's possible in a field. When we're so enmeshed in our role and what our profession is typically [00:04:00] trained to do, it can become easy to almost exist with blinders on not realizing that there may be other things that would help us to achieve our aims as well. We can't know what we don't know. I think about this a lot in the overlap between design and OT. As OTs, we know what we bring to the table in terms of activity analysis and understanding human functioning. But someone who works in the design world might not know that we know that. They aren't trained to analyze everyday activities and think about how spaces could be designed to make them easier for people who function in different ways. So why would they think about it in their work? And if they don't know that OTs can do it, how would they know how to bring this perspective into what they make? In the same way that we aren't taught to think about the aesthetics or the structural integrity of the DIY tools that we're so often putting together for our clients. But, when these varying knowledge bases come together, I think that's where the magic happens. Don't you?
Kaylee: [00:05:00] Oh yeah, for sure. Coming off the high of those interactions, I knew I needed to educate others about how designers and OTs could collaborate in the final product of my capstone, my manual. When we break down each profession's role, we see that occupational therapy practitioners bring a unique skillset to this specialty practice area and offer a distinct value to the design of spaces based on the consideration of the human lifespan, development and varying levels of ability.
Designing and redesigning homes for accessibility and aging in place can be challenging as it requires an understanding of the unique needs and preferences of all individuals. This includes considering issues such as mobility, vision, and hearing impairments, as well as mental health, which can have a significant impact on quality of life.
In contrast, interior designers know the art, science and business planning of a creative, technical, and functional interior solution that corresponds to the architecture of a space[00:06:00] , while incorporating process and strategy, a mandate for safety and health with informed decisions about style and aesthetics.
The OT and interior designer collaboration can share insights, experiences, and draw on the extensive knowledge and universal design principles, aging in place, activity analysis, and guided accessible design. I felt that adding this part to my manual would spark education and perspective on the possibilities we have to collaborate together within our clients' homes and create a beautiful, aesthetically pleasing, functional, and safe space together.
When conducting the research and reading literature to review for my project, there was a consistent gap in establishing a collaboration process for both OTs and other service providers in the housing industry. Based on the study I found called The Development of a Design and Construction Process Protocol to Support the Home Modification Process Delivered by Occupational Therapists, [00:07:00] the authors indicate that a common model called the PEO, w hile good at guiding a therapist thinking to make sure the person, environment, and the occupations they do in the home are accounted for, it does not provide a process for operations and guiding the therapist step-by-step through the stages of helping a client with possible home modifications.
When just the PEO and other similar models were used on their own, it was stated that OTs were viewed as needing to be more organized, leading clients to be dissatisfied with their outcomes. This study recognizes that in order for OTs to be involved in the home effectively, there needs to be some form of process or protocol that can be followed to make sure all of the important pieces of the process are addressed.
In addition, it helps in the collaboration with other professionals to pinpoint what needs to be done, when, and how interaction and communication should occur at appropriate times when specific skill sets are needed.
Sarah Pruett: I think I would agree with this. The [00:08:00] PEO is a great overarching mindset, but it definitely doesn't provide us a playbook and a protocol for collaboration. I'm glad to see this study, providing a collaborative process and framework to help guide these important professions in working together for patient outcomes.
Rebecca: I agree with this too. I think the PEO model is valuable for an OT to use within the collaborative process. In fact, I think that it is the special sauce that the OT will bring to the recipe. However, before the team starts cooking, to extend the metaphor, there needs to be some broader understanding of who everyone is, what their skills and knowledge bases are, and what their role is in designing a space that's functional and inclusive. In fact, this is something that we have even played around with here at The Universal Design Project. On past projects, we've worked with architects, interior designers, rehab engineers, OTs, people with disabilities and their caregivers to put together examples of universal design in homes. It wasn't [00:09:00] always easy, and we definitely didn't always get it right, but we certainly learned a lot. Did you find any examples of structures that worked for this type of collaboration, Kaylee?
Kaylee: Yes! This process I mentioned earlier, the authors Rachel Russell, Marcus Armad and Rita Newton, based in the UK created within this research study. They're using two models, familiar to home modification or universal design consultation. They compare the Generic Design and Construction Process Protocol phases with the OT model, Occupational Therapy Intervention Process.
They chose the OTIPM model because it separately operationalizes interventions. The authors studied and analyzed through a survey, online questionnaire, pilot study, and thematic analysis to come up with a protocol that combines the important elements in design and important input from an OT skillset.
Rebecca: Oh wow. Kaylee. I would love to hear more about that!
Kaylee: Next, I'm gonna talk about a chart that I've added into the show notes [00:10:00] so viewing that while I talk, may be helpful. The study divides the two models into nine sub-phases, implying that the number needed to complete the construction and home modification process. The model breaks the OT process down to correlate with the sub-phases to the construction process for increased communication during the design. The GDCPP main phases are pre-project, pre-construction, construction, and after completion. Whereas the main phases of the OTIPM are evaluation, modification planning, modification implementation, and reevaluation. The OT process consists of obtaining a referral, identifying the person's occupational priorities, OT performance analysis, professional reasoning on modification design, confirming client consent on design, financial funding plan, providing ongoing support during modification, and documenting the outcome.[00:11:00]
Throughout the study, researchers discovered that collaboration was possible if each profession correlated sub-phases throughout the entire design process. This will promote effective collaboration by increasing communication, discovering each profession's value, and reducing disorganization among team members and clients.
Now, I know we've discussed only a few interesting models and topics on collaboration, but I want you guys to hear from a different perspective as well. Rebecca, I was told that you have collaborated with Fortune 500 companies. Is there any input or suggestions, tips or information you would like the listeners to have from your experience?
Rebecca: Yeah, thanks for asking, Kaylee. You're right. In my full-time gig, I work with employers to make their workplaces more inclusive for people with disabilities. This means everything from backend hiring and application processes to workspaces and even to company cultures of inclusion. This means I work with all kinds of people, human [00:12:00] resources, salespeople, talent acquisition people, diversity professionals, scientists, construction workers, programmers, anyone really looking to make their process within their company more inclusive. The most critical thing that I found is to start by getting to know what someone does and how their current process works. So if I'm working with a person who works in talent acquisition, for example, who's in charge of hiring people and they want to make their hiring process more inclusive. First, I have to understand their role and the process that they currently use to hire people. I also have to make sure that they understand what I do and why I'm there. The expertise in disability that I bring to the table. Then once I can understand what they do, I can apply my OT lens and identify some opportunities for them to build more inclusive process. I can share my ideas, some of which may work and some of which may not be feasible. And that's again, where the collaboration piece is important. I might have a great idea that I think [00:13:00] would really help them to make their hiring process more inclusive, but if based on their experience and their expertise, in their organization, they don't think it will work. Then we scrap it because they're the expert in what they do. This is quite similar to the process for collaboration in the design realm. The universal design experts and OTs could have great ideas that they think would drive inclusion, but if the person who is responsible for the structural integrity of the building, maybe architect or the engineer doesn't think it'll work, then the idea definitely needs some tinkering. The universal design team or OT could never expect to have the same knowledge that the engineer or architect does, but it's only when those brains come together that they can create solutions that are actually well-rounded possible to execute.
Kaylee: That's great advice. Sarah, I know you have collaborated with many professionals and have great experience in this realm as well. Anything you would like to add?
Sarah Pruett: Sure, I'd love to. [00:14:00] First, I wanna say that I do love the comparison that you gave in the process earlier for modifying existing homes and a clear pathway for adding in collaboration with the interior designer to provide specific recommendations for individual clients. Our organization is a bit different in that we are working on collaborating with new builds for universal design, for homes that don't have a specific homeowner in mind. When we are trying to figure out how to collaborate with others, we knew that different voices would need to be contributed at different times. I can post a picture in the show notes of the process we derived from the concept of design thinking, but it outlines steps for the designer and the OTs to work together and on their own. Then we outline a step for asking for feedback from people who have lived experience with disabilities and those that may care for them like OTs, PTs, or caregivers. Their input helps the designer and the OT go [00:15:00] back to the drawing board or tweak that design to perfect it for function when looking at how the design can accommodate as many people as possible. Within that big process is an opportunity for communication to happen between the team to determine how that process goes within each of those phases. One great thing that came out of this process for us was to have an opportunity for all the voices to be heard about specific projects that we were working on from the designers, the OTs, and those who have a disability, or those that care for people with disabilities. As Rebecca can attest to, though it does get more complicated when you have many opinions. It really helped us as a team to think about what design choices would work for most people without overdesigning it to only work for someone with a specific need that wouldn't be beneficial for others. And honestly, some design elements are really tough to make work for everyone, like countertop heights and appliance styles.
Rebecca: Oh, yes, Sarah. I couldn't agree more. I'm having flashbacks [00:16:00] to sorting through all of the different inputs that we got when we were talking about where to put different appliances in terms of height. I think that that highlights some of the real big challenges that I alluded to earlier. There are benefits and drawbacks to having a lot of voices in the process. On one hand, it's critical to make sure that functional, aesthetic, inclusive, universal, and human-centered considerations are made. But, on the other hand, that also sheds light on how many different perspectives, needs, and experiences exist. And that's definitely one of the frustrating things about interprofessional collaboration, I think.
Sarah Pruett: Oh, definitely. I do think that brings up a good segueway to talking about communication and other barriers that tend to occur during collaboration. This is the stuff in the nitty gritty that you don't really get to experience until you start collaborating. We actually go really deep into this topic of barriers and facilitators to collaboration in course number five on our site [00:17:00] called Collaborative Teams for Optimal Outcomes. I've linked that in the show notes too. Collaboration has to have a good process and protocol, like you said, Kaylee. And there are also other dynamics that come into play that can't always be worked out with the protocol. One that's important to mention here, I think, is professional cultures and stereotypes. When working with other professionals, it's often common to not know all about that other person's profession like we talked about a little earlier, maybe what they do and what they don't do. We can come into it a little hazy on details from previous knowledge and maybe bias, and only sometimes see right away how both professionals can work together. Often with some effective communication, we can get past those initial barriers from how to approach a project, explaining things with terminology only those in certain professions may understand like shorthand names or acronyms. Another barrier that can come into play is determining how [00:18:00] collaboration occurs as sometimes there seems to be a hierarchy in one professional wanting to take the lead, or feeling that their perspective is more important than another. When it occurs, sometimes important features are missed in either form or function. I also think funding is a big part of how we collaborate as well. How does everyone on the project get paid? Especially if they're coming at it from higher levels of education and knowledge. These are only a few barriers that come into play, but I will let you check out our course to dig into more of these collaboration factors. It's quite interesting to realize the number of things that can pop up that you didn't think would be a barrier to effective collaboration. I think the processes and protocols to collaboration are ever evolving and honestly must be something that works well for the individual partnerships that are made. Flexibility is important, but the more we try to work together, I think it will be easier and we can yield more optimal outcomes for our clients.[00:19:00]
Kaylee: Yes, I agree, Sarah. As a student pursuing OTs role in accessible home designs, I quickly discovered we must consider our knowledge base on design and construction in order to be successful in this emerging practice setting. Throughout my capstone, I found myself knowledgeable of the person, environment, occupation, and how all three of those interact together.
However, I was unaware of the lack of knowledge I had in the design and modification piece within a home. This education and knowledge base is needed to communicate the client's wants or needs to the contractor, designer, or builder. As most may know if you have graduated or are a current student, there is not an abundance of material or time spent on home modifications or the design process within a residential home.
This must be sought out for additional education through experiences, courses, shadowing, and more. I currently just completed my CAPS one course, which stands for [00:20:00] Certified Aging in Place Specialist. It consists of three courses, and each course requires you to take and pass a test afterwards.
There are also additional courses and options such as the executive certification in home modification and universal design courses. The Universal Design Project also offers some educational courses on design guidelines for universal accessible homes, interprofessional collaboration, and how to address home accessibility in OT treatment and more.
Rebecca, do you have any closing comments on the importance of interprofessional collaboration or the efforts it takes on both professions to be successful?
Rebecca: I think we've done a pretty good job of covering this stuff and I'm glad that we really dove in here, particularly because we value and advocate for this type of interprofessional collaboration so much here at The Universal Design Project. The only final thought I'll add because I will never pass up an opportunity to rep [00:21:00] for the non-traditional OT path, is that as OTs break out into these less traditional roles like we are, collaboration becomes increasingly important. The more that we're in spaces outside of the typical healthcare realm, the more we will have to work with other professionals, understand what they do, be curious about that, and also remember how to demonstrate our unique value as well.
Kaylee: I totally agree. And once again, thank you for having me. My Capstone project, Extensive Accessible Home Design Manual is linked in the show notes if you want more information.
Rebecca: Wonderful. Thank you so much, Kaylee, and we wish you the best of luck in all of your future awesomeness in the world of OT. And to our listeners, we will be back in your feed real soon. Take care.
Sarah: Thanks for listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. I'm your host Sarah Pruett, Program Director and Occupational Therapist at The Universal Design Project. Learn more [00:22:00] about our work at universaldesign.org, and find more episodes and links to subscribe at goodfitpoorfit.com If you have questions or topics you'd like to discuss, email us at podcast@universaldesign.org.
Thanks for fitting us into your day!
Show Notes: New Study reveals multigenerational living nearly quadrupled in the past decade, with the pandemic playing a strong role. Generations United. (n.d.).
COHN, D., HOROWITZ, J. M., MINKIN, R., FRY, R., & HURST, K. (2022, March 24). The demographics of multigenerational households. Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends Project.
Homebuyer Demographics: Are You Ready for This?
Cini, L. M. (2021). Boom: The baby boomers’ guide to preserving your freedom and thriving as you age in place. Ethos Collective.
Multi-Generational Living
Transcript Sarah: [00:00:00] You're Listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. A podcast that explores the interaction between people, design, and activity. Good Fit Poor Fit is part of The Universal Design Project, a nonprofit organization with a vision for every community across the USA to have a surplus of homes and opportunities for social participation that are universally and financially accessible.
Learn more at universaldesign.org.
Welcome back, Good Fit Poor Fit listeners. I'm Sarah, and today Rebecca and our student, Kaylee, are back at the microphone to discuss a topic I am pretty sure we have yet to talk much about in the history of our podcast. I think it's an important topic to discuss as many factors impact this both culturally and financially.
So Kaylee, why don't you give us a little intro to our topic today?
Kaylee: Hello, Sarah, and thank you for having me back on the Good Fit, Poor Fit podcast. I'm excited for today's topic, [00:01:00] multi-generational homes. This has been a topic that has recently seemed to gain popularity and circulate my interests even more. By the end of today's episode, I hope you understand the recent shift in generations, knowledge on how different generations influence the housing market, ways you can leverage technology, housing, design, and your environment to have a successful, independent, multi-generational home. Throughout my capstone, I have researched topics related to multi-generational homes as well as talk to experts, senior living interior designers who understand the different generational perspectives and how that has influenced design. Now, to dive into the generational shift and how it has and will continue to influence the housing market. First, Pew Research Center defines multi-generational households as including two or more adult generations, or a skipped generation, which consists of grandparents and their grandchildren younger than 25. This definition can [00:02:00] vary but typically consists of at least two or more adult generations. A new study from Generations United finds that the number of multi-generational households in America has nearly quadrupled over the past decade, with a dramatic increase of 271% from 2011 to 2021. Before we unpack the history of multi-generational homes and the drivers of growth behind them, I want to ask Sarah and Rebecca what their take is on that shocking statistic.
Sarah: I'll jump in here. That is a really dramatic increase, and I'll be excited to hear some of the drivers of that. I know in our extended family, we've had multiple generations living together just out of necessity until a home was found or when in transition from a big move. In the article linked in the show notes, "Home Buyer Demographics, Are You Ready for This?
I was surprised to see that there are currently six different generations influencing the housing market. I'll let you click on [00:03:00] that link to read more about the breakdown of each generation as it was really neat to look at how each group brought up different considerations such as being near community, sustainability, sensory experiences, and making smaller spaces feel larger.
Rebecca: That is a fantastic article, Sarah, and I'm sure our listeners will appreciate the share. I find this statistic shocking too, but really not wildly so. I'm not an expert here, but my sense is that with things being so expensive these days, like college and grad school for younger generations and aging-friendly homes for older adults. Plus the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic still very much lingering. I can see and understand how families are ending up under one roof again these days, but I'll be curious to see what the official reasons are, Kaylee.
Kaylee: I agree. According to Peer Research data, multi-generational homes had its lowest dip in 1970 to 1980 after World War II. The [00:04:00] first major acceleration began during the Great Recession and continued to go up since. Most recently, Generations United estimates 66.7 million adults, aged 18 and over in the US are living in a multi-generational household with nearly 57% saying they started or are going to continue to live together because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But with saying that, let's continue to break down the data on demographics and social implications you can typically see with this type of living and why this might be. There are various differences in the likelihood of living in a multi-generational household, dependent upon age, gender, race, and geographic location.
According to Pew research, men and women overall are equally likely to live in multi-generational households, but men are more likely to do so among those younger than 40, and women are more likely to do so among those ages 40 and [00:05:00] older. By broad age range, Americans ages 25 to 39, and those ages 55 to 64 are about equally likely to live in multi-generational family household.
But within the younger group, those ages 25 to 29 or 31% are far more likely to live with multiple generations under one roof than those ages 30 to 34. Or even ages 35 to 39 at 15%. Previous analysis has found that today's young adults are more likely to be living in their parents' homes and for longer stretches than previous generations, and this is especially prevalent among those with a high school education compared to those with a bachelor's degree or more education.
This is something I can definitely agree with. I actually lived with my parents for about two months before getting married while I was starting my first semester of OT school. I also know quite a bit of people in their early twenties that are [00:06:00] living with their parents to save money as well.
Sarah: Me too. I certainly couldn't afford my own place while going to grad school and stayed with my parents, so I can relate to that as well.
Rebecca: Yep. This makes sense to me, too when we're just launching our careers, maybe even looking for a job, but still working to pay off student loans or figure out our next steps. It really makes sense for so many of us to move back with our parents, even if it's just temporary. Especially given the cost of rent in lots of places that are popular for younger generations these days.
Tell us more, Kaylee. What else have you found?
Kaylee: Well, Rebecca, multi-generational homes are on the rise for many reasons. As one can assume, a shifting economy, increase in the cost of care for elders and children, cultural beliefs, aging in place, and perhaps the lack of affordable and accessible housing in the US. But, how does this affect the housing market and real estate, you may be wondering? As you may know, the housing market has been one big headache the past couple of years [00:07:00] between home prices rising, housing inventory dropping, and having a crowded buyer market. It only makes sense why people are resorting to multi-generational homes. As more families adopt this concept, many real estate construction or modifications such as granny pods, in-law quarters, and accessory dwelling units or ADUs have been trending as an affordable housing option.
For those audience members who are not familiar with the term accessory dwelling unit or ADU, it is typically a very small home built into a family member's backyard. There can be multiple uses out of these types of homes, and they can help financially by avoiding buying land or having to build a home.
Most states prove them to be effective, affordable, and promote the use of them. However, be careful because some areas have banned ADUs or Mother-in-law suites.
Sarah: I love that you mentioned how these multi-generational housing options are occurring in design and the [00:08:00] social and financial benefits to support the stats you've given. I've definitely seen a rise in conversations about ADUs as well or families just converting another part of their house like a basement or adding an addition to their home to accommodate another family member.
I've heard of grandparents moving in and other families utilizing extra space to give an adult family member, maybe someone with an intellectual disability, the opportunity to live alone, but be close to family for support. There are a lot of companies out there doing specific ADU work, including one called Wheel Pad.
This specific company even markets their products for this little home to be a place someone can live until home renovations to the main home can be completed, and it's easily wheeled away when the family is ready for their next transition.
Kaylee: These concepts are great ideas, when you have a family member aging in place, but sometimes this may not be feasible. Let's get real and talk about the benefits and restrictions [00:09:00] of a multi-generational home. Now, this is what I've gathered from research in books, online studies, podcasts, blogs, and more. I am sure some of the listeners out there have more insight from living in the experience of a multi-generational home. If you have any experience or tips, I would love to hear more about it.
Starting off, I feel as if there are many difficult aspects of multi-generational living that could be avoided altogether with the right home layout or through some simple home modifications. For instance, the lack of privacy that comes with having individuals all across the lifespan under one roof.
One could say this can become overwhelming or overstimulating at times. Author, mom and business owner, Lisa Cini, states that she would sneak into her own home just to get some privacy. She continues to state in her book that once they had a sit-down conversation and got a schedule down, it was much more enjoyable and they were able to grow closer and make great [00:10:00] memories.
There are also many pros to multi-generational living with one being finances. They're either dividing the rent, having an ADU, which increases property value or even just having a babysitter when needed has been a great way for some families that are combating the increased cost to live.
Gerontology studies also show that children who grow up with their grandparents increases the child's well-being. It has also been shown that by grandparents having a community and family of various ages to identify with, rather than living in a facility, drastically decreases depression and other mental illnesses.
If you have recently become a multi-generational household, or it is in your near future I wanted to discuss some suggestions, modifications, and assistive technology that would be beneficial to you and your family. Sarah, do you have any modifications or assistive technology that come to mind when talking about multi-generational homes?
Sarah: Sure. Yeah, I do Kaylee. As far [00:11:00] as some suggestions to make this living arrangement work, I wanted to point out an article that we've linked in the show notes entitled Multi-Generational Living. There's a section that references Lisa Cini again. She discusses ways to make multi-generational living work for many different families because we all know family dynamics do play a role in this with people wanting their own space, but also having the benefit of that socialization and support like we already discussed.
So in her book, Hive The Simple Guide to Multi-Generational Living, Lisa suggests a few ways to lower stress with this type of living arrangement. The first is locating bedrooms in separate zones. This gives each family unit a space to call their own and gives a living caregiver who may be in the family or not a place to stay as well.
Second, she mentions utilizing multiple doorways to help with the flow of traffic from all of the different people moving around the house. With multiple generations, pets, caregivers, equipment and more giving multiple [00:12:00] routes to get around the home, reduces traffic jams and getting stuck. I'd also probably add open concepts or wider hallways into this point as well. Third, Lisa mentions not worrying about decorating. Of course, when you have multiple generations, you're going to have multiple design choices, but I agree with her in her thinking here about the function of furniture around the fireplace or the TV to make sure everyone is included is more important than styles and decor.
Lastly, she notes it's important to find an alternative office space. Oftentimes the extra room serving as an office gets turned into a bedroom for another family member and workspaces get shuffled into the kitchen or another random table. Finding a place to work and that may even be outside the home may have to be a consideration.
I also think, of course, that many universal design concepts will apply here too, as we're focusing on all ages and abilities. Wide accessible routes [00:13:00] in the home and outdoor spaces for family socialization and reachable functional storage in all home areas. With that many people living in one space, I'd think depending on the square footage, many would need to apply some minimalistic concepts to have everyone live together without so many things.
Rebecca, do you have any other ideas to add to this list?
Rebecca: I think all of these that you've mentioned Sarah, make a lot of sense. I think the idea of multiple entryways strikes a particular chord with me related to something Kaylee said earlier. I think it could have a lot of impact on the older and younger generations and maintaining a sense of independence for young adult children who are living with their parents, maybe after college, for example, or older adults who are moving back in with their grown children.
It'd be important to preserve a sense of independence and the ability to come and go as you please without the whole family having to be privy to your every move. So I think that's a really keen point. I also think that the concept of [00:14:00] flexibility, which is one of the most important pieces of universal design, is particularly salient in a scenario like this.
I think about, for example, multi-height countertops in a kitchen. They'd be functional for people of all heights, perhaps people who may use wheelchairs, children as well as older adults who could pull up a chair and do kitchen tasks seated if standing were to become a challenge at any point. Or just really tired people who want to sit down and prep their dinner seated.
That flexibility that comes from the option of multiple heights in a countertop is really powerful in a situation where people have skills and needs that are different and varying at different times. I'm also wondering how technology could be used to facilitate a functional multigenerational home.
Kaylee, any thoughts here?
Kaylee: Yes! I could actually talk about this all day, but leveraging technology is going to be one of the best decisions when it comes to safety within the home. Smart technology such as Alexa, Ring Doorbell, Apple TV, keypad [00:15:00] automatic locks and more are great expenses that can be added for individuals across the lifespan.
In addition, reducing clutter, having furniture proportional to the space in each room and utilizing organizational techniques are some suggestions to keep items and trip hazards off the floor. With many people in one environment, it is important to have optimal room for navigating hallways and rooms with safety and function.
Of course, always take time for yourself and your own privacy as it can become overwhelming at times. Overall, you utilizing aging in place concepts with universal design will help further assist your use of space and benefit yourself, friends and family members. As well as promote more effective and accessible design.
If you have any questions or would like to share your experience living in a multi-generational home, I would love to hear more about your experience if you comment below. Thank you guys so much for listening in.
Rebecca: I too would love to hear from some of our [00:16:00] listeners about their experiences in multi-generational homes. Tell us what's worked and maybe even what's been a challenge design-wise. Give us something to think about and maybe we can even talk about it on another episode of Good Fit Poor Fit. But for now, thank you Kaylee for bringing this timely topic to the table and getting our gears turning.
And thanks to our listeners for tuning in. Stay well and we'll be back on the mic soon.
Sarah: Thanks for listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. I'm your host Sarah Pruett, Program Director and Occupational Therapist at The Universal Design Project. Learn more about our work at universaldesign.org, and find more episodes and links to subscribe at goodfitpoorfit.com If you have questions or topics you'd like to discuss, email us at podcast@universaldesign.org.
Thanks for fitting us into your day!
[00:17:00]
OT student, Kaylee, shares her passion for UD in her origin story and shouts out a few of her favorite functional features. Source
Brittany, shares the results of her research and describes how education with virtual renders increases professional understanding of the need for more UD in homes across the USA.Source
OT student, Brittany, shares her research on VR and the impact it has on education, real estate, rehabilitation and universal design. Source
Our OT student shares some of her favorite UD things: including a product that makes cooking on the stove easier.Source
Thinking about traveling soon? Check out the new updates on Airbnb for highlighting listings with accessible features!Source
Show Notes:
CDC Disability Statistics
TedTalk - I'm not your inspiration, thank you very much!
Accessible Community Advisory Committees (ACAC) - Washington State
Visitability
UDP Twitter Account
Social Determinants of Health
Unnatural Causes
AARP Livability Index
Transcript:
[00:00:00] Sarah: You're Listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. A podcast that explores the interaction between people, design, and activity. Good Fit Poor Fit is part of The Universal Design Project, a nonprofit organization with a vision for every community across the USA to have a surplus of homes and opportunities for social participation that are universally and financially accessible.
[00:00:23] Learn more at universaldesign.org.
[00:00:27] Nate: Hello again listeners! Welcome back for another episode of Good Fit, Poor Fit Podcast. If you missed our last few episodes and are wondering who this new voice is, or just need a reminder, my name is Nate Pickett and I am an occupational therapy student who has been working alongside the folks at the Universal Design Project for the past couple of months. I would like to thank all the members of the Universal Design Project for allowing me once again to come on here as we chat about topics related to universal design in the community, and the growth of occupational therapy into non-traditional fields.
[00:00:59] In today's episode, we'll take a step back from the insides of the home and focus on a wider lens of universal design. The focus of this episode will be on the creation of accessible communities. The places that we live have extreme influence on each stage of our life. They determine what activities we are interested in and have access to, the type of people we are around, and the resources available to us as individuals or families. Some factors we can control, others we cannot. But a certain population of individuals have extremely limited ability to control any factors at all. To be exact, 61 million Americans are limited in their search to find a community that works for them. So, why 61 million, you may ask? Because according to the CDC, that is the number of Americans that live with some form of a disability.
[00:01:48] As we have talked about in numerous episodes, those with disabilities are often making unnecessary settlements in the places they choose to call home. Choosing between having adequate accessibility features, or ensuring that space is affordable, should never be a decision that anyone has to make. Accessible communities are very few and far between, and this is for many different reasons. But this is where new construction developments can make a lasting impact.
[00:02:11] However, before we dive into the many layers of this issue, I first wanted to discuss the aspects that make up the feelings behind a sense of community. Community is often defined as a unified body of individuals who occupy a common space with similar interests. So, with that in mind, I'd like to start the conversation by opening up with, what are some aspects that each of you look for or value in your own communities? And, if these feelings were disrupted, how would that make you feel?
[00:02:37] Sarah: What a great topic, Nate. The idea of community can take on a variety of definitions and as an OT that focuses on how people interact with their environment, I use the word community a lot. Most prominent is using the word as a collective community and the people in the town in which I live. In this way, I think of the variety of people of different cultures and abilities, and that ultimately makes me think of the homes they live in and if they fit their needs or not. I have lived in different locations in my community, from a more rural area to a more downtown area, and I can definitely feel a difference in how we participate in things, having everything within walking distance versus driving 15 minutes to get somewhere.
[00:03:21] I also think of community in regard to the specific group I am a part of, like a sport or a musical group, a group of people I connect with who have a common life experience, from disabilities to caregiving, to being a mom, or similar beliefs. Some of these groups are in-person and some of them are virtual.
[00:03:41] I think some of the feelings that keep me feeling like I belong are common life experiences, genuinely enjoying the people that I'm with, and what we're talking about, as well as feeling like I belong by just being myself. However, as life circumstances have changed and my ability to participate in some things have adjusted, it has created some sadness and loss of things that once were, and a longing for some of those experiences and friendships to continue.
[00:04:11] Nate: Thank you for sharing that. I love the points that you make about how the word community can take many different forms, even if your location isn't necessarily changing.
[00:04:19] So switching gears to talk about universal access in both homes and communities, I would again reiterate the point that place really does matter. As we talk about so often here at the Universal Design Project, there's a difference between home modifications and universal design, in terms of how they're approached. Home modifications are those changes that are inserted into existing structures. These are the solutions when funds may not be readily available to make large-scale changes to an existing space. While they're helpful, they don't always address inaccessibility issues down to their core. Also, it is usually only done to one area, space, or home, and is often only implemented as needed. Therefore, accessibility on a neighborhood level as a result of home modifications... Really can't be called accessibility!
[00:05:03] Users who require accessible features for access are limited to the boundaries of their home, stripping them of social opportunities to visit others in the neighborhood, which is a common activity that helps create a feeling of community.
[00:05:15] In opposition, the concept of universal design at the Universal Design Project focuses on structures being built from the ground up. This concept pairs extremely well with the need for accessible communities. As new construction begins and new neighborhood developments are planned, principles of universally designed homes should be considered, not just as needed, but inserted into all homes to address a larger societal barrier.
[00:05:38] Now, the neighborhood becomes universally accessible! No matter the disability one faces, their needs are met in not just their own home, but homes throughout the neighborhood. Now, users can experience a feeling of community, something they were missing when they were making unnecessary settlements on homes.
[00:05:54] Thinking in terms of individuals living in this hypothetical, universally designed neighborhood, what benefits do you anticipate a project like this would bring to them?
[00:06:01] Sarah: Nate, this is my dream! New neighborhoods popping up that are actually entirely universally designed. That's when we know all of the education people have been doing on this topic is sinking in. We do need entire communities like this, versus homes here and there that have some functional features. While they're helpful, it doesn't move the needle a lot.
[00:06:24] The benefit of a family knowing they could go to any home in this certain development, complex, or neighborhood, and not have to hunt around for the elusive one that might meet their needs, would be amazing. Sometimes, there's just one or two accessible units in a complex, and if they're occupied, then the family looking for those features are out of luck and must either continue looking for an accessible option, or compromise on an available non-accessible unit in the same complex.
[00:06:55] Currently, I know many people don't really get to pick the neighborhood they want to live in because they just have to find a house that they can easily modify or make work for their needs. A universally designed neighborhood is a game changer. I'm on a lot of spinal cord injury groups on Facebook, and a question that pops up quite a bit is, what is the most accessible town in the US?
[00:07:16] That's a really loaded question! Because you have to think about housing as well as access to all the stores, medical care, and ease of transportation as well. I don't wanna talk about too much on this topic quite yet, because I know we discuss it more in-depth later in this episode, but the point I'm trying to make here, is that all of these factors play into where we choose to live, but because it's hard to find housing that's accessible in general, we often have to compromise on some of these other pieces.
[00:07:44] But to get back to your original thought here Nate, hypothetically, easily locating an entire neighborhood full of completely universally accessible homes, close to a thriving extended community, it just makes my heart smile.
[00:07:58] Rebecca: It makes my heart smile too, of course, and it makes me think about what we can do to take a first step towards this pretty lofty dream neighborhood that is universally accessible. Unfortunately, as you noted, Sarah, we're pretty far from that at this point, with so many communities having no, or limited availability of accessible spaces that are often deemed as such, based on regulations like the Americans with Disabilities Act, the ADA, which in reality, doesn't lead to true universal accessibility.
[00:08:30] So how can we get from where we are, to that imagined future that you guys are talking about? I know that here at the Universal Design Project, we see some of the first steps as educational. Talking about what universal design is, going beyond ADA compliance, and considering a wide variety of users with different abilities in design.
[00:08:50] But what else do you guys think are some necessary steps in this journey?
[00:08:54] Sarah: I mean, honestly, I think money is a big factor here. As well as some big community champions or organizations to get behind these concepts. Education is a big piece for sure, and that is why we are focused on that. But I think having people in the community actually experiencing real universal design in an entire home is necessary.
[00:09:17] This is one step beyond traditional method of education. I'm talking about a home that has programming for people to spend the night in the home, and to immerse themselves in the features to make a meal, get ready for the day, and just enjoy the home in general. In addition to other community programs that engage more than just tourists, but community members, professionals, and students. By experiencing UD while doing daily tasks, I would hope this could help show the benefit to people personally, as well as for the broader community. Nate, do you have any other thoughts on this one?
[00:09:52] Nate: I think that you hit the nail square on the head, Sarah! Universal Design can be a difficult concept to fully grasp if you're not familiar with its principles, and you're only hearing or reading about them. But experiencing them, that's a different story. No matter the type of learner you are, once you experience UD hands-on, it really all clicks. It makes access easier for everyone, and that's how it clicked for me!
[00:10:13] All the above brings so much perceived joy and solution to such complex problems. It seems so simple, right? But, too often, it really is not. One important topic to consider when discussing options in this area is the stigma surrounding life with a disability and structures built that fit these needs.
[00:10:30] It is an unfortunate truth in our society that stigma surrounds life with a disability. Many have been conditioned to believe that life with a disability is a factor that doesn't allow people to live life to its fullest extent. While it is true that life may be altered, it doesn't necessarily mean that quality of life needs to be impacted in any way, and disability is not a bad thing.
[00:10:50] Furthermore, society has illustrated a concept that life with a disability is inspirational, and simple life achievements are to be viewed with great respect. While this may be the case sometimes, oftentimes those with disabilities simply just want to be treated like their counterparts.
[00:11:04] A great TED talk, that will be linked in the show notes, discusses the objectification of disability. It goes on to explore how those with disabilities are often seen as inspirational for simply living, even if they haven't done anything that makes them inspirational. In another point of view, people view disabilities negatively. This may have detrimental effects on the selling point of a universally designed home. If someone does not, understand the concept of universal design, design that's usable by all disability or not, and they hold a preconceived notion about disability, they may hold a point of view such as, why would I choose to live in a house built for that?
[00:11:38] With this in mind, what impacts do you view this stigma surrounding disability has on the value of homes and a hypothetical, accessible neighborhood? Do you think this concept could steer people away from wanting to live in a universally designed neighborhood? And how can we help to deconstruct these stereotypes in our own communities?
[00:11:55] Sarah: The stigma of disability often does play a part in putting some of these universally accessible homes in our communities. If people really saw the day-in and day-out of what individuals struggle with to get ready and outside of the house with a disability in the mix, they'd realize that people living with this type of experience, don't really feel inspirational. It's frustrating to navigate a barrier-ridden infrastructure. Even if people out in the community do struggle with things physically or mentally, they often don't want to be seen as having a disability, or have that label on themselves because, to some, it seems like it's a weakness.
[00:12:31] In this mindset, why would they want to be in a home that's marketed toward that group of people when they could just make do with what's available. That's why we see many companies and organizations marketing homes and those concepts, by adjusting the words they use like lifetime homes, livable design, age-friendly, and more, to kind of soften the word disability.
[00:12:54] I think you're right in that people don't think the features in UD homes have any benefit to them if they don't consider themselves as disabled. However, it's interesting how our perception changes when we find a solution to things that don't function as well. I'm nearsighted and I'd be really impaired if I didn't have my glasses, but glasses fixed my issue of seeing, and allowed me to go on about my day easily doing my work and driving. It's the same with homes! When we fix these issues in the environment, having an impairment won't be as prominent, because we've altered the way people complete the task.
[00:13:29] Rebecca: I couldn't agree with both of you anymore, and I'm so glad that we're sort of delving into these topics, which I don't think we've covered in exactly this way before, on the Good Fit Poor Fit Podcast. Our society, first of all, definitely still grapples with some serious, serious ableism and stigma surrounding disability.
[00:13:49] So you'll see lots of tiptoeing around the words as you said, Sarah. In my opinion, disability is not a bad word! And I could soapbox about that for an entire episode, and I won't listeners, but I just have to get that out there.
[00:14:03] What I will say is that, to Sarah's point, it's important to acknowledge that disability is a part of the human experience. Anyone can become disabled at any time, and most of our lives are already impacted by disability in some way. But the beautiful thing about universal design is that, though it has roots tied to accessible design, it's not specifically for people with disabilities. Universal design isn't designing for disability.
[00:14:31] In fact, universal design has goals that are far more expansive than designing for disability. It seeks to create features that are flexible, simple, approachable, and logical for people with all different backgrounds, disabilities, cultures, and experiences. So when we really think about universally designed homes, it means homes that are the most functional for the most people.
[00:14:56] And that's something I think we can all get on board with.
[00:14:59] Sarah: Yeah, that's a really great way to put it, Rebecca. It's part of the human experience. We can all use additional convenience in our lives, and we really don't know when life circumstances will change for us, to actually need features for us or friends or family that may visit. So why not just design this way in the first place?
[00:15:17] There is a lot of education surrounding the bigger picture of these concepts, and honestly, having people in our world that do things differently is what makes us all unique and appreciate each other's ingenuity and differences.
[00:15:30] Nate: I couldn't have said all that information any better myself, and as you guys quoted, disability is truly a part of life. So it's time that we stop becoming fearful of this topic, and adapt our world to meet this mindset.
[00:15:41] With an aging population on a faster rise than it ever has been before, it is time for a wake-up call, one that hammers home the principle that the structure of home needs to be designed for accessibility standards. A quickly aging population only adds to the already excessive number of individuals with a disability, increasing the need for accessible housing exponentially.
[00:16:00] Luckily, some states are recognizing this need. A great resource, that will also be linked in the show notes, highlights the initiative that has been taken in Washington state, to increase the availability of accessible housing options. In 2010, they passed a bill into law that prompted the creation of the Accessible Community Advisory Committee, better known as the ACAC, where each county in the state created a committee where residents could voice concerns about the lack of accessibility in their neck of the woods. From there, the ACAC of all counties met as a larger group to discuss any needs the counties may have had. And they handle all grant writing if community accessibility is needed to be increased in a certain area.
[00:16:40] Many other states have also followed suit on the creation of these committees to help increase awareness for the need of accessible communities. However, in most cases, these committees are mostly entirely made up of private citizens. Furthermore, they're only funding assistance to help increase accessibility in the areas and the desperate needs for it, comes from federal grants, which are composed by the citizens. As a student in OT, I took a quick dive into grant writing and it's no easy task. I can only imagine the process for getting these grants accepted, the task that these private citizens have to do, when accessibility is something that they shouldn't need to fight for.
[00:17:14] With these processes in mind, why do you think accessibility changes for the home can be such a difficult process to go through?
[00:17:20] Rebecca: I imagine Sarah will have a lot to say here, but I think this is a super important point to bring up. All these barriers that exist for people looking to advocate for, and build accessible communities. It's absurd! I have to imagine that a lack of understanding compounded with this country's often fraught relationship with the disabled community is a contributor.
[00:17:41] What do you think, Sarah?
[00:17:43] Sarah: Yeah Rebecca, it is absurd and I'm amazed how much we have to keep talking about these concepts. Sometimes I feel like a broken record, but then after conversations with people, I realize. There is still a lack of understanding of the benefits of UD, and there are layers upon layers of barriers that I feel like we keep digging up.
[00:18:03] Pure education and helping people understand the importance isn't quite enough to move the needle, but it's a start. Just like the program you talked about in Washington state, Nate. Many localities are trying to pass policies to make accessible features a requirement to get things accomplished more on a community level.
[00:18:21] Eleanor Smith began the movement of Visitability in Atlanta, Georgia. They worked toward making all new homes built in their community, to meet three basic requirements, including one zero-step entrance, doors with 32 inches of clear passage space, one bathroom on the main floor you can get into in a wheelchair.
[00:18:42] It was met with a lot of resistance, but having new homes with just these features is at least to start to getting someone inside and to a usable bathroom. Another thing that I'm noticing, and you mentioned Nate, is that many of these initiatives are spearheaded by private citizens or nonprofits.
[00:18:58] Unfortunately, that's not where all the money is, but it is where the people living the experiences are trying to find ways to make change. How do we all get the listening ear of those decision makers? How do we get people to see the value for all people, and not just those currently that have a disability?
[00:19:17] Scott and I recently found out that most of the grants out there for housing are not even focused on accessible housing. There's just not a lot of people funding it. Affordability is a big drive these days. So adding accessibility and affordability into the same ask for grants, has to be another way to make a difference in the homes and infrastructure of our communities.
[00:19:39] It's just disheartening to see all these new complexes and neighborhoods go up, and they just missed the opportunity to put in functional features that would benefit so many people in our community now, and in future generations. Back in September of 2022, my husband Scott tweeted this on our Twitter account.
[00:19:58] " The American Housing survey notes that out of all homes, the median year built was 1977. The National Association of Realtors states the median duration of home ownership is 13 years. In other words, the homes in our country last for decades and typically have multiple owners. This means that what we build now will still be used decades down the road, even more imperative to figure out a solution to this problem."
[00:20:28] Nate: In today's world, we try really hard to prepare for the future. So I agree that it's disheartening that home designs aren't seeing eye to eye on this concept. It's no secret that we'll all become a victim to the natural aging process, which causes declines in our abilities as well as our health. Our homes are a part of our health, and it's time that they're treated as such.
[00:20:46] One final topic surrounding community can explore factors that predetermine the quality of life one will live, simply due to the zip code they reside in. These factors can be identified as social determinants of health.
[00:20:58] Social determinants of health, refer to five factors of one's, community or environment, that impact an individual's health, functioning, occupational engagement, quality of life, and life expectancy, simply due to their location on a map. These five factors I mentioned, include economic stability, educational access and quality, healthcare access and quality, built environment of the neighborhood, and the social context of the community.
[00:21:23] Is it true that individuals living in one zip code can live 10 years longer than folks living in a zip code, just a 20-minute drive away? The answer is yes, and it all comes down to a holistic view of health.
[00:21:34] Picture this. An individual lives in an area that was once the wealthiest area of the nation, located right on a river, maybe in a milltown. One that thrived decades ago when establishments were run on water power. At the time, you couldn't ask for a better place to live.
[00:21:48] But as times change, so do demographics. At the snap of a finger, those once flourishing communities are now unkept and run down. Business has moved elsewhere, and now this place becomes known as a "dump".
[00:22:00] This is a story that happens all too often. Due to old infrastructure, the community is not built for safe travel, eliminating the option for exercise. What if you don't have a car or there's no bus? Now walking's the only option, but it's not safe. Okay, well maybe we can make it to the store if it's close. But the store? No, the one close by left town and now it's outside of walking distance. Okay, let me see if I can find maybe a friend to take me! Wait, no, they just moved as well and there goes my social connections.
[00:22:31] As you can see, a simple change of the dynamics of the location can absolutely derail someone's access to life's important features. The built environment is not safe and there's no healthy food stores around. This negatively impacts their physical health. Friends move away and find new real estate, but you can't afford to leave. So this takes away your social health. Trying to find a job in a place where businesses don't last and there's limited job security and there goes your mental health. So slowly but surely, these challenges that one faces are detrimental to the health and wellbeing of the person as a whole. Physical, social and mental health create the perfect storm to allow for other conditions to develop that can severely alter one's health.
[00:23:10] This small example shows how a zip code truly does have an impact on one's life expectancy. A great resource, which is linked in the show notes called Unnatural Causes, Place Matters, does a fantastic job breaking down this concept. Unnatural Causes unpacks seven scenarios that fit into the social determinants of health. I highly recommend checking out this resource as it explains the social determinants of health in a much better way than I could dream of doing here.
[00:23:36] All of this leads me to my final question for you guys. What do you think would need to be a part of an accessible community in order to prevent social determinants of health from providing adverse health benefits?
[00:23:46] Sarah: Nate, the social determinants of health are really interesting once you start digging into them and peel away all of those layers, so thanks for sharing more about that. And there are so many details that play into these social determinants of health and countless organizations are dedicated to initiatives for improving them.
[00:24:04] But from my view, as an OT and looking at environments, I've always said that there's a direct connection between accessible housing and usable communities. It's important to understand that once someone feels safe and confident in managing their needs and the needs of their family at home, they're more likely to get out into their community and participate in work, school, and play.
[00:24:24] This increases confidence in being able to interact with others socially, which also contributes to one's health and wellbeing, like you said. First, their home needs to be functionally accessible and safe. And second, the community needs to provide access, safety, and opportunities as well.
[00:24:41] However, Nate, like you shared with us, when communities face challenges, the people living there really struggle with inadequate conditions, or they try to move away for better opportunities. When thinking about your question of what I would think would need to be a part of an accessible community, I think about convenience.
[00:24:59] When new housing developments and single-family homes are built that are universally accessible, our communities are providing opportunities for people to thrive. More people feel welcome to move to that location because there are homes that make life easier to do daily tasks. Homes located closer to a city center, even smaller towns, are more likely to have more amenities like grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, and community activity centers within walking distance for participation and a variety of life-giving activities. There's also the convenience of sidewalks and public transportation.
[00:25:35] For those individuals who feel comfortable leaving their home, having this infrastructure just outside their front door gives them the confidence to complete more of their daily tasks for themselves and their families, without having to rely on others. They can easily contribute to the local economy when that infrastructure is thriving, by frequenting stores, adding to the workforce, participating in recreational activities and exercise, and raising their children or grandchildren in a community that values their abilities and contributions.
[00:26:06] AARP has a way to score "livable communities" or livability. I'll put the link in the show notes to their information, but they're looking at seven elements in communities to determine a score for how "livable" it is. The scoring is out of a hundred in housing, neighborhood, transportation, environment, health, engagement, and opportunity. Kind of sounds like the areas of the social determinants of health!
[00:26:35] On their site, they actually have a list of many of the cities they've evaluated and they've published their scores. So go take a look.
[00:26:42] People generally have a lot of the same life goals. To live life as active and healthy as they can for as long as they can, provide for their families, and live in a space that's safe and comfortable. Universal design in homes and communities provides people the ability to complete daily tasks with confidence, and I think that's a big part of addressing some of these social determinants of health. I'm on my soapbox here and I'm just gonna keep going, but what if our community organizations and partners shifted their mindset and opportunities for more people were just open because the design of our homes and communities provided more access. People wouldn't just be surviving and making due. They'd be able to thrive. They'd be healthier and more active members of society.
[00:27:29] Nate: I agree, Sarah. Social determinants of health provide extremely valuable information about our communities, and we could explore them for hours upon hours, as we've barely scratched the surface level of them here. They provide us with useful information on the makeup of communities that can be used to make changes towards the ultimate goal, a thriving community. The goal that so many of us have, but really don't know how to achieve it.
[00:27:53] So listeners, thank you for sticking in there with us as we've really covered a lot!
[00:27:57] To wrap things up, the accessible community has many benefits that can have a positive impact beyond just the surface level. Today, we discussed what makes communities feel like the right fit, how accessible communities built from the ground up can have huge impact on increased accessibility, stigma surrounding disability, aging populations, the initiatives that are currently in place, and finally social determinants of health.
[00:28:20] As you can see, there's many layers to access, but each is crucial to explore to its fullest extent. Accessible communities are the future, and we should invest in them now, for it will make for a better tomorrow.
[00:28:31] Thank you all for listening to yet another episode of the Good Fit Poor Fit podcast. I hope that this episode helped you to view the accessible community as a necessity moving forward. Making change now will only make the future a better place. As mentioned, the accessible neighborhood is few and far between. Therefore, it's up to us to keep these conversations going in our own communities, until one day, our neighbors, friends, and family, disability or not, can interact with each other's space, worry-free of inaccessability.
[00:29:00] We hope you have a great day.
[00:29:04] Sarah: Thanks for listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. I'm your host Sarah Pruett, Program Director and Occupational Therapist at The Universal Design Project. Learn more about our work at universaldesign.org, and find more episodes and links to subscribe at goodfitpoorfit.com If you have questions or topics you'd like to discuss, email us at podcast@universaldesign.org.
[00:29:29] Thanks for fitting us into your day!
Show Notes:
Apartment Therapy Article
Effects of Color on Behavior
ASD and Color Study
Office Color Study
Amazon Link for The Accessible Home
Transcript:
[00:00:00] Sarah: You're Listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. A podcast that explores the interaction between people, design, and activity. Good Fit Poor Fit is part of The Universal Design Project, a nonprofit organization with a vision for every community across the USA to have a surplus of homes and opportunities for social participation that are universally and financially accessible.
[00:00:27] Learn more at universaldesign.org.
[00:00:31] Alee: Hi, listeners, welcome back to another Good Fit Poor Fit episode. You may have heard from me in the past episode--#72--on UD and Service Dogs. But for those of you who haven't had a listen yet, I'm Alee Halsey and I've been working with UDP as a level two OT student over the fall semester.
[00:00:48] Over the past months, I've learned so many different ways we can modify and adapt homes to make them more universally accessible. There's quite a spectrum for complexity and price involved in the changes we can make to our homes, but I've especially enjoyed learning about how creative we can be to find simple cost-effective changes to accomplish UD goals.
[00:01:07] Perhaps it's the painter in me, but thinking about this, my mind immediately jumps to color. There are so many ways a bucket of paint can completely transform a home and with little effort and cost. A $30 quart of paint can go a long way and can accomplish the very same goals as extremely pricey renovations.
[00:01:26] Sarah, this is a concept you discussed previously in a fantastic article in Apartment Therapy with a writer who experiences a disability--and check out the link in the show notes below to read more. I loved the points you all brought up about the recent trends of all-white home design and how this can pose serious difficulties for those with disabilities.
[00:01:44] Do you mind sharing with us why this causes issues and some of the color solutions you brainstormed together?
[00:01:50] Sarah: Of course. Well, first off, Alee, I think it's quite fun that in your research for this podcast, you found the article I contributed to several years ago. There is definitely a trend of things being minimal and looking "clean" by being all one color. Oftentimes, this is seen in design as white walls, white countertops, white cabinets, white baseboards, and more.
[00:02:13] I love the design aesthetic it's trying to go for; however, choosing all of these elements as one color makes navigating the home and scanning the environment even more difficult. When everything is one color (and it doesn't have to be white), it's difficult for people with low vision or cognitive disabilities to know where one surface ends and another begins.
[00:02:36] This causes a lot of problems with setting items down on maybe countertops for those who have difficulty with depth perception. They might not notice they're putting a cup on the ledge of the sink where it connects to the countertop. When you think about people navigating the home, difficulty occurs when there's not contrast between doors, the baseboards, framing around doors, and the wall color. Without these hints of color to show us that there is a door to walk through that's a different color than the wall, people can get a little confused navigating the home.
[00:03:08] This also happens when stairs, handrails, light switches, electrical sockets, appliances, and other controls blend right into the environment and it can be difficult to find. Have you ever tried to go down a flight of stairs and all the stairs look like they blend together because you can't tell where the edge is?
[00:03:24] How about trying to find that outlet on the wall that blends into the paint color? For those who use sign language to communicate, we've even heard that choosing a paint color on the wall that doesn't blend into most skin tones is also helpful for people to see hands when they're communicating. When you really dig into it, and once you start thinking about this topic even more, there are lots of ways to adjust the color around the home just slightly to make a difference in contrast.
[00:03:53] Now, we don't want to go overboard here with everything, then it will look a little too wild and choppy. So there is a subtle level of contrast that's important to meet. Even too much contrast, say a dark line on a white floor, can make flat surfaces look like steps. I think there is an element of creativity here, though. I know in our apartment building, each floor of the building has a designated color.
[00:04:17] This color is integrated into parts of the walls as well as the carpeting. When someone is navigating the building, they can determine what floor they're on based on the color. This is a great wayfinding tool for many people too. My daughter, age four, has figured out which floor corresponds to which color.
[00:04:35] Things like this help us cognitively and alert us to our location. Little hints of color like this can be really helpful.
[00:04:42] Rebecca: I love that you brought that up, Sarah. That's actually something that I've worked on with clients in professional settings in terms of wayfinding for labeling different floors. Say, the finance floor is blue, or the engineering floor is orange. This can be a really awesome way to help people find their way in a space they've never been to before if they're say, interviewing or if they're a contractor who's just visiting the building. And it's a really easy and simple universal design that can actually help everybody to find their way a little bit easier. And I also think a lot about what you said earlier comes into play in bathrooms a lot.
[00:05:24] You see those are all white a lot of the times and I've heard that there are a lot of challenges with people slipping and not knowing where one thing ends and another begins in an all-white bathroom, which is a kind of unsafe spot for a lot of people to begin with. So I think this comes into play in a lot of different ways here.
[00:05:43] Alee: You're right. Color makes a big difference in just how we're able to navigate a space safely, but also for wayfinding. My mind automatically goes to people who have low vision or cognitive disabilities when it comes to who benefits from this. But you're right, Sarah, even small children can be part of this group as well.
[00:06:01] The deaf community is also a group that I hadn't thought of here. This also got me thinking about other groups of people who might be overlooked but would benefit just as much from color technique in the home, one of which is those who are colorblind. In their case, we need to be wary of using red or green for strategic color purposes if you know someone in the home is colorblind and can't differentiate between those colors. Rebecca, are there any other quick color fixes you've seen in the home?
[00:06:27] Rebecca: That is a great question. And interestingly enough, my dad is one of those colorblind people with whom I have lived, so I've actually given this some thought. One thing that comes to mind right away is electrical stuff. I'm sure you've seen that sometimes colors and cords will be labeled by color, kind of like you used to see on the back of televisions for various inputs and outputs.
[00:06:50] My dad will have trouble with tasks like this that rely entirely on identifying and matching colors sometimes. And a really easy fix for this is written labels. I'm sure listeners, if you're a regular listener, you know, I love labels. It's not my dad's favorite thing, taking the time to put a written label on something, but I really do think it's a good hack that I've seen him use, especially when it comes to electrical tasks that may require such matching during a rewire. And it's definitely not worth the risk when it comes to the electrical stuff, if you ask me. Plus, just the labeling is another universal feature because I think that it helps everybody.
[00:07:30] Sarah: I'm sure there are many examples out there like this where people have to navigate instructions or our world by color. My uncle is also colorblind and he said that he had to memorize the position of colors on stoplights to notice when one was brighter to have it indicate for him when the lights changed. And while your dad isn't a huge label fan, maybe he'd get into the idea of using different symbols or different shaped stickers? This reminds me of one of my favorite games I love to play called Ticket to Ride. Many games often rely on colors as a cue for moving around the board and figuring out strategies.
[00:08:11] This game of Ticket to Ride is one such game where you're putting down train cars to get to your destination before the other players. What was really interesting to me though, is that each color was also labeled with a symbol. So if someone was colorblind, they could still play the game by matching the symbols if they couldn't see the colors.
[00:08:30] A very intuitive idea for these game makers, I'd say. Sorry, Alee I think I went down a rabbit trail here onto a different topic, but maybe you can get us back on track with homes. At least my example is still related to some meaningful tasks in the home.
[00:08:45] Alee: Not to worry, Sarah. I love these suggestions. There are absolutely going to be times where there is a color in or on objects within the home, such as wires or game pieces, that we can't change. We'll have to troubleshoot around that, and labeling in these ways is a great trick. Finding a shorthand system with symbols can make that a lot easier and perhaps even more decorative.
[00:09:06] Perhaps you could use symbols on your faucets to indicate which is hot rather than a red handle. There's all sorts of ways you could get creative. Overall, we're seeing a lot of purposes color can serve within the home. Another way we can use it strategically is to enhance the purpose of our different rooms.
[00:09:23] For instance, designing an office space in a color that increases concentration or performance. I came across a really interesting study that tested this idea. Their participants were tested doing work tasks in an office that was red, and then in one that was blue. Halfway through, participants switched from one room to the other and interestingly, the results showed that those who switched from the blue office to the red office made significantly more errors in their work following the switch than other groups did. Not only does this tell me that I should avoid red in my home office, but it certainly brings to light how important these color changes can be now that we live in a world where so many of us work from home. I was wondering if either of you have noticed what color work environment seemed to be where you function best? Or perhaps you might be able to think of a time where a room's color was disruptive for you?
[00:10:14] Sarah: I know I work better in an environment with calming colors, but I think a lot of this is personal preference for sure. We see this in our homes and in our choice of clothing. Do we want to stand out or remain neutral and blend into the background?
[00:10:28] I know a lady who loves red and she has an accent wall in her home of red, and all of her clothes and accessories usually have a hint of red. However, whether we love these pops of color out there or not, when designing a home for a wide variety of people, I feel like we probably should set the space up to work well for the most people as possible right off the bat, since anyone could move into a home. Once someone moves in, they can get that bucket of paint out and do what they want. But starting off with some good base colors of grey, off-white, and hints of blues and greens are usually what I go with. It's a good standard color palette and have them complement each other versus clash.
[00:11:11] Rebecca: Yeah, I think that makes a lot of sense, Sarah. Start simple and then recognize that everyone's gonna have their own preferences, especially when it comes to color. When you mention the woman that you know who loves red, it reminded me of a time I was on a Zoom call with a woman who was in this bright yellow room.
[00:11:27] I mean like highlighter yellow, and I love the color. It was so vibrant and joyful, and I told her that, and she said that was how it made her feel too. But then she panned around with the camera and she said, "It's only one wall, though. A whole room of this color would just be too much!" And I totally understood what she was saying.
[00:11:46] I can see where that kind of vibrant light might not be great on all four walls, especially in the room where you work all day long. It could work for some, I recognize that, but I don't think it would be ideal for me. I tend to enjoy nice light, pastely kind of neutral and natural colors in rooms that I'm in all the time, especially if I'm working or sleeping in there. A bit calmer, a bit less stimulating, and then definitely I prefer simple paint on walls other than busy wallpaper. There's actually a time in my house growing up in which my mom had, I kid you not, three different, very busy wallpapers across two open-plan rooms that ran into one another. It was a serious headache, people! We look back at photos now and we think, who in the world thought that that looked okay?
[00:12:34] And forget about the stimulation. I don't know how anybody concentrated in that room. And now, my mom has swung the complete opposite way and the entire house in which I grew up in is grey. So I guess she learned her lesson, but I also feel it might be a slight overcorrection at this point.
[00:12:51] Alee: Hey, time of life of our individual circumstances may also completely change what color or patterns work for us at the moment. Or perhaps, her brain had just simply had enough! Isn't it crazy what an impact it can make, though? I did some more digging on why color and strong color contrast can affect us so much.
[00:13:09] And one explanation is how our brains have been wired to pay attention to objects of contrasting color in our environment. This made it easier for our ancestors to find food or notice potential hazards. Among plants and animals, bright colors also serve certain survival functions such as reproduction and protection.
[00:13:26] This makes me think of David Attenborough's "Birds of Paradise" episode or the vibrant poisonous frogs of the Amazon where color is equally a source of strong attraction as it is for warning or repulsion. For these reasons, it is clear color is strongly linked with arousal states and emotion, and can be a trigger for these as well.
[00:13:46] In a red office space, this bold color can be arousing and increase energy and alertness. But, based on the results of the study I just mentioned, it could be causing a level of stress that negatively affects our performance. In general, I find this triangle between color, physiological, and emotional response fascinating.
[00:14:03] However, it can work really differently depending on the person, as we all have different personal or physical experiences, as well as cultural influences that impact our emotional response to certain colors.
[00:14:14] Sarah: I agree, Alee, this is really fascinating that our productivity, the emotions and how we feel we're able to function in this space can change due to the colors. In a way, this also makes me think about how sensitive our senses are and why having environments that are calming makes such a difference in our emotions and our ability to function.
[00:14:35] I do that silly thing in the car when traffic gets busy where I turn down the radio. My husband's like, "Why are you turning down the radio?" But there's just something about that extra noise to me that's really distracting. Or, where I have to clean up my desk to feel I can start my work. Feeling calm and organized and really focusing in on how the environment is making us feel has a direct impact on how we function.
[00:14:59] I know in UD we often get caught up in the features in a home, but this discussion is really great to remind us to think about all of these sensory elements as well.
[00:15:10] Alee: Agreed. We all have to take into account what is going to work for us as individuals, and color is a tool that can be used very differently depending on the person. This is actually a really important point Deborah Pierce makes in her book, The Accessible Home: Designing for All Ages and Abilities. She lists a variety of colors and qualities color therapists have assigned to them.
[00:15:30] For instance, blue is serene, orange is energetic, red is stimulating and comforting, and yellow is cheery. However, she also notes that personal experience and cultural traditions influence how these colors make us feel. For instance, purple is often associated with wealth, royalty and nobility, but in Thailand and Brazil, it represents mourning.
[00:15:52] This would make for a completely different experience in a home space, one that might elicit feelings of comfort and luxury in contrast to one that's filled with feelings of sadness. For this reason, it's incredibly important to consider the individual person if assisting them with color home modifications.
[00:16:10] As OTs, we consider the whole person. We're not just looking at how color can help them function or move throughout the physical context of the home, but we also must consider their cultural context, values, and beliefs when consulting them.
[00:16:23] Sarah: Yeah, Alee, I agree and I'm really glad you mentioned Deborah Pierce's book, The Accessible Home. It's a really great resource and we can put that link in the show notes for you to check out as well. There is a whole science out there, like you said, to color and what emotions and meaning that color gives off, and that can change culture to culture, just like you mentioned. I'm not as well versed in how different cultures may view color. That is something I am actually curious to learn more about because it is so interesting. I do know though, that color and emotion play into so many things throughout the home, from choices in paint color to decor, and more. Businesses even need to consider this for their branding.
[00:17:02] That's why we see a lot of restaurants with red because that elicits a certain feeling versus more calming colors of blues and greens that often get put into hospitals and doctor's offices.
[00:17:14] Alee: That's right, and as we've discussed, one color can elicit a very different experience depending on the person and/or the context. Red being an example...Pierce lists it as a comforting color, but as we saw in the office experiment, it did not have a comforting effect.
[00:17:28] Otherwise, the participants would've performed better in their work tasks instead of worse. However, as you mentioned, Sarah, it can be advantageous in the context of business branding. All in all, this supports that the experience of color can be different. Perhaps another reason why is due to physiology and diagnoses that completely alter the way individuals experience this aspect of their environment.
[00:17:50] I actually want to jump back to the color yellow. It also makes for a very different emotional experience depending on the person. Personally, it's one of my favorite colors, and like your Zoom colleague, Rebecca, it's one I associate with Pierce's description as cheery. However, I came across another interesting study that proves how and why yellow can have the complete opposite effect for other individuals like those with Autism.
[00:18:14] For those of you who don't know much about this diagnosis, many people with Autism experience difficulty processing sensory information in their environment, which includes visual input like color. Because their brains have difficulty taking in and interpreting this visual information, they can become easily stressed or overwhelmed, which leads them physically and emotionally drained.
[00:18:35] The study compared typically developing boys and boys diagnosed with Autism in regards to their preference of six colors, including red, pink, yellow, brown, green, and blue. It found the boys with Autism were significantly less than typically developing boys to prefer yellow, and it explains the results because boys with this disorder perceived yellow as being sensory overloading.
[00:18:59] I also thought it was neat how the study went on to explain why yellow can be such a challenging color to process for these individuals. Our eyes have three different types of cone cells for perceiving color, which corresponds to red, green, and blue light. But in order to perceive yellow, two cone cells have to be used at once, which requires more effort for our brain to process this information.
[00:19:21] All of this being said, it's very important to design the colors of your rooms to match the needs of its inhabitants, and these needs will be very different from person to person. It also means that we can use color as a tool to mitigate some of these challenges such as combating overstimulation, anxiety, or depression.
[00:19:39] In your experiences, have you recommended particular paint colors for clients' homes for these reasons?
[00:19:44] Sarah: Alee, I'm really glad you mentioned this study, and I'm glad you were able to bring this research and science into our conversation.
[00:19:51] But before I get into some of my recommended paint colors, I want to share that I have a friend who has a son with Asperger's, and he had this exact same experience. They were at church and after dropping him off in his classroom, he wasn't able to stay in the room for very long and raced away to flee that uncomfortable experience. When my friend sat down with him to discuss what was going on, he mentioned it was the color of the room that was making him uncomfortable. I want to go back to your question, Alee, about recommending different paint colors. We haven't recommended particular paint colors in homes specifically, as we like to keep some of these choices up to different individual preferences and styles. But we have gone into a lot of the same conversation as we have discussed today. Keeping in mind contrast, calming colors, taking note of how all of these elements complement each other and speak to one's sensory needs.
[00:20:46] Alee: For sharing that experience, Sarah. That alone is a testament that color has a profound impact on how we interact with our world, sometimes causing us to run from it. I'm glad that you all take such a collaborative approach at the Universal Design Project to consider all of these aspects of color, as we've discussed.
[00:21:04] Our experience of color is multifactorial, and to make a space that's the best fit for an individual requires taking all of these into account. So thank you again for joining us for this episode. I hope you're leaving feeling inspired by the array of possibilities color has in the world of universal design.
[00:21:22] Feel free to share any thoughts or ideas you have on incorporating color into UD solutions in our comments section below. We would love to hear from you! I hope you all have a great day!
[00:21:31] Sarah: Thanks for listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. I'm your host Sarah Pruett, Program Director and Occupational Therapist at The Universal Design Project. Learn more about our work at universaldesign.org, and find more episodes and links to subscribe at goodfitpoorfit.com If you have questions or topics you'd like to discuss, email us at podcast@universaldesign.org.
[00:21:58] Thanks for fitting us into your day!
Show Notes:
Postsecondary Education Quick Information System
Article from Kent State University
UDL Guidelines
Transcript:
[00:00:00] Sarah: You're Listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. A podcast that explores the interaction between people, design, and activity. Good Fit Poor Fit is part of The Universal Design Project, a nonprofit organization with a vision for every community across the USA to have a surplus of homes and opportunities for social participation that are universally and financially accessible.
[00:00:23] Learn more at universaldesign.org.
[00:00:27] Nate: Hello listeners! Welcome back for another episode of Good Fit, Poor Fit Podcast. You may notice a new voice. My name is Nate Pickett, occupational therapy student working with The Universal Design Project over the past couple of months. If you caught our last episode, I am working alongside fellow OT student Alee, who is the host of our last podcast on service animals in the home.
[00:00:49] Before we begin, I would just like to thank Sarah, Scott, Alee, and all the other members of the Universal Design Project for allowing me to come on here as we chat and continue the growth of universal design in our communities as well as non-traditional OT practice.
[00:01:03] Today we'll be talking about a place. Rather, a home, at least for a couple of years, that is so often overlooked. A place where individuals live, work, play, learn, and thrive. All aspects of a home that are often forgotten about in this place. This place, being college.
[00:01:20] Attending college, which has quickly become a norm of our society, is one of the biggest achievements, challenges, and transitions in one's life. It is a time where some of the fastest growth occurs. This four-year stretch goes by quicker than any other four years in one's life. That is why it is so important to choose a place that is a good fit for you. As a prospective student wondering how to pick a college, you're always told, you'll just know. It'll feel right, and it'll feel like home.
[00:01:47] Home. A powerful word. Physically, sure, it means the four walls around you and the roof standing over your head, but there's layers to a home. It's not just the physical space. It's the emotions you feel when you open the door, it's the social connections you create in and around it. It's the spiritual power that it holds, giving you a drive or purpose for your daily activities.
[00:02:08] So sure, college should feel like a home, for it's where the next four-plus years of your life may be spent. But for some, is it even physically possible for a college to feel like a home? The answer to this will be explored a little bit later on in our conversation.
[00:02:21] But before we even jump into accessibility at college, I wonder, what made your respective schools feel like home for you?
[00:02:27] Seeing we all attended different universities, there are elements that maybe some of us experience that we value more than others, and that drove our decision. And so Sarah and Alee, what are some things that you value in a home? And what made your universities feel this way?
[00:02:41] Sarah: There are so many things that drive our thoughts for choosing a college, but having that feeling that the campus just feels like the right fit can definitely be described as our home away from home.
[00:02:52] I chose my undergraduate college for a variety of reasons, but when I visited campus, it really did seem like an extension of my hometown. There were quite a few people I knew from my high school and other local schools that attended there. And an even bigger plus, I already had an option for a roommate! This friend of mine was an acquaintance from my first job at an ice cream shop, and we had a lot in common.
[00:03:15] Knowing I was going away from home the very first time, and I was going to room with a friend was really appealing to me. I also loved the options for extracurricular activities, including choir, band, and intramural volleyball, all things I wanted to continue after college.
[00:03:32] I had no idea what my major was gonna be, so knowing that I could explore things at a liberal arts school was enticing to me as well. In addition, I really appreciated the small school atmosphere and was drawn to smaller class sizes and felt like I wouldn't get lost in the crowd. It ended up being a great experience for me, and I still have lifelong memories and friendships even today from my experiences there.
[00:03:57] Alee: Sarah, we seem to have been very much on the same page with what made our college campus feel like home. I also went to a small school in a little town in the Virginia Blue Ridge. The small, tight-knit community was something that really drew me to it.
[00:04:11] Inside the classroom, I liked the intimate space where I could get to know classmates and professors well. Outside the classroom, it was really easy to form community, as you knew just about everyone on campus. Every face was familiar.
[00:04:22] This and the fact that the campus was small and easily navigated, a huge pro for someone who is a bit geographically challenged, made it easily feel like home and not overwhelming in the least. We all know that going to college could be overwhelming enough as it is, and when there were times that I needed help, I felt like I knew my resources and could access them without a ton of hassle.
[00:04:44] Like you, Sarah, I was also drawn to a lot of the extracurriculars that were offered there, especially because many involved the outdoors. I loved the fact that I could easily get to the river, hiking trails, and camping with friends.
[00:04:57] Nate: I think that all of the points you mentioned capture the feelings that many people have, and being able to prioritize those feelings is extremely crucial! Similarly, I was drawn to the social connections and open-arm atmosphere that every faculty member created on each and every one of my visits. It truly is interesting exploring what makes certain places feel like home for some, and I am glad that everyone found a place that worked for them.
[00:05:20] Unfortunately, there are some that aren't as lucky, or those that have to make unnecessary settlements. So picture this: You have 12 years of hard-earned education under your belt and countless hours put into your college application. All the extracurriculars and commitments you made are all in hopes of landing and securing a spot at your dream school.
[00:05:37] All of this, to only find out that one in every three colleges are not prepared to provide you universal access to all campus features you'll be paying for, but this is only the beginning of your struggle. Why?, You may ask. This is because you are among 300,000 students that use a mobility device to access a college campus.
[00:05:55] Statistics gathered from the Post-Secondary Education Quick Information System, identify that only 68% of private four-year universities enroll students with a mobility device. This means that the remaining 32% are not actively ensuring that their accessibility standards are up to code for students and members of the university community.
[00:06:14] These numbers are very alarming. While it is a sample size of only private universities, there are approximately 2,675 private universities in the US. This means that close to 900 private universities are not well prepared to enroll a student that relies on a mobility device. This severely limits the choices that the individuals have in where they want to call home.
[00:06:36] Alee: I agree, Nate. Those statistics are pretty disappointing. Thinking back to my experience and what attracted me most to my school, I realized they were exactly what might deter somebody with a mobility disability from attending my school. For instance, I loved the fact that it was historic and the old buildings, but this would be an absolute nightmare for someone using a mobility device.
[00:06:57] The uneven, narrow brick walking paths between buildings, or old, winding stairwells would be far from charming and pretty dangerous for someone in a wheelchair or other mobility aid. I also really liked how upperclassman housing was spread out amongst old houses in the country. But how could this work for somebody with a disability?
[00:07:16] These homes are lacking in everything they might need. No paved driveway, stairless entry, open floor space: The list goes on! It's interesting that these accommodations never crossed my mind when looking for a school, but they have to be at the forefront for 300,000 or more students.
[00:07:34] Sarah: Very good points! Thanks for sharing these stats, you guys. You are right, Alee, those initial things that drew us to our campuses would give us a different perspective now, if we were thinking in the lens of accessibility. That is quite a lot of students for having to think about moving around campus and living in the available housing, and that's only those who have a mobility impairment.
[00:07:56] My undergrad campus mostly had housing in dorms, apartments, and older homes within walking distance of all other campus buildings. I'm pretty sure none of these housing options had an elevator, but I do remember a few that had rooms on the main floor that provided a no-step access. There wasn't any off-campus housing options, except for those who are choosing to commute from home.
[00:08:18] Alee, thinking about your comment for off-campus housing not being accessible, I actually never thought about people commuting or living off-campus due to the lack of accessible housing options on campus. Maybe this was the case for some, I always attributed this to commuters driving into school for the main reason of saving extra money, or maybe they were married.
[00:08:39] Older buildings and dorms without elevators, I can now see looking back that would make campus difficult to do certain tasks as well. Thinking broader, some schools have already done the hard work of thinking through some of these accessibility issues regarding mobility and their infrastructure, yet others still have some work to do, as the statistics note.
[00:09:02] I know there are many factors that go into upgrades and changes to this capacity on a campus-wide level. Some features may be easier to put into place than others based on the age of the school, finances, and advocates wanting to implement the basic elements of the ADA, or potentially go beyond, to implement more widely functional universal design features.
[00:09:25] Nate: Thank you both for sharing, and you each make great points about accessibility, and the process to make change on a larger-scale level. To your point above about overlooking certain accessibility features, Alee, this is a common thing that happens, but it's important to know that, this is no fault of your own. That's the goal of our conversations here, to increase awareness, and continue to draw more attention to the accessibility in more than just those who may need these features.
[00:09:48] So switching gears just slightly, accessibility at college is a topic that aligns well with the work of the Universal Design Project.
[00:09:55] As mentioned, college becomes home for a period of time in one's life, and everybody deserves access to their home. Therefore, exploring the inner workings of accessibility at college is very relevant to the expansion of universal design.
[00:10:07] Studies surrounding the current state of accessibility on college campuses reveal severe disparities that unfairly limit access. An article written by a Kent State University student talks about their experiences accessing campus, while being a wheelchair user. It highlights that it takes the able-bodied student, on average, about 15 minutes to get to class. Obviously, this changes depending on the size of your campus, but again, a good number to keep in mind as an average.
[00:10:32] On the other hand, those who use a mobility device require at least double the amount of time, and oftentimes more than that. Student testimonies also reveal that technology and other accessibility features often don't work, or located in inconvenient locations. Students need to sometimes plan for an entire extra hour just for transportation and access to where they need to be. I don't know about you guys, but this would severely alter the routines that I had established for myself in college. I also imagine that it takes very valuable time out of one's day to simply access the places they need to be, something that their very valuable dollars should be paying for anyway.
[00:11:07] Sarah: Oh yes, this is a very interesting study. Thinking back to my undergrad experience, I would say I could probably get to most places in about 10 minutes, but that is if I kept a certain pace, I didn't stop and talk to anyone, and I kept on the sidewalks. We all know those little shortcuts we find through campus to get places a little faster.
[00:11:26] However, like these articles mentioned, when someone with a disability is planning their route from class to class, and figuring out the time it takes to get there, they also have to figure out in the amount of time it may take them to get out the door in the morning, take that restroom break in the middle of the day, grab a bite to eat, and getting their classwork done, meeting in groups for projects, and managing all the items needed to take to class.
[00:11:49] Sometimes people with disabilities have to make compromises for what they participate in because things just generally take more time than their able-bodied peers. It's not as easy to just zip across campus with inaccessible routes or run into the bathroom of the closest building.
[00:12:04] I know when Scott was on campus, he had to decide if he was going to drive or use his chair to get across campus, depending on the timing of his classes and their location. Sometimes, he had to choose between extracurricular activities and completing certain ADL tasks, due to the time constraints he had.
[00:12:22] I know as a student, I had lots of bad dreams of not being able to find my class or get to class on time, but if I had a disability, this would be even more of a worry of mine, and I am sure this would pop up unintentionally in my brain while I slept.
[00:12:39] Alee: Sarah, I have definitely had that dream before, and I think most of us can reflect on those jitters of figuring out your class route before the first day of school. Calculating the time to get from building to building, arrive on time to class, and bake in whatever extra minutes you need to grab a meal or the restroom, was stressful.
[00:12:57] Planning my route took a decent amount of time, and that was on a small campus. I also can't imagine what it would be like for someone who has mobility challenges like Scott. Not only would it double the stress and planning time, there's also far more decision-making involved as you mention.
[00:13:12] Someone with a disability not only has to figure out a faster route, but must also determine what entrance is accessible for them. They need to pick out classes that are spaced out enough to allow them the extra time to travel, which involves a lot more research and figuring. Like you said, they have to eliminate some of their options or activities that they would like to do, simply because time does not allow. All of this planning could quickly turn an exciting experience of college into a miserable one if campus does not have what you need.
[00:13:42] Nate: Thinking further than just visible or mobility disabilities, there are students attending colleges with other visible and invisible disabilities all over the country. Their needs are not always at the forefront of colleges and universities either.
[00:13:55] As an undergraduate student, I pursued a minor in special education, which paired well with my pre-OT degree. A quick synopsis about the ultimate goal of special education is to keep students in their general education classroom, alongside their peers, for as much time as possible, and fill in with the supports as needed to keep them there. Students are only taken out of the general education classroom if they absolutely need to be.
[00:14:17] This is often a misconception about special education as the goal is not to remove them. Supports that students receive can take many forms, including environmental organization, peers or paraprofessional supports, or activity or assignment modifications or accommodations. It was here I was introduced to the Universal Design for Learning, which aims to create a learning environment for all students to have the supports they need to be successful in a general education setting.
[00:14:42] While this is a deeply researched, and highly effective method of learning that ensures ease of access for as many students as possible, not every university is using it. Universal design that has proved to be useful to many, but is not always being used. Hmmm. Does that sound familiar to anyone?
[00:14:57] Similar to the work at the Universal Design Project, the first step in making change is through educating others on the topic that others don't see the value in on the surface level.
[00:15:07] Alee: You're right, Nate, and it's important to look at the evidence. After all, we are taught as OTs to think with an evidence-based mindset, and that evidence shows that universal design is effective.
[00:15:18] I think a reason why it's not always implemented in the classroom is because it can be really difficult for educators to reinvent their teaching strategies, especially if they've worked for them in the past. However, while these strategies could have worked for most of their students, it's important that they design education to work for all of their students.
[00:15:35] I think they have difficulty seeing the full picture of how universal design really can work for everyone, even if it is extra work on their part.
[00:15:44] Sarah: From an OT perspective, I can't help and jump in here and not mention that the main occupation of students at this stage of life is learning. Notice I said main, because, I think many would also add in that there are other valued social experiences that come along with college, but the main intent is to learn more to either go out into the workforce or advance to another level of higher education.
[00:16:08] We talked a lot about mobility disabilities getting around campus, but I think, Nate, that you are insightful in making sure we bring up how students are taking in information in their classrooms, so of course, it's a great opportunity to talk about UD for Learning.
[00:16:24] Our organization at the Universal Design Project mainly focuses on universal design for the home environment, but the concept of UD for Learning can be applied in the classroom for different disabilities, whether they're invisible, learning disabilities, vision and hearing impairments, sensory, and with the focus of using different techniques for students to learn the concepts being taught and how they've learned the material.
[00:16:49] These learning strategies can be applied via teachers as they present the material in a variety of ways for different learning styles. For example, I know I learn better from being able to visualize the information with pictures better than if it's said to me or written out in words. I also have times where I need to be by myself to sit with the information and think about it independently, but other times I thrive off being able to talk it out in a group.
[00:17:15] I've always done well remembering information if I can connect it to something else, like a song, or doing a hands-on activity. Because there are so many different types of learners and we all take in knowledge differently, having an instructor that utilizes a variety of these teaching techniques is helpful to a wide range of learners in the classroom.
[00:17:36] So straight lecture might not be the best for all students. In addition, instructors can also provide different ways students can be tested on material from tests, presentations, practical application of skills, and projects. Some of the techniques I've seen used as an adjunct professor are group class notes, as some students may capture information differently than peers, but everyone can benefit from seeing the collaborative notes, captioning on videos, and more.
[00:18:04] Visual schedules, frequent breaks, and opportunities to review the information in practical ways can all help students learn, while helping those who need these strategies for specific needs. I'm gonna share a link in the show notes that discusses more UD for learning guidelines than I can go into here, but being able to connect any information in different ways, always takes creativity, time, and trial and error.
[00:18:28] While it's important to implement these strategies in our classrooms, Alee, I totally get your point that this does take extra time to explore different options, and it's a process that builds upon itself year-to-year, as teachers and students find strategies that work better than others.
[00:18:46] Nate: Making these changes to help students thrive in the most accessible environment, can make all the difference in the world for them. Furthermore, accessibility features and how to implement them doesn't have to be a difficult learning process. While it takes time, a few small changes can be the difference between a student passing or failing, or graduating or transferring, or worst case dropping out entirely.
[00:19:06] Luckily, all the aforementioned dilemmas are being recognized by some, and initiatives are being sparked to address this unjust disparity. Disability advocates affiliated with the University of Washington dug into this disparity and created a self-assessment resource to determine how accessible your campus is.
[00:19:23] This great resource, which is linked in the show notes, explores how a universally accessible campus has to meet all the needs from administration, to architecture, to education, in order to truly be universally designed. I highly recommend checking out this great resource, as it has a great diagram that breaks down the four areas of universal design at the secondary education level, which include instruction, services, information technology, and physical spaces.
[00:19:48] Exploring the elements that make college universally designed, it made me think. As OT practitioners and students as well as disability advocates, what can we do to help out those who may not have a voice that is always heard?
[00:19:59] Alee: I know we're taught as OTs in school that a big part of our role is to act as an advocate for our clients. In a college setting, there are many ways to do so. An OT could work with a student to help them figure out what their resources are at the school, such as a disability services office.
[00:20:15] They can facilitate communication with deans and professors about how the school can accommodate their needs, or coordinate with housing facilities to make adjustments to their living spaces.
[00:20:25] Sarah: This resource sounds excellent, Nate, and you are right, Alee, while we as OTs can help those we are working with that are in college, facilitate some of this process, it's great for individuals with disabilities themselves to learn where to go to advocate for themselves and who to talk to.
[00:20:41] The process of accessibility on campus is multifaceted, and all of these areas need to be addressed to make the experience of being in school as functional as possible. We can address the environment of getting around, but if the ways of participating in learning isn't conducive to a wide variety of needs, then there's still barriers to consider. And it's gonna be different for every person, right?
[00:21:03] We often say in our organization, that you only know what you know, and every person's interactions with things on campus is different. One person's needs with autism, a spinal cord injury, or a learning disability can be just as different than someone else with the same diagnosis.
[00:21:21] As OT practitioners and students as well as disability advocates, situations like these are great opportunities to educate others on ways to make things better and not have our first emotion of frustration at the lack of accessibility to overwhelm us.
[00:21:36] There could be many reasons why something is less than accessible. Could be financial, lack of knowledge, or something else. And advocacy and education is a great way to share these barriers with hopes of meaningful change.
[00:21:50] Nate: That's a great point that you make, that barriers for every person are going to be different. But, funny enough, the solution isn't to address this disparity from person to person, but rather attempt to make that access easier for all. And that would be through universal design.
[00:22:04] All in all, universal design could benefit us in countless ways: In the classroom, in the spaces we interact with, and certainly at the places we call home. Part of college includes living there and engaging in many of the most basic activities of daily living. So, why isn't it always treated as a home?
[00:22:20] College can present a wide range of feelings. Some can be the butterflies on move-in day, nervous for what the future holds. Others are reflections that come years later, thinking upon a great time of growth, learning, and opportunity, and certainly some fun. So yes, college is a home and it's time to be treated as such. And this can only be done when there's complete and uninterrupted access to all that the home has to offer.
[00:22:43] Thank you all for listening to yet another episode of the Good Fit or Fit podcast. I hope that this episode helped you to view college through a new lens, at least for a few moments. As mentioned, it has become a growing norm in our society to attend college, and it often comes in some of the most crucial years of our development. New hopes, dreams, opportunities, and faces highlight what our college years have to offer. So if they truly are the best years of our lives, as so many people say, shouldn't all people have the opportunity to experience that same feeling?
[00:23:12] Universal design from administration to architecture is the only way to make this possible. So make sure your decision for a home isn't taken lightly, and make sure that it has everything you want it to be a good fit. So thanks again for listening, and we encourage you to keep the conversation going in your own communities.
[00:23:28] We hope that you have a great day.
[00:23:33] Sarah: Thanks for listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. I'm your host Sarah Pruett, Program Director and Occupational Therapist at The Universal Design Project. Learn more about our work at universaldesign.org, and find more episodes and links to subscribe at goodfitpoorfit.com If you have questions or topics you'd like to discuss, email us at podcast@universaldesign.org.
[00:23:58] Thanks for fitting us into your day!
Show Notes:
Home Design for Disabled Vet and Service Dog
Pet Ownership Statistics
Pet Industry Size, Trends, and Ownership Stats
Service Dogs Save Lives
Service Dog Statistics
American Veterinary Medical Association - Pet Population Data
Examples of Service Dog Tasks
Adaptive Pet Strategies
Video of Scott's Leash
Picture of Nate's Dog Phoenix
Transcript
[00:00:00] Sarah: You're Listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. A podcast that explores the interaction between people, design, and activity. Good Fit Poor Fit is part of The Universal Design Project, a nonprofit organization with a vision for every community across the USA to have a surplus of homes and opportunities for social participation that are universally and financially accessible.
[00:00:27] Learn more at universaldesign.org.
[00:00:31] Alee: Hi listeners, welcome back to another Good Fit Poor Fit episode. I'm Alee Halsey and I'm with the UDP this fall semester as a level two MOT student from James Madison University. Do we have any pet owners out there? I've been thinking a lot about UD and all the members of the household we have to consider when designing a home. Not only are our pets loved members of the household, but for many residents, they can be a vital part of how someone functions in their home.
[00:01:00] Recently I came across an article that got me thinking about this. This article featured a disabled veteran who is getting his Master's in Architecture. He designed a really cool home for someone with a disability and their service dog as his capstone project. I thought this is such a unique perspective for UD.
[00:01:18] It seems as if service dogs and pets are often an overlooked member of the home. Some of you may be wondering would someone need a service dog, and what exactly do they do? Service dogs help with a wide range of disabilities so their owners can lead a more independent life. They can be trained for specialized needs, including wheelchair assistance, medical and alert response, brace and mobility support, visual assistance, hearing service, or psychiatric service.
[00:01:47] It's also possible to cross-train them in a variety of these areas. There are so many tasks that they can do. A few examples are opening and closing doors, altering a handler to high blood pressure, providing medication reminders, and alerting a handler to their name being called. For my fellow OTs out there, this might spark some ideas for how service dogs fit into the PEO model. For those who are unfamiliar, this model considers how the person, environment and tasks they set out to do(also known as the occupation) all interact with each other to determine how well they're able to complete their task. Where might a service dog fit into this equation?
[00:02:26] Nate: You make a great point about how the PEO model can fit into this topic. Models in occupational therapy are such a big part of what we do in the world for our clients. While we aren't always speaking in the language that philosophical models of OT speak, they are at the core of all of our thoughts and ideas. For those unfamiliar as well as our visual learners.
[00:02:46] The PEO model can best be described as a triangle with the P (the person), the E (the environment), and the O (the occupation) each representing a point on the triangle. Similar to that of an electrical circuit, in order for this relationship to work, each point needs to be connected, hence the triangle reference, where all points are connected.
[00:03:04] The connection between all three points determines how well a person is thriving as an individual and the things they need or want to do every day. These activities are known as occupations. Cutting off the flow or circulation of the PEO model can result in disengagement or dissatisfaction with one's life roles, routines, or occupations. Disruption to the flow of the PEO model can come in the form of disability or injuries to the person, limitations by outside factors from the environment, or activities becoming non-meaningful or difficult to partake in by the occupation.
[00:03:37] Traditionally, individuals would need to find a way to alter the P, E, or O in order to fulfill occupational engagement. However, this can be a place where service animals can thrive. A service animal can be the bridge in the gap in dysfunction by positioning itself within the PEO triangle and acting as a floater, helping out where needed.
[00:03:57] This way, whichever factor, P, E, or O needs support, the animal can assist in restoring connection between all three points, resulting in meaningful and rewarding participation in one's life activities. Traditionally, the PEO model is used by a therapist at a clinical setting to determine where a therapist should focus their intervention.
[00:04:15] However, in nontraditional OT practice, we're required to think outside the box of singular interventions. Non-traditional OT aims to address the many disparities with one intervention. In terms of the work here at the Universal Design Project, creating a surplus of homes and communities with accessible spaces aims to address all possible barriers that the environment can create, rather than focusing on just one barrier.
[00:04:38] To your point, service animals aim to do just the same. They can be the missing piece that allows for people to achieve their ultimate goal of independence.
[00:04:47] Sarah: I loved your description of the PEO, Nate, and how OTs always have these models in the back of our minds for how we work with different people in different situations and to your point, having a service animal in the equation can help bridge that gap for a person with a disability to complete the tasks they need and want to do during the day.
[00:05:07] The same is true for any piece of adaptive equipment, from a reacher to voice-activating lights, but in this case, the dog steps in to provide the assistance. This can be in a home that's universally accessible, needs lots of changes to be functional, or for someone out and about in the community.
[00:05:26] I have seen a service dog help navigate a blind student around campus, ultimately being her eyes to negotiate crowds and finding a direct route to her destination. Basically, helping out with the P of this equation and filling in for her lack of eyesight. When the environment or the E isn't a great fit,
[00:05:47] I've seen dogs open doors or assist with opening appliances that are difficult to manipulate for their owner. And lastly, since our lives are full of important occupations, or the O in this equation, dogs are there to pick up needed items that are dropped or are out of reach when tasks are being performed in the bathroom, the kitchen, laundry room, and other areas of the home.
[00:06:11] Dogs even assist people when working on their hobbies, volunteering, or paid work. These dogs are trained and specifically paired with people based on the activities they need assistance in doing. What a special bond many of these owners and dogs have in working in unison to participate in life together.
[00:06:32] Alee: I agree, Sarah, this bond is so unique and as we see how dynamic a service dog can be in this PEO perspective, it's so much more than just a "helper", but rather positioned right at the center of our life's triangle. They not only become a vital part of what we do, but are also an extension of ourselves. In addition to the benefits that service dogs and pets bring to our households, we should probably also look at the numbers and see why it would make sense to factor these furry members into the equation for universal design. Currently, 70% of US households own a pet, which is equal to nine and a half million homes. That is substantial. Of these homes, 69 million own at least one dog. And of these dogs, 500,000 are being used as service dogs. If we have 500,000 homes that need to be designed for someone who cannot function without their service dog, it only makes sense that we would keep pets in mind under UD principles.
[00:07:35] However, aside from service dogs, there's also a large number of emotional support animals registered in the US. In 2019, there were nearly 200,000 emotional support animals in the US. And this is just registered, but I think we can all agree that pets function as an emotional support animal across the board for households.
[00:07:57] Sarah: What interesting statistics, Alee!. I love your point that having a functional home in addition to a service dog makes a big difference in how people participate in their lives. And you're right, there are lots of households out there where people really do rely on their dog because the home isn't designed for them to be independent.
[00:08:16] I agree with you too. Sometimes animals just provide that companionship and love that we need. I have a neighbor who has a pet more in the emotional support category, and she actually has a few invisible disabilities herself. While her dog isn't registered, he goes with her everywhere she's allowed to take him, and he provides a source of comfort for her throughout the day as she lives alone. Being on the first floor of our apartment right near the elevator and the outside door just makes it easier and more convenient for her to take care of her dog too as she manages her own disability.
[00:08:53] Nate: You're right on the mark with your point about our furry friends and their impact on us in all the best possible ways, I can say that I, for one, have experienced the roller coaster of emotions that comes with bringing a pet into the home. It feels great to be back at home after some time away at school to be reunited with our 12-year-old Cockapoo, Phoenix, who you can check out really enjoying this fall weather at the link below.
[00:09:15] Taking him in has made our lives so much more meaningful. Though he is not a service animal, we often joke that we are his service humans. But deep down, we know that the meaningful connection we share is mutually beneficial. All jokes about my pup aside, I would agree with your statement, Alee, that pets in any and all forms can serve as our support animals. Pets can be the reason that individuals are able to get out of bed on some days. They can be the factor that helps people relearn caretaking skills, or they can simply be another living thing in the home with you. If possible, and though they can be a lot of work, I think they can add countless benefits to the lives of many.
[00:09:49] Alee: I could not agree more. Aside from the assistance and comfort they bring, there is so much that they can teach us too, and if we want to maximize those benefits, it's important to think about how we can design a home so that they can do these important jobs best. I want to jump back into the article and some of the great ideas this architect had for how to make a home more conducive to a service dog.
[00:10:12] When thinking about dogs in particular, I know I've had family dogs that have struggled with slippery hardwood floors. I liked that he made a point to add in durable, slip-resistant flooring. The durability of the floor is just as important when you think about claws scratching the floor or even mobility equipment of the owners.
[00:10:32] Sarah: Yes, I agree, Alee. I have seen lots of dogs slip around on those slippery floors, and this design element can be really thought about and considered for both the homeowners and the service dogs, as you mentioned. Individuals that use mobility equipment, especially those heavy power chairs, can really do a number on the floors if they're not durable.
[00:10:52] We have tile in our bathrooms and the grout in between those tiles have been breaking down due to the weight of the chair putting pressure on different portions of the floor, especially with the amount of turning and back and forth that occurs when my husband is doing bathroom tasks. Another helpful element I've heard people talk about in their home is a radiant floor heating system, and that can keep slippery floors dry, but it also provides more comfort for pets who need to remain by their owner's side to assist them. This benefits us humans as well, because it keeps our feet nice and toasty as we move throughout the house.
[00:11:30] Alee: Great minds must think alike because this architect mentioned the very same feature! I thought about how this could also reduce the number of throw rugs, mats, or cushions on the floor that you might use for a pet's comfort or your own. This would make a big difference in potential for trips or falls.
[00:11:48] I'm also picturing those rainy days where your pet goes out and tracks wet prints all across slick floors. With radiant floor heating systems, this unseen hazard can be easily resolved. This brings me to another inventive idea he incorporated into his design for letting the dog out, which is a remote-controlled garage door that opens out from the living room area to the yard.
[00:12:11] I'm not sure I would've ever thought of this! This allows the service dog to have easy access to the yard while the owner can still be within eyesight, and this was an important point he made. He emphasized having an open, one-story floor plan that was needed so the service dog can see the owner at all times.
[00:12:29] Nate: I think that all of these innovative ideas are great adaptations to the home that can increase accessibility, not just for humans, but also the animals that live there too. However, as we have so often talked about, universal access isn't always reasonable in terms of price or space or resources available in your home.
[00:12:45] Therefore, there are numerous adaptations that can be done in the home or to simple products that can help to create an environment easier to care for service animals in any other pets. Thinking with an OT brain, it is important that we are thinking about all the activities that our clients may want or need to engage in, which can sometimes be overlooked in the therapy setting.
[00:13:03] Sure, an individual themselves is able to return home and care for themselves, but what about their pet? The pet is a part of the home and a part of their family, so if proper care of the pet cannot be achieved, is the individual really fit to return to their home? Luckily, innovative minds have helped out pet owners all over the world and have the ability to care for pets in creative ways.
[00:13:24] Some of the most innovative tools that I have seen for pet care have actually come from the simplest household items. For example, an adaptive pet feeder where a simple plastic funnel often used in the garage is attached to a PVC pipe. Users simply need to fill the funnel with food and it'll drop out the other end.
[00:13:41] This eliminates the need to bend over, reach or place the food in an animal's bowl. This is just one simple product that could be made for extremely cheap that can help someone care for their pet in ways that they may not have thought of before. A common life role that is often altered due to disability, illness, or injury is the role of a caretaker.
[00:14:00] The inability to care for oneself or others severely alters one's perceived quality of life and can present many mental health challenges. Therefore, working to care for pets can be a goal for individuals. They no longer feel as if they are that burden to others because they're able to care for those who need help. They're able to provide for others.
[00:14:18] With this in mind, pet care can be an intervention strategy that greatly increases an individual's perceived quality of life. For more products or ideas in the adaptive pet care world, check out adaptivepetstrategies.com that will also be linked below to explore products, resources, and many blog posts that people have for caring for pets in adaptive ways all over the world.
[00:14:41] Sarah: That is such a great resource, Nate. I've had quite a few patients that were worried about being able to care for their pets after having back surgery and had limitations on not being able to bend over. This also reminds me of one of the products a few OT students worked on with Scott for a class project.
[00:14:59] I'll share the video in the show notes of the finished product of this, but they helped create a leash for Scott to use with a dog. We currently don't have a dog, although we both grew up with dogs and really love them, but would often dogsit his childhood dog Grace, when his mom would go on vacation. The biggest issues he had was that he couldn't hold the leash in his hands while using his manual chair because he needed his hands free to push his chair, and he didn't want to tie a leash to one side of the chair because he was afraid that a dog would pull him to the side unexpectedly throwing off his balance.
[00:15:35] In addition, he doesn't have great finger function, so manipulating the lock to clip it onto the leash was nearly, impossible. So, we brainstormed with two OTs and came up with a nifty contraption that attached to the chair evenly and allowed him to take grace outside by himself without fear of falling.
[00:15:55] While we don't have a dog now, I can see where our daughter's pleas to get a dog in the future may win us over, and this again will be another adaptive device Scott can use with a leash, whether it's a service dog or not.
[00:16:11] Alee: What a great class project! And a tool that I'm very glad you have ready to go if Caroline does sway you. I like how you both touched on tools that not only help us if we have restrictions, but also improve our body mechanics and conserve our energy so we can care for them well and as long as possible.
[00:16:30] A couple more tools I think serve this purpose well are pooper scoopers and toys like the ChuckIt or cat wands. There's a large variety of pooper scoopers out there, but the one I think would work particularly well functions similarly to a reacher but has a two-sided scoop on the end. This reduces the need to bend and squat or use a heavy shovel to retrieve pet waste, which is important since this task is one that you do numerous times in a day.
[00:16:58] Likewise, using the long-handled ChuckIt to pick up and throw a ball or a cat wand that has a string and toy on the end, reduces the physical effort that you have to exert to toss it around and retrieve it if that's not part of your pet's skill set. Simple changes or tools can make all of the difference.
[00:17:18] I like how the featured architect also addressed the small details that can make a big impact on how they can care for their owner in the home. In his design, he included paddle light switches since these are the most dog-friendly to operate. A home like this would also need to place these switches at a level where the dog could easily jump up to use their nose or paw to turn the switch on or off.
[00:17:40] And this got me thinking about all the different ways we could create a home environment where it's easier for the dog to help us. Some examples might be tying a rope around a fridge or dishwasher handle so it's easier for the dog to open those doors, or utilizing baskets or open shelf low storage so that they can retrieve or put away needed items.
[00:18:00] Nate: It truly is remarkable what we can teach service animals to do, they can be such a help around the home, and nothing makes me happier than scrolling on social media and seeing dogs and other service animals learning new tricks or tips to help out their humans. Therefore, you make a great point, Alee, in choosing features of the home that not only benefit the human user, but also the service animal.
[00:18:20] Alee: When thinking about my own experience, figuring out a place to wash your pet can be a big hurdle. I've seen some people take the pets into the shower or the bath, but only to risk hurting themselves or the pet slipping on the slick tile floor or base of the tub. Sometimes I've seen others use a kitchen sink, but this can cause quite a mess.
[00:18:39] Many will opt for an outdoor bath using the hose, but this often poses the risk that the pet could run off or go straight back to the mud. I came across some great examples of how this UD dilemma could be resolved by adding in a pet wash station in your home's mud room. Is this something that either of you have seen before?
[00:18:58] Sarah: Oh yes I have, Alee. In one of our recent student projects with an interior design student, we actually worked on a universal design wash station that we were designing for a wide variety of uses. We had it located in the very back of the garage, actually right next to that mud room area that you were talking about and it had a wet area and a drain on the floor that could be used for washing wheelchairs, mobility equipment, and other big things that get dirty around the home from gardening tools, containers, and even kids outdoor toys. In addition, we had an upper section that could be used as a raised area to wash a dog or act as a smaller sink for washing those things you don't want to do inside. Maybe you could even wash that pooper scooper out here. The sink area had a retractable hose and was tall enough for someone to roll underneath and sit at the sink facing forward. I love this idea so much because it serves so many purposes and not only serves the dog, but the owner, and it makes it easier to clean all those things we put off cleaning because the process can be so difficult.
[00:20:09] Alee: You're exactly right, Sarah. The wash station can be so multipurpose. This can save you space and money by having it all in one rather than several designated places throughout the house or inside. In terms of strictly pet washing, this can also be pretty cost-effective as opposed to purchasing a prefabricated pet washing station or opting to use a groomer.
[00:20:32] If you already have a sink in your mud room, you can pretty easily re-pipe the drain to accommodate a dog wash. Of course, as Sarah mentioned, you can customize it however you like from raising the station up higher so you aren't bending over too much, using a shower wand, and more.
[00:20:48] Sarah: Oh, and one more thing before we get off of this topic of cleaning, I was also thinking about all of that dog hair around our house that can be quite a nuisance as well, especially if you struggle to operate a typical vacuum cleaner. Those robotic vacuum cleaners are great at doing a sweep of the house to pick up that hair left by your animal as well.
[00:21:11] Nate: All of this talk about the flexibility of how an animal can help in the home is making me realize that the PEO model may have to add a letter. It's almost as if the dog is the missing piece to this puzzle, and like it was made to be a part of the team. But in all seriousness, if you're lucky enough and able to incorporate one, animals can become an extremely helpful part of the home.
[00:21:32] They can become a part of daily activities. Humans rely on one another to divvy up responsibilities and it makes life manageable. Animals can be just that for those living with no other social partners in the home. So when thinking about an animal, it can be the P to provide the social supports one needs, or it can be the E to the environmental access that one needs.
[00:21:51] Or it could be the O to help in completing an activity, or it could be all the above. And that's the beauty of the flow and the connected triangle that is the PEO model.
[00:22:00] Alee: What a great way to sum up the value of an animal we can have in our home, Nate. Another perspective from an OT lens is I can see how this is just one example of how non-traditional practice can serve the changing needs of our community. The number of Americans who own pets continues to grow each year, and for these people, so many IADLs are involved in pet care.
[00:22:23] Non-traditional practice entities like the Universal Design Project, have the opportunity to address this need by offering UD solutions within the home that are conducive to everyone, including our furry family members. The value is huge. It could make the difference between a service animal being able to do their job in the home and keep their owners safe, or perhaps determine whether someone could have the option to utilize a service animal in their home at all.
[00:22:49] For other pet owners, it will affect how much they can participate in pet care, and if they can do so in a safe and enjoyable way. We'd love to hear from you all about your ideas or what you've done in your home to make it easier for your pets or service animals. We invite you to share with us in the comment section below so we can learn more.
[00:23:09] I hope you all enjoyed this episode. It's a lot of fun to think about the wide range of who we can serve using universal design. Sarah and Nate, thanks so much for your input in sharing your perspectives as an OT student and OT in non-traditional practice. I hope you all have a great day!
[00:23:24] Sarah: Thanks for listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. I'm your host Sarah Pruett, Program Director and Occupational Therapist at The Universal Design Project. Learn more about our work at universaldesign.org, and find more episodes and links to subscribe at goodfitpoorfit.com If you have questions or topics you'd like to discuss, email us at podcast@universaldesign.org.
[00:23:54] Thanks for fitting us into your day!
Show Notes:
OXO Good Grips
Transcript:
[00:00:00] Sarah: You're Listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. A podcast that explores the interaction between people, design, and activity. Good Fit Poor Fit is part of The Universal Design Project, a nonprofit organization with a vision for every community across the USA to have a surplus of homes and opportunities for social participation that are universally and financially accessible.
[00:00:27] Learn more at universaldesign.org.
[00:00:31] Hi listeners! Welcome back for yet another episode in our series UD and Me! Today we'll be introducing you to our new OT student, Nate Pickett. He is joining us from the northeastern part of the US and is studying occupational therapy at the University of New England. He actually reached out to us to become one of our design advisors, and through several conversations, he was able to join us for his fieldwork to get his feet wet in a non-traditional setting.
[00:01:00] So Nate, can you share a little bit more about yourself and how you became interested in OT and Universal Design?
[00:01:08] Nate: Sure thing and thank you for the introduction and allowing me to be here. I'm beyond excited to become a part of this team as I've been following the work that The Universal Design Project completes for quite some time now, and it means a lot to me to finally become a part of it. So, as you mentioned, my name is Nate Pickett, and yes, I grew up, attend school, and still live in the northeast part of the country.
[00:01:28] Thinking about this geographic location and its relation to universal design, it adds a unique challenge that can be explored further in a little bit. But first, to answer your question, my earliest interest in OT came as a high school senior where I knew I wanted to work in a job that directly benefits the lives of others.
[00:01:44] My initial thoughts naturally led me to the healthcare field because it was pretty obvious how that work can benefit others. However, I didn't know exactly where I fit because none really stuck out to me until I heard about OT from colleagues. Curious but not confident in what OT was at the time, I began my college journey as a student on a pre-OT track.
[00:02:02] Once there, I met the staff in my program, some OTs and some public health professionals, but each had their own field of work that was totally different. It was then and there that I knew this is where I was meant to be. Through coursework and conversations with professors, I was introduced to the many opportunities, both traditional and non-traditional that the field of OT has to offer.
[00:02:22] I knew that I wanted to be an OT, but I wanted to see what I could do outside of the traditional walls, and no pun intended. One that stuck out was the concept of aging in place, which aims to keep individuals in their homes for as long as possible as they age. Having experience and interest working in construction and remodeling with my father, this combo sparked a thought where, I was curious if I could take typical construction or remodeling concepts, and pair them with the needs of individuals to help them stay at home longer.
[00:02:49] Initially, I was unaware of any company in my geographic area that completed work in this field. This can probably be best explained by the colonial-type infrastructure that exists in the New England area that dates back many, many years.
[00:03:00] But still curious, down a rabbit hole I went, searching to see if my thoughts were already in place, and this is how I came across The Universal Design Project, where to my surprise, I found that healthcare providers, specifically OTs, are actively collaborating with builders, architects, and community members to make a much-needed change.
[00:03:17] It was here I discovered how to become a design advisor to gain some more knowledge on what universal design was and how The Universal Design Project makes an impact in this unique area. So when it became time to share our placement preferences for level II fieldwork, choices included pediatric practice, rehab and disability, or mental health.
[00:03:35] Stubbornly, I wrote in an answer stating that I was interested in emerging area of practice, specifically universal design. One thing led to another and my dreams became a reality, and now I am just starting up here at The Universal Design Project and I couldn't be more excited to collaborate with everyone and continue the expansion of occupational therapy to new paths.
[00:03:54] Rebecca: Well, Nate. You are so welcome, and we are so excited to have you here. You said a number of things that really lit me up, and also, I really identify with from being someone who is kind of interested in non-traditional OT from the beginning, a stubborn go-getter, all things that we love here at The Universal Design Project, and clearly someone who has a very innate eye for universal design, so we're lucky to have you here.
[00:04:23] So tell me, what is your favorite non-home-related universal design feature, or product, or concept?
[00:04:32] Nate: Sure! So, my favorite non-home-related universal design product isn't necessarily structural based, but it's the first experience I can recall where the principles of universal design really stuck with me. One area of this field that we have talked about presenting many challenges is that people don't always necessarily see the value in universal design until it's experienced for themselves.
[00:04:51] That's exactly what happened to me the first time I used my favorite non-home-related universal design feature, rubber-handled and soft grip kitchen utensils. Originally, these products were designed primarily for ease of access and comfort for individuals with injuries that impact their upper extremity use while performing kitchen tasks.
[00:05:08] This product design allowed for comfort and ease of access, resulting in continuation of performing desired kitchen tasks, which is the ultimate goal of occupational therapy. But somewhere along the line, these products began to find themselves onto retail shelves. Consumers began finding the value in these specially designed products. Now, this product wasn't just assisting those with injury, but rather all people were finding a desire to use these products.
[00:05:31] As an ice cream fanatic, I found myself out and about wandering through the ice cream section of my local supermarket. That is where I found an ice cream scoop that I had never seen before, one with a rubber handle and a comfort grip.
[00:05:42] When I picked it up, I knew I had to buy it. Immediately I thought, why use a solid metal scoop with my frozen ice cream when I can find comfort in preparing my treat with a cushion scoop? When I later found out about what rubber handled and comfort grip utensils were used for, it all clicked.
[00:05:57] Universal design isn't designing products for a specific need. Rather, anyone and everyone can find function in products that are built to be universally designed.
[00:06:06] Sarah: Nate, you are right on target. What a wonderful example of UD as it is seen in a common product many of us have seen before. And if you haven't, check out OXO Good grips, that's O-X-O for OXO, and get your hands on some of these tools. We actually have many of these cooking tools with built-up handles in our kitchen too.
[00:06:28] They are great for Scott who doesn't have any grip in his hands, and my toddler who is still figuring out how to manipulate tools to stir, plus the ergonomics of these products is really comfortable in my hand too. I've often been frustrated in the past with big metals, stirring spoons that dig into my hand when I'm making my favorite fall treat, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Sounds like you had that same pain point with your ice cream scoops, Nate.
[00:06:55] It's pretty cool that this company really does think about all the types of hands that can use their products. Older hands that may have arthritis, younger hands that are small and that may need a bigger handle to grip and all the other hands in between.
[00:07:08] They're really doing a great job meeting the needs of a wide variety of people, to make and serve our favorite foods in the kitchen. Now let's chat about your favorite product that can be utilized in the home. What would you like to tell our listeners about, Nate?
[00:07:23] Nate: So, my favorite home-related universal design feature is definitely a faucet that has motion control features. I have many reasons for this, but none more important than the ease of access that these features create. Thinking about the kitchen and washing dishes, everyone feels like they need a third hand to complete all the tasks required in washing dishes. Now, think about this experience of washing dishes, but now you don't have full function of one or both hands. This adds a barrier that can feel too difficult to overcome.
[00:07:49] By incorporating a motion-sensing sink, needing a hand to control the water is eliminated, making the task easier. Full attention of hands can now be focused on the task of washing dishes. Instead, users need to just wipe their hand past the motion sensor, and the sink will turn on to a preset water pressure and temperature to wash dishes.
[00:08:06] Furthermore, a motion-sensing sink can eliminate the mess that dishwashing can create. Think about washing dishes. Your hands are soapy, soaking wet, and probably dirty. With the traditional sink, you have to use a hand to turn on the water, and off, creating a mess of soap and water around the faucet head. So you better not keep anything important, any papers or bills near the sink because they might not make it through.
[00:08:28] Lastly, if there's anything that the last three years have taught us, hand hygiene is of great importance. Thinking even beyond the walls of your own home, nobody wants to shut off the dirty sink with their freshly washed hands.
[00:08:38] A motion-activated sink eliminates the need to touch the faucet after your hands are washed. Hands can remain happy and healthy, and we can each do our part in eliminating the spread of germs.
[00:08:47] Overall, universal design helps as many people as possible access the world in the easiest way possible. While sometimes a difficult concept to grasp universal design truly means what it says, design for everyone, no matter what.
[00:08:59] With that in mind, I bet you've encountered some universal design features in your own life. Therefore, I would challenge all listeners to identify maybe one or two things in your life that can fit the concept of universal design.
[00:09:12] Rebecca: Well, geez, Nate! Like I said, you are natural and I feel like we should just leave the podcast at that! Though I will just take one second to say, I love that as a universal design feature in a home. Because of all the reasons that you outlined from germs to making a mess with all the water when you're cleaning up.
[00:09:31] But really, again, we're so excited to have you here, and listeners, I do encourage you to think about how universal design might play a role in your life, maybe you don't even realize it. What are one or two things in your life that are universally designed that function really well and are intuitive in their use?
[00:09:48] We'd love to hear from you if you want to comment on our webpage or show page, and we appreciate your time and hope you stay well. Have a great day.
[00:09:57] Sarah: Thanks for listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. I'm your host Sarah Pruett, Program Director and Occupational Therapist at The Universal Design Project. Learn more about our work at universaldesign.org, and find more episodes and links to subscribe at goodfitpoorfit.com If you have questions or topics you'd like to discuss, email us at podcast@universaldesign.org.
[00:10:28] Thanks for fitting us into your day!
Transcript
[00:00:00] You're listening to Good Fit Poor Fit, a podcast that explores the interaction between people, design, and activity. Good Fit Poor Fit is part of The Universal Design Project, a nonprofit organization with a vision for every community across the USA to have a surplus of homes and opportunities for social participation that are universally and financially accessible.
[00:00:27] Learn more at universaldesign.org
[00:00:32] Sarah: Hi listeners. Welcome back for yet another special episode in our series, UD and Me. Today, we'll be introducing you to our new OT student, Alee Halsey. She was in one of the classes I taught last semester at James Madison University, and is now joining us for her fieldwork this fall with our organization. She follows on the heels of another JMU OT student, Rachel Melvin, who was with us last fall. You may remember Rachel, as she joined us at the microphone a few times for several podcasts. At any rate, we are glad to have Alee with us as she learns more about universal design and housing, as well as how OTs can practice in different settings other than a clinic. So Alee, can you share a little bit more about yourself and how you became interested in OT and universal design?
[00:01:21] Alee: Thanks for the intro, Sarah. I'm happy to be joining you on this podcast and Universal Design Project for my second level two this fall, as you mentioned, Rachel Melvin introduced me to The Universal Design Project and the potential for a level two placement here. I was so impressed and interested in the innovative work you all were doing and learning more about alternative OT practice. I previously worked as an artist before discovering occupational therapy, and I've always been intrigued by how I can merge my creative skills into OT. I was very drawn to the vision and creativity that's involved in creating universally accessible homes for clients and making such a profound impact upon their environment and daily lives by providing them with homes that are best suited to their needs and wants. The collaboration with so many different types of professionals within UDP is really exciting and inspiring. And I've loved about all the possibilities for how OT can expand beyond the clinical setting.
[00:02:15] Rebecca: Did I hear OT beyond the clinical setting? I always know that is my cue to hop in here. It is awesome to have another non-traditional curious OT student in our midst. So welcome, Alee. Also, I love how many people we hear in the world of OT who find themselves to be really creative and into art. I actually think that that is so much of what makes OTs really great, because we can look at things and imagine the possibility instead of just seeing what is already there.
[00:02:47] So I'm gonna put you on the spot, even though you're new to this universal design world. What is your favorite non-home related universal design feature?
[00:02:57] Alee: Great question. In the community, I think one of my favorite UD features are raised garden beds. As someone who loves to spend time outside and in nature, I've always felt it's important for everyone to have access to this as well. Nature and all of the sensory experiences it provides has just so many benefits. I like how raised garden beds give people of all ages the opportunity to interact with the natural world and the community, wherever they might be-- a community garden space, assisted living facility, school, or other location. Physically getting around the ground is not an option for many elderly or physically disabled individuals, but having a garden bed where they can easily reach in can make all the difference. The social opportunity these raised beds provides is also a big benefit, as adults or other children are able to work together and alongside one another to build something beautiful together.
[00:03:49] Sarah: I absolutely love the versatility of raised garden beds for all of the reasons you described. I think that's definitely becoming more mainstream these days as well. I have seen some of my parents' friends post about raised garden beds in their yard to continue their gardening, to eat their all time favorite tomato sandwich. In addition, they're planting flowers to display beautiful arrangements in vases for themselves or friends. There are so many benefits to gardening for mental health as well. Another fun fact about Alee as she was in the class, I taught this past semester at JMU, where students had the opportunity to create their own community-based program. And I was surprised how many of her classmates were interested in the idea of gardening and using raised beds in the design. Two groups used this idea in their programs. One was for a community garden that people young and old worked on together, and another was focused on a sensory area and a park for kids and adults to be able to smell, feel, and taste when appropriate, different plants for a unique sensory experience. Thinking about the task of gardening and all of the steps that goes into it, raised garden beds make so much sense for so many people who are living life with less than perfect abilities. So now we're going to shift gears a little bit, Alee, and focus on the home. Can you tell our listeners your favorite home-related UD product or feature?
[00:05:19] Alee: Of course, within the home, I'd say my favorite UD feature would be lighting that can be activated and dimmed with touch switches or on the light fixture itself. Lighting is an important part of how I experience my home environment, and it can make such an impact on your emotions or functionality. For instance, if a person has sensory sensitivities, low lighting can help elicit a much calmer space for them.
[00:05:40] Meanwhile, for someone who's elderly, they may be affected by reduced hand strength and/or low vision. These switches can make all the difference in their ability to independently and safely ambulate throughout their home.
[00:05:53] Rebecca: Excellent points. Lighting can be manipulated in so many ways to support people with different sensory, physical, and even cognitive and emotional needs. And as someone who lives in an apartment with very bizarre lighting and switches, I can personally get on board with this idea rather easily. I particularly love rocker light, switches, and lights that can be activated in a number of flexible ways like using a switch or an app or a button. And this type of flexibility is as pretty much as close as it can possibly get to universal. Anyway, Alee, thank you for introducing yourself to us and to our listeners. We can't wait to watch you learn and grow in your next couple months here at The Universal Design Project. And listeners, we will be back in your feed real soon, and we hope you take care and have a lovely fall.
[00:06:43] Sarah: Thanks for listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. I'm your host Sarah Pruett, Program Director and Occupational Therapist at The Universal Design Project. Learn more about our work at universaldesign.org, and find more episodes and links to subscribe at goodfitpoorfit.com If you have questions or topics you'd like to discuss, email us at podcast@sarahpruettg.
[00:07:14] Thanks for fitting us into your day!
Transcript
[00:00:00] You're listening to Good Fit Poor Fit, a podcast that explores the interaction between people, design, and activity. Good Fit Poor Fit is part of The Universal Design Project, a nonprofit organization with a vision for every community across the USA to have a surplus of homes and opportunities for social participation that are universally and financially accessible.
[00:00:27] Learn more at universaldesign.org
[00:00:32] Sarah: Hi listeners. Welcome back for yet another special episode in our series, UD and Me. Today, we'll be introducing you to our new OT student, Alee Halsey. She was in one of the classes I taught last semester at James Madison University, and is now joining us for her fieldwork this fall with our organization. She follows on the heels of another JMU OT student, Rachel Melvin, who was with us last fall. You may remember Rachel, as she joined us at the microphone a few times for several podcasts. At any rate, we are glad to have Alee with us as she learns more about universal design and housing, as well as how OTs can practice in different settings other than a clinic. So Alee, can you share a little bit more about yourself and how you became interested in OT and universal design?
[00:01:21] Alee: Thanks for the intro, Sarah. I'm happy to be joining you on this podcast and Universal Design Project for my second level two this fall, as you mentioned, Rachel Melvin introduced me to The Universal Design Project and the potential for a level two placement here. I was so impressed and interested in the innovative work you all were doing and learning more about alternative OT practice. I previously worked as an artist before discovering occupational therapy, and I've always been intrigued by how I can merge my creative skills into OT. I was very drawn to the vision and creativity that's involved in creating universally accessible homes for clients and making such a profound impact upon their environment and daily lives by providing them with homes that are best suited to their needs and wants. The collaboration with so many different types of professionals within UDP is really exciting and inspiring. And I've loved about all the possibilities for how OT can expand beyond the clinical setting.
[00:02:15] Rebecca: Did I hear OT beyond the clinical setting? I always know that is my cue to hop in here. It is awesome to have another non-traditional curious OT student in our midst. So welcome, Alee. Also, I love how many people we hear in the world of OT who find themselves to be really creative and into art. I actually think that that is so much of what makes OTs really great, because we can look at things and imagine the possibility instead of just seeing what is already there.
[00:02:47] So I'm gonna put you on the spot, even though you're new to this universal design world. What is your favorite non-home related universal design feature?
[00:02:57] Alee: Great question. In the community, I think one of my favorite UD features are raised garden beds. As someone who loves to spend time outside and in nature, I've always felt it's important for everyone to have access to this as well. Nature and all of the sensory experiences it provides has just so many benefits. I like how raised garden beds give people of all ages the opportunity to interact with the natural world and the community, wherever they might be-- a community garden space, assisted living facility, school, or other location. Physically getting around the ground is not an option for many elderly or physically disabled individuals, but having a garden bed where they can easily reach in can make all the difference. The social opportunity these raised beds provides is also a big benefit, as adults or other children are able to work together and alongside one another to build something beautiful together.
[00:03:49] Sarah: I absolutely love the versatility of raised garden beds for all of the reasons you described. I think that's definitely becoming more mainstream these days as well. I have seen some of my parents' friends post about raised garden beds in their yard to continue their gardening, to eat their all time favorite tomato sandwich. In addition, they're planting flowers to display beautiful arrangements in vases for themselves or friends. There are so many benefits to gardening for mental health as well. Another fun fact about Alee as she was in the class, I taught this past semester at JMU, where students had the opportunity to create their own community-based program. And I was surprised how many of her classmates were interested in the idea of gardening and using raised beds in the design. Two groups used this idea in their programs. One was for a community garden that people young and old worked on together, and another was focused on a sensory area and a park for kids and adults to be able to smell, feel, and taste when appropriate, different plants for a unique sensory experience. Thinking about the task of gardening and all of the steps that goes into it, raised garden beds make so much sense for so many people who are living life with less than perfect abilities. So now we're going to shift gears a little bit, Alee, and focus on the home. Can you tell our listeners your favorite home-related UD product or feature?
[00:05:19] Alee: Of course, within the home, I'd say my favorite UD feature would be lighting that can be activated and dimmed with touch switches or on the light fixture itself. Lighting is an important part of how I experience my home environment, and it can make such an impact on your emotions or functionality. For instance, if a person has sensory sensitivities, low lighting can help elicit a much calmer space for them.
[00:05:40] Meanwhile, for someone who's elderly, they may be affected by reduced hand strength and/or low vision. These switches can make all the difference in their ability to independently and safely ambulate throughout their home.
[00:05:53] Rebecca: Excellent points. Lighting can be manipulated in so many ways to support people with different sensory, physical, and even cognitive and emotional needs. And as someone who lives in an apartment with very bizarre lighting and switches, I can personally get on board with this idea rather easily. I particularly love rocker light, switches, and lights that can be activated in a number of flexible ways like using a switch or an app or a button. And this type of flexibility is as pretty much as close as it can possibly get to universal. Anyway, Alee, thank you for introducing yourself to us and to our listeners. We can't wait to watch you learn and grow in your next couple months here at The Universal Design Project. And listeners, we will be back in your feed real soon, and we hope you take care and have a lovely fall.
[00:06:43] Sarah: Thanks for listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. I'm your host Sarah Pruett, Program Director and Occupational Therapist at The Universal Design Project. Learn more about our work at universaldesign.org, and find more episodes and links to subscribe at goodfitpoorfit.com If you have questions or topics you'd like to discuss, email us at podcast@sarahpruettg.
[00:07:14] Thanks for fitting us into your day!
Show Notes
Taylor Plosser Davis Architecture and Design
Transcript
[00:00:00] Sarah: You're Listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. A podcast that explores the interaction between people, design, and activity. Good Fit Poor Fit is part of The Universal Design Project, a nonprofit organization with a vision for every community across the USA to have a surplus of homes and opportunities for social participation that are universally and financially accessible.
[00:00:27] Learn more at universaldesign.org.
[00:00:31] Sarah: Hi, Good Fit Poor Fit listeners. It's Sarah and I am back in action today with Rebecca and our guest Taylor Davis. Taylor reached out to us as a frequent listener of our podcast and wanted to join in on the conversation. She is the owner and founder of Taylor Plosser Davis Architecture and Design, which is a residential architecture and interior design firm in Birmingham, Alabama, that does a lot of custom, single-family work in homes. I will put the link to her website in the show notes. She shares some of the same passion as we do for making all homes places where people of all abilities can thrive. Her specialty is design that helps families live longer in homes that they love, whether they are making spaces for babies or teenagers, dealing with an unexpected injury or disease trajectory, or just downsizing into homes where kids and grandkids can visit. We thought it would be fun to have a conversation about having people think ahead about themselves and their families in regard to how to grow with their homes. Our experiences with COVID has forced us all to think a little differently about how we can help people live healthier and safer lives. And especially those that are aging.
[00:01:53] Rebecca: That is all too true Sarah, as we've discussed many times here, on Good Fit Poor Fit. Well Taylor, I am so glad that you found us and just hearing even this tiny bit about your business and what you do, makes me want to hear more and I'm sure our listeners are in the same boat. How did you come to this work?
[00:02:11] What really sparked your interest?
[00:02:13] Taylor: Well first, thank you so much for having me on the podcast. I really have been looking forward to this conversation. I love talking about having people live longer in homes they love, it's our tagline and we really believe in it. This all started when my family moved back to Birmingham, which is my hometown about 15 years ago.
[00:02:31] Several of our first clients were either parents of my friends or friends of my parents, which meant that they were a little older and working with families in that stage of retirement, or just close to it, I realized that we really needed to learn more about this demographic's unique wish list for their homes and especially the specific intersection of health and safety and residential architecture.
[00:02:55] Sarah: I think a lot of people get started and thinking about making homes more functional when they have a personal experience or see people they know trying to figure out how to either stay in their home due to aging or if there is an accident or illness that occurs, making the space more difficult to use. You stated it very well, Taylor, there is an intersection of health and safety in the design of our homes, and I think it's something that more people need to be considering. And it sounds like you've heard more about those wish list items in your work. The design of our homes can impact our health and wellness in so many ways. So Taylor, in your experiences, why should we all be thinking about the implications for this kind of change in residential design and construction, and what examples can you share of situations in which people are seeking this out within your services?
[00:03:49] Taylor: So y'all's work with Universal Design Project, really highlights why we should all be thinking about this. I have been fascinated by the studies that show the tiny percentage of homes in this country that have basic features, really basic features, that support accessibility. And with over 65s, being a growing segment of our population, having housing stock that can support their choice to live in their homes, as long as they can is a pressing concern. Investing in building or renovating homes that have some accessibility features not only enables folks to make that choice as they grow older, but as you all have pointed out, increases the number of potential purchasers down the road.
[00:04:32] So for us, we have this conversation with lots of different age groups. There are plenty of owners in their fifties who may have aging parents, who have a hard time coming to visit and want to make sure not only can their families easily come and spend time with them as well as to make a smart investment for themselves to be able to live there in their own homes comfortably and for the long run. We also talk about it with couples who may have some specific health challenges that they know will have a certain trajectory and how they can preemptively build space that supports their needs. And finally, we talked to younger homeowners about the market value of these home features, knowing that a home that works for a young family with little kids, and specifically, we talk about carrying infant seats on your arm or groceries, or strollers also works really well for someone with a walker or who is in a wheelchair.
[00:05:23] Rebecca: I really appreciate the approach you take in that and universal design can really serve everyone. Exactly like you're getting at from older adults to the sandwich generation, too young families just starting out. I think it's something that really needs to be recognized more in terms of the value of this type of design, because it's not for anybody specifically, and therefore doesn't exclude anybody specifically. It really just functions for everyone regardless of what stage of their life they're in. So, can you tell us in our listeners, Taylor, what simple designs you've found that helped make everyday life a bit easier for people? How do you build these into your designs from the get go?
[00:06:04] Taylor: So we actually provide a consultation service called "Thrive at Home", where we work with homeowners directly to evaluate their existing homes in terms of their long-term plans, whether they're thinking about moving immediately and they want to decide whether or not they need to sell, or they can stay, whether they have an imminent construction project or whether they're planning for something in five years and they want to know what features they should incorporate or should be thinking about in that renovation. We provide them with a graduated list of recommendations, ranging from do-it-yourself to major construction projects. And there are lots of really low-cost things that anyone can do to make their home a little bit easier to enjoy and a little more accessible.
[00:06:47] For me, some of the easiest things with the biggest impact, and this is number one, is making the switch to LED bulbs. These provide much more light and we all know that seniors need more lumens to be able to see colors and changes in level accurately. And LEDs are really good at this.
[00:07:06] They can provide more light, they're energy-efficient, and especially with recess lighting, these can actually reduce fall risk because they need to be changed less frequently, meaning people aren't on ladders. So paddle light switches is another one, low-cost, easy thing to do. It's maybe not a do-it-yourself project.
[00:07:25] I would always have an electrician do this, but they are certainly easier to operate than a little switch where you have to grasp it or even worse the dimmers that you have to turn that are circles. They're easy to operate for people who have arthritis, but they're also easy to operate if you've got four-year-old grandkids in the house.
[00:07:43] And then the third one that we like to talk about that super easy is lever or touch-operated faucets. Again, these are super easy, they're cost-effective, they're great for kids who are learning how to wash their hands and they can just touch the side of the faucet and it comes on at a pre-set temperature as well as for older adults and they don't have to negotiate numerous levers or trying to figure out which is hot and cold, touch the side of it, it's easy to wash your hands.
[00:08:09] Sarah: I love all these ideas and as a mom of a three-and-a-half-year-old, my daughter is always saying hot mommy hot. I love that touch faucet idea. And I also love the idea of your consultation service, Thrive at Home. I think being able to offer people options that can meet their functional needs at different price points is so important. And those three examples definitely do help people in a variety of ways that are also appealing to other people. Even when you put these into a home, it doesn't scream disability and it can look beautiful too. A few other examples that I often like to talk about are typically related to how people do different tasks in their home. I think that more storage in general is helpful. We all have a lot of stuff and people with disabilities have even more stuff to take care of themselves. Adding in reachable storage for closets and cabinets in all the rooms in the house is a game changer for feeling organized and successful in grabbing those things we need for the activities we do from cooking to cleaning to dressing and getting ourselves ready for the day. Or for the toddler, trying to pick out their clothes too, but making things more reachable, it can also be as simple as installing shelving or racks to hang things at different heights. Places like the bathroom and kitchen and laundry, instead of changing out the entire cabinetry, which can cost a lot, I've even seen people add pullout shelving on sliders to turn what they would normally store in a stationary shelf, into a drawer pulls out towards them into the room, which is much easier to reach things on. In addition to your faucet idea, in the shower I always like to suggest installing a handheld shower head that actually adjusts on the bar. And sometimes those actually can double as a grab bar if you buy the right one. It also gives increased safety and it makes it easier for cleaning yourself and others. I've heard people sing praises of a handheld shower head for washing their dog too. Rebecca, as we keep talking through these, do you have any other simple ideas that you've seen make a really big impact?
[00:10:22] Rebecca: Well, I am definitely going to echo that I love the flexibility of that handheld shower head as well. It is definitely good for some dog washing, still a messy endeavor, but that definitely helps. Another thing that I like to advocate for and also sort of relates to your storage comment is labeling. So, whether that be labeling little bins in a really big medicine cabinet or shelves in a coat closet to say whose gloves go where, I think this can go a long way in terms of functionality. It serves people of all different ages, you know, little kids to helping them to learn how to put their things away or maybe some older adults or anybody who has any cognitive impairments who has trouble remembering where to put things or even where to find things. It's also something that I have even advocated for in my house when we have a lot of company over. Putting simple labels on things to say like where a trash can is or something like that, even if it's temporary to say so that people don't just go, around opening every drawing cabinet that they see.
[00:11:28] Sarah: Yeah, this is such a great idea. And I even like the labeling idea with pictures for little kids, and like you mentioned individuals that are older, that might be adults or kids that struggle with reading and spelling and I've even had that same experience where babysitters are coming over to help out and cleaning our house and they just need that little extra cue for where things are organized in our kitchen. What a great thing to mention, Rebecca. So we're going to keep moving on here and dig into your expertise, Taylor. Are there any design features you feel people should consider when building or renovating that forever home they've always been talking about?
[00:12:06] Taylor: That's a great question. Traditionally, we've always talked about kind of the obvious features and sometimes these sort of fall into a safety bucket: wider doorways, blocking for grab bars, a zero-step entry, well-placed outlets and lights switches, curbless shower and a bedroom and bathroom suite on the main level. These are great features and they really increase the usability of a home as well as the safety issues with having, you don't have people necessarily going upstairs, it's easy to reach the light switch or to plug something in, getting in and out of the shower is easier, but I'd also like for people to consider some of the less obvious things that can really impact people's abilities to live longer and more easily in their homes. Things like maintenance and energy efficiency, in particular. Low maintenance homes, keep people off of ladders and maybe even out of the yard on the weekends, which can free time. An energy-efficient home means more predictable energy bills, which can impact folks who may be looking for their budgets that especially right now, that can line up with their retirement spending or might allow them to shift some of their budget to other hobbies, like travel or spending time with their grandkids. So as we design homes, we are thinking about these safety features, but also about installation and HVAC, thinking about exterior materials that don't need frequent attention or windows that don't ever need painting.
[00:13:34] People really get focused on how their home looks and they should, this is really important to us, but we also want to make sure it functions well and it does so for a long time.
[00:13:43] Rebecca: Yeah, I think that that is such a good call out to functionality because sure it's fun to click through Zillow images of different homes and apartments and ogle at the beautiful aesthetics, but if it doesn't work, and it's not going to work for a long time, for as long as you live in the house, then my goodness, what is the point in spending all the money?
[00:14:04] So I really think that that's an important call-out and aesthetics are just one piece of the puzzle, which is also something that we think about in universal design too, right? Like there's no reason something can't be functional and beautiful and designed as such from the beginning. I really wish that more people thought like you, Taylor.
[00:14:24] Sarah: Definitely. And I'm going to jump in here real quick too, and say that I love this line of thinking. So many people are looking to carve out more time and spend time with their families, and these are just the things that need to be considered to be a big part of that. I also love when homes are designed so that many of those HVAC filter locations, as well as electrical switches, and those important shutoff valves are also within easy reach for people to access as well, not up in their ceilings or locations that require stairs to get up into. But some of these things are not really visible, but when you think about them in the design process, they're really important as people are going about doing their daily tasks.
[00:15:06] So sorry Rebecca for interrupting but carry on.
[00:15:09] Rebecca: No worries at all. I think that that's a really important comment to make, especially when we're thinking about aging in place or people with disabilities, we want to make sure that those things are in a space where people can safely access them as they need to, especially in an emergency, which I actually think is something Sarah, that you've mentioned before in a different episode. But Taylor, I'd love to hear more about some of the common hurdles that you face with clients, as they're thinking about implementing your design suggestions. How do you work with them to address some challenges or reservations they may have?
[00:15:40] Taylor: Well, the first hurdle is really a big hurdle and it has to do with people's vanity a lot of the time, but it's actually starting to have the conversation with them about aging in the first place. No one likes to think about themselves getting older and we've associated aging with decline for so long that even talking about it is really tricky. We generally end up talking about our own personal experiences. So things like a curbless shower would have made a recent knee operation much easier to rehab at home, or how my arthritis from an old wrist injury means doorknobs can be fairly painful for me to operate sometimes. And we really want to show homeowners that accessibility features make life easier for everyone who lives in a home, regardless of their age or ability.
[00:16:27] The second hurdle is always cost. The assumption is that doing things this way will be more expensive. But many times it's just not. Adding blocking for a future grab bar is a pretty minimal investment. Switching to LEDs actually saves money in terms of energy costs. Adding insulation is an upfront cost that saves money down the line in the form of reduced energy costs.
[00:16:50] And when a proposed design is more expensive, we really encourage homeowners to look at what the ROI is on that investment. So on a podcast a little while ago, with Janet Engel, who pointed out that the cost of a curbless shower is likely less than the realtor fees associated with buying a new home, which I thought was a really great point.
[00:17:11] Finally, it's really an aesthetic hurdle. We know that a lot of the imagery we see when people search for accessible homes just doesn't line up with their aesthetic or the style of their existing home. And they worry that by renovating with accessibility in mind, this will detract from the style of the home where they've invested a lot of time and we want to show them how lots of these features can be invisible and then accessibility and ease doesn't have to equal ugly. That's our job as designers is to make things easy and beautiful.
[00:17:42] Sarah: Most definitely these are common misconceptions I am seeing with people latching onto this idea of adding more universally accessible features into their home as well. Just starting to have those conversations I think is the most difficult part for people who may have a preconceived idea of what you're talking about. So being able to show them pictures and like you said, share those personal stories, and evidence of the benefits can go a long way. Education's a big part of helping people understand the value, so I'm glad to hear that this is a big portion of what you do. It's sort of like it's a little counseling session added into your design service as well. Each family I'm sure has their own experiences that come into play as you're working with them and you really have to kind of dig into that to see what their hang-ups are. Do you have any success stories you'd like to share with us, Taylor, or other things you'd like to add before we wrap things up?
[00:18:41] Taylor: So, this is my favorite story, really, of all the work we've done, whether it's been associated with aging in place in universal design or not because it, it really just sort of touched my heart. And years ago, we really did our first aging-in-place master suite. It was a really good introduction to all of this emotion that gets wrapped up in these projects.
[00:19:02] The owners really wanted an accessible bathroom, but they wanted it on the second floor next to their existing bedroom, which didn't make a whole lot of sense. So after many conversations with us and with their own family and with their adult children, they eventually decided to take over a bedroom on the main level and create a really spacious master suite.
[00:19:23] And this included a great bathroom, big bathroom with a curbless shower, a new walk-in closet, and even a small laundry area adjacent to the closet so that the owner didn't have to go downstairs and do small loads of laundry. It was right there and accessible. About a year later after the bathroom was completed, I received a sweet handwritten note from the owner thanking me for the project and letting me know what a blessing it had been to her and her husband.
[00:19:48] That note stuck with me both literally and figuratively, I keep it in my drawer, and I realized just how much I enjoy designing with homeowners who can see a real, tangible benefit from our time working together. And it really is such a privilege to be able to do this work.
[00:20:05] Rebecca: That is a really wonderful and touching story, so thank you so much for sharing it with us and our listeners. I think that that really just sheds light on the value of collaborative design, which as you obviously know, we are all about here at The Universal Design Project. So, thank you so much for being with us today on Good Fit Poor Fit, Taylor, and for joining the conversation and doing the work that you do. I know I've learned a lot and we're happy to have you in our Universal Design Project network. So I hope you have a great day! To all of our listeners, thanks for joining us and we'll be back in your feed soon.
[00:20:41] Sarah: Thanks for listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. I'm your host Sarah Pruett, Program Director and Occupational Therapist at The Universal Design Project. Learn more about our work at universaldesign.org, and find more episodes and links to subscribe at goodfitpoorfit.com If you have questions or topics you'd like to discuss, email us at podcast@universaldesign.org.
[00:21:12] Thanks for fitting us into your day!
Transcript:
[00:00:00] Sarah: You're Listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. A podcast that explores the interaction between people, design, and activity. Good Fit Poor Fit is part of The Universal Design Project, a nonprofit organization with a vision for every community across the USA to have a surplus of homes and opportunities for social participation that are universally and financially accessible.
[00:00:27] Learn more at universaldesign.org.
[00:00:31] Hi listeners. Welcome back for yet another special episode in our series, UD and Me. Today, we'll be introducing you to Ashley Miller. She recently joined our team, as a volunteer, to help us out with an online educational project that we've been working on this summer. I really can't wait to share more about that with you in the near future, but first, we're excited to introduce you to Ashley. She has a background in teaching special education in the university level and with personal and professional experiences, she's really gotten interested in the world of UD. She's also no stranger to "do it yourself" projects and seeing her family work in the building and design field. Ashley has a passion for UD, and I'm excited for you to learn more from her too. So welcome, Ashley, can you share more with our listeners about yourself and how you became interested in UD?
[00:01:23] Ashley: Hello Good Fit Poor Fit listeners! Thank you, Sarah, for that great introduction, and Rebecca, for the invitation to speak with you today. A little bit about myself, I'm a veteran educator with a subject matter expertise and accompanying Doctorate in Disability Services and Policy. When I'm not teaching at the University, I'm usually tackling a home renovation project or spending quiet time with my best friend and spouse of 17 years and our German Shepherd and Poodle mix dog named Caico.
[00:01:54] I've been very interested in Universal Design as far back as my childhood. One of my best friends, from my childhood, had multiple disabilities and I remember having a play date at her house for the first time and just feeling so overwhelmed by the inattention to accessibility in that space. I just saw her struggle and knowing that her family really lacked the wherewithal to properly accommodate her, in her own home, was just heartbreaking. It was then that I became aware of the importance Universal Design had on the lives of people with disabilities.
[00:02:29] From that moment on, I kind of latched onto Universal Design. Growing up my biological father flipped homes and corporate offices, and my biological mother, the daughter of a home builder, she was an interior designer. So, I spent weekends helping my parents flip businesses and homes. And because of my passion for UD, I frequently volunteered to work on renovations that increased the accessibility of the space, like widening doorways and ensuring all door signs met accessibility regulations at the time.
[00:03:02] I remember going around the house or the offices with a self-made checklist and a measuring tape. My dad nicknamed me "The Enforcer," because that kind of was my role going through the spaces that he renovated. That was my background and my passion and where it all started.
[00:03:17] My continued passion really was re-invoked. When my husband and I bought our first home, back in 2005. Anytime our decor tastes changed or when something broke, we were opportunistic in selecting UD upgrades. Over the years we've done simple home renovations that don't require a lot of time and really only needed a few tools. And then we've also done some big renovations that span multiple weeks, cost a lot more, and required some complex project planning and management.
[00:03:49] One major UD improvement to our home was prompted by one of our foster dogs. In just minutes, she pulled a large strand of our high plush carpet threads causing a noticeable hole in our front room. At the time the mismatch floors that we had really didn't work for our needs. And now with the eyesore, the carpet hole, we decided to embark on a significant home renovation.
[00:04:14] At the time we decided to replace the flooring. We also noticed there was issues with leveling the floors, so we decided on all new flooring and re-leveling all the sub-floors in our entire home- spanning around 2000 square feet. We selected a durable material that allowed for flush thresholds, that also fit our preferred color and style. Knowing this was not our forever home, we placed a high value on being very selective with our home improvements to meet not only our style and functional needs but the potential needs of the next homeowner that would benefit from UD features. The flooring we selected and the attention to leveling the floors met those goals.
[00:04:53] Rebecca: Oh my goodness. Well, "Miss Enforcer", I think I need a little bit more of you in my life because you sound like the kind of person that every family needs when something goes wrong in your house, to help you figure out what in the world to do with it. It sounds like design, and then inclusive and universal design, are really in your blood so I totally love this.
[00:05:16] I'm also really glad that you brought up the idea of "forever homes" versus "non-forever homes". Designing to meet the needs of a wide variety of people is so critical in this work and so I really appreciate that perspective that you've brought up. Ashley, even though I know you are a home design and build guru- and I'd love to see your house, even thinking about all of the skill and attention you must put into it- what is your favorite not home-related Universal Design feature?
[00:05:46] Ashley: This one was tough for me because I had to kind of separate like you said, that lens of, home design and that passion. When I got thinking about non-home-related UD features, I started to think about the tools that I use that have some UD undertones. Many construction tools require moderate upper body strength and two hands. Recently I've been testing out products that allow for single-hand use and "wearables". Loving accessories like the Makita Ultra Magnetic Torsion Insert Bit, which uses a magnetic system to hold a screw to the end of your drill bit, turning a two-handed job into one. Some of my go-to wearables are my headband spotlight with raised buttons, replacing my handheld flashlight, and magnetic armband that carries screws and nails.
[00:06:30] These are just some of the tools that I have grown to love. I've been very thankful for my family members who at every special occasion, gift me with a new tool or gift card to buy new tools because of my continual passion and obsession for home designs and repairs, but also just finding tools and products that actually work for someone that may or may not have challenges, but offer an extra accessibility bonus.
[00:06:54] Sarah: Well, it sounds like your family members are kind of along the same line that you are in this as well, but I really love these ideas and how you related UD into the tools that we use to do work on our homes. I've done my fair share of woodworking as well and having the right tools really does make a big difference in being able to get the job done efficiently without hurting our bodies. It really is the smallest little things that make a difference, like you mentioned, even down to accessing items quickly so they don't roll away- put your handy dandy magnetic armband on.
[00:07:30] For me using my dad's tried and true electric sander compared to the new one that I purchased, it was so different. I actually wasn't able to hold on to his sander for really long periods of time because of the vibration. It really fatigued my body and it made my hand feel numb, so I just didn't want to do that task for a long time when I was using his tools.
[00:07:53] I've also seen in the tool world, there are some different tools like pliers and screwdrivers that have larger rubber handles so our hands don't slip or hurt while we're working, making it easier to control the tool for any task that we want to do. This is actually kind of comparable to the OXO, O-X-O, cooking tools that we've talked about on our podcast before that make it much easier to make and serve delicious meals at home. Speaking about the home, Ashley, what is your favorite home-related UD feature?
[00:08:26] Ashley: My favorite home-related UD feature is really any feature that's inexpensive and doable by amateur, "do it yourself-ers", especially those that feel really approachable and manageable, that match your skillsets.
[00:08:39] One example that I have kind of promoted to family and friends is something as simple as your interior door handles. Many homes today have round door knobs. My home, when we bought it, it had like these gold brass, not the pretty gold that you see today, but like the kind of rubbed brass round door knobs, throughout our entire home. I found that lever handles on the contrast to round doorknobs require a lot less upper body strength and dexterity than your typical round door knobs.
[00:09:10] This design advantage is really helpful for someone like me, especially when there are days where I have to manage the dog leashes and hauling bags in and out of the house. It also benefits individuals with limb differences or lower upper body strength. Something as simple as swapping out your round door knobs with lever handles will run you only around $15 a handle, and you really only need a Phillips head and Flathead screwdriver to make the change.
[00:09:37] Not only will updating your lever handles improve the aesthetics of the door, it also improves the accessibility. I strongly believe that homeowners do not have to sacrifice aesthetics for accessible home features. There are going to be times as a homeowner, you will reach a point where something breaks, whether it's a door handle or in my case, the carpet, why not choose UD replacements that meet your design preferences while also increasing accessibility for the next homeowner. To me, it's an opportunity for a win-win.
[00:10:09] Rebecca: Preach! That is exactly the way we like to think around here. And I honestly wish that more people took that perspective when they're faced with home renovations and replacements. Why not select widely functional products, especially in this day and age when, like you said, they're becoming more aesthetically pleasing and available.
[00:10:30] So yes, yes, yes. I wish we could put what you just said on a billboard. I am so glad that you've been able to share these thoughts and insights with us and our listeners today. I am sure that everyone learned a lot, I know that I did. I'm really just so glad that you're connected now with The Universal Design Project, we are incredibly fortunate to have you on board.
[00:10:51] So thank you to all our listeners for tuning in today, and we'll be back in your feed with more Good Fit Poor Fit real soon.
[00:10:57] Sarah: Thanks for listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. I'm your host Sarah Pruett, Program Director and Occupational Therapist at The Universal Design Project. Learn more about our work at universaldesign.org, and find more episodes and links to subscribe at goodfitpoorfit.com If you have questions or topics you'd like to discuss, email us at podcast@universaldesign.org.[00:11:28] Thanks for fitting us into your day!
Transcript:
[00:00:00] Sarah: You're Listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. A podcast that explores the interaction between people, design, and activity. Good Fit Poor Fit is part of The Universal Design Project, a nonprofit organization with a vision for every community across the USA to have a surplus of homes and opportunities for social participation that are universally and financially accessible.
[00:00:27] Learn more at universaldesign.org.
[00:00:31] Hi listeners. Welcome back for yet another special episode in our series, UD and Me. Today, we'll be introducing you to Ashley Miller. She recently joined our team, as a volunteer, to help us out with an online educational project that we've been working on this summer. I really can't wait to share more about that with you in the near future, but first, we're excited to introduce you to Ashley. She has a background in teaching special education in the university level and with personal and professional experiences, she's really gotten interested in the world of UD. She's also no stranger to "do it yourself" projects and seeing her family work in the building and design field. Ashley has a passion for UD, and I'm excited for you to learn more from her too. So welcome, Ashley, can you share more with our listeners about yourself and how you became interested in UD?
[00:01:23] Ashley: Hello Good Fit Poor Fit listeners! Thank you, Sarah, for that great introduction, and Rebecca, for the invitation to speak with you today. A little bit about myself, I'm a veteran educator with a subject matter expertise and accompanying Doctorate in Disability Services and Policy. When I'm not teaching at the University, I'm usually tackling a home renovation project or spending quiet time with my best friend and spouse of 17 years and our German Shepherd and Poodle mix dog named Caico.
[00:01:54] I've been very interested in Universal Design as far back as my childhood. One of my best friends, from my childhood, had multiple disabilities and I remember having a play date at her house for the first time and just feeling so overwhelmed by the inattention to accessibility in that space. I just saw her struggle and knowing that her family really lacked the wherewithal to properly accommodate her, in her own home, was just heartbreaking. It was then that I became aware of the importance Universal Design had on the lives of people with disabilities.
[00:02:29] From that moment on, I kind of latched onto Universal Design. Growing up my biological father flipped homes and corporate offices, and my biological mother, the daughter of a home builder, she was an interior designer. So, I spent weekends helping my parents flip businesses and homes. And because of my passion for UD, I frequently volunteered to work on renovations that increased the accessibility of the space, like widening doorways and ensuring all door signs met accessibility regulations at the time.
[00:03:02] I remember going around the house or the offices with a self-made checklist and a measuring tape. My dad nicknamed me "The Enforcer," because that kind of was my role going through the spaces that he renovated. That was my background and my passion and where it all started.
[00:03:17] My continued passion really was re-invoked. When my husband and I bought our first home, back in 2005. Anytime our decor tastes changed or when something broke, we were opportunistic in selecting UD upgrades. Over the years we've done simple home renovations that don't require a lot of time and really only needed a few tools. And then we've also done some big renovations that span multiple weeks, cost a lot more, and required some complex project planning and management.
[00:03:49] One major UD improvement to our home was prompted by one of our foster dogs. In just minutes, she pulled a large strand of our high plush carpet threads causing a noticeable hole in our front room. At the time the mismatch floors that we had really didn't work for our needs. And now with the eyesore, the carpet hole, we decided to embark on a significant home renovation.
[00:04:14] At the time we decided to replace the flooring. We also noticed there was issues with leveling the floors, so we decided on all new flooring and re-leveling all the sub-floors in our entire home- spanning around 2000 square feet. We selected a durable material that allowed for flush thresholds, that also fit our preferred color and style. Knowing this was not our forever home, we placed a high value on being very selective with our home improvements to meet not only our style and functional needs but the potential needs of the next homeowner that would benefit from UD features. The flooring we selected and the attention to leveling the floors met those goals.
[00:04:53] Rebecca: Oh my goodness. Well, "Miss Enforcer", I think I need a little bit more of you in my life because you sound like the kind of person that every family needs when something goes wrong in your house, to help you figure out what in the world to do with it. It sounds like design, and then inclusive and universal design, are really in your blood so I totally love this.
[00:05:16] I'm also really glad that you brought up the idea of "forever homes" versus "non-forever homes". Designing to meet the needs of a wide variety of people is so critical in this work and so I really appreciate that perspective that you've brought up. Ashley, even though I know you are a home design and build guru- and I'd love to see your house, even thinking about all of the skill and attention you must put into it- what is your favorite not home-related Universal Design feature?
[00:05:46] Ashley: This one was tough for me because I had to kind of separate like you said, that lens of, home design and that passion. When I got thinking about non-home-related UD features, I started to think about the tools that I use that have some UD undertones. Many construction tools require moderate upper body strength and two hands. Recently I've been testing out products that allow for single-hand use and "wearables". Loving accessories like the Makita Ultra Magnetic Torsion Insert Bit, which uses a magnetic system to hold a screw to the end of your drill bit, turning a two-handed job into one. Some of my go-to wearables are my headband spotlight with raised buttons, replacing my handheld flashlight, and magnetic armband that carries screws and nails.
[00:06:30] These are just some of the tools that I have grown to love. I've been very thankful for my family members who at every special occasion, gift me with a new tool or gift card to buy new tools because of my continual passion and obsession for home designs and repairs, but also just finding tools and products that actually work for someone that may or may not have challenges, but offer an extra accessibility bonus.
[00:06:54] Sarah: Well, it sounds like your family members are kind of along the same line that you are in this as well, but I really love these ideas and how you related UD into the tools that we use to do work on our homes. I've done my fair share of woodworking as well and having the right tools really does make a big difference in being able to get the job done efficiently without hurting our bodies. It really is the smallest little things that make a difference, like you mentioned, even down to accessing items quickly so they don't roll away- put your handy dandy magnetic armband on.
[00:07:30] For me using my dad's tried and true electric sander compared to the new one that I purchased, it was so different. I actually wasn't able to hold on to his sander for really long periods of time because of the vibration. It really fatigued my body and it made my hand feel numb, so I just didn't want to do that task for a long time when I was using his tools.
[00:07:53] I've also seen in the tool world, there are some different tools like pliers and screwdrivers that have larger rubber handles so our hands don't slip or hurt while we're working, making it easier to control the tool for any task that we want to do. This is actually kind of comparable to the OXO, O-X-O, cooking tools that we've talked about on our podcast before that make it much easier to make and serve delicious meals at home. Speaking about the home, Ashley, what is your favorite home-related UD feature?
[00:08:26] Ashley: My favorite home-related UD feature is really any feature that's inexpensive and doable by amateur, "do it yourself-ers", especially those that feel really approachable and manageable, that match your skillsets.
[00:08:39] One example that I have kind of promoted to family and friends is something as simple as your interior door handles. Many homes today have round door knobs. My home, when we bought it, it had like these gold brass, not the pretty gold that you see today, but like the kind of rubbed brass round door knobs, throughout our entire home. I found that lever handles on the contrast to round doorknobs require a lot less upper body strength and dexterity than your typical round door knobs.
[00:09:10] This design advantage is really helpful for someone like me, especially when there are days where I have to manage the dog leashes and hauling bags in and out of the house. It also benefits individuals with limb differences or lower upper body strength. Something as simple as swapping out your round door knobs with lever handles will run you only around $15 a handle, and you really only need a Phillips head and Flathead screwdriver to make the change.
[00:09:37] Not only will updating your lever handles improve the aesthetics of the door, it also improves the accessibility. I strongly believe that homeowners do not have to sacrifice aesthetics for accessible home features. There are going to be times as a homeowner, you will reach a point where something breaks, whether it's a door handle or in my case, the carpet, why not choose UD replacements that meet your design preferences while also increasing accessibility for the next homeowner. To me, it's an opportunity for a win-win.
[00:10:09] Rebecca: Preach! That is exactly the way we like to think around here. And I honestly wish that more people took that perspective when they're faced with home renovations and replacements. Why not select widely functional products, especially in this day and age when, like you said, they're becoming more aesthetically pleasing and available.
[00:10:30] So yes, yes, yes. I wish we could put what you just said on a billboard. I am so glad that you've been able to share these thoughts and insights with us and our listeners today. I am sure that everyone learned a lot, I know that I did. I'm really just so glad that you're connected now with The Universal Design Project, we are incredibly fortunate to have you on board.
[00:10:51] So thank you to all our listeners for tuning in today, and we'll be back in your feed with more Good Fit Poor Fit real soon.
[00:10:57] Sarah: Thanks for listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. I'm your host Sarah Pruett, Program Director and Occupational Therapist at The Universal Design Project. Learn more about our work at universaldesign.org, and find more episodes and links to subscribe at goodfitpoorfit.com If you have questions or topics you'd like to discuss, email us at podcast@universaldesign.org.[00:11:28] Thanks for fitting us into your day!
Transcript:
[00:00:00] You're Listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. A podcast that explores the interaction between people, design, and activity. Good Fit Poor Fit is part of The Universal Design Project, a nonprofit organization with a vision for every community across the USA to have a surplus of homes and opportunities for social participation that are universally and financially accessible.
[00:00:27] Sarah: Learn more at universaldesign.org.
[00:00:31] Hi listeners. Welcome back after a bit of a hiatus in our podcast. We are excited to be at our microphones once again, to talk about universal design and all the things in our lives that can be a good fit or a poor fit for our needs. We have some great interviews and content in the works so keep tuned in for more from us this summer. Today, we have another special episode in our series, UD and Me. Rebecca and I will be introducing you to Daniel-Hannah Grace. She is a student at Washington University in St. Louis, but is joining us remotely in New Mexico to finish up her doctoral capstone in OT.
[00:01:07] She is working in several places at once this semester and joining us part of the week to work on educational content for some online courses. We are excited to have her share more about herself, what she's up to this summer in her capstone work and some of her favorite UD things.
[00:01:25] Daniel-Hannah: Hi, Sarah, thanks for the intro, and thanks for having me on the podcast. So like you said, for my doctoral capstone, I'm exploring the role of occupational therapy in the design and build industry. And as you mentioned, I have two partners, one of which is The Universal Design Project. And one is local to my home state of New Mexico, where I'm currently living.
[00:01:46] Here at UDP, I'm already learning so much about universal design, the role of occupational therapy, and co-designing. And my other partnership is with an architecture firm where I'm consulting on the design and build of a hotel resort in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
[00:02:02] Even though UDP is focused on universally designed homes and my consulting partnership focuses on a commercial space, I am already seeing how what I'm learning from y'all about co-designing, and universal design, in general, is adding to my perspective and helping me pass along universal design recommendations to make the hotel more usable for all.
[00:02:23] Sarah: We are so glad to have you and if my memory is serving me right, you came to us via the recommendation from one of our previous students, Kati, who you met at a fieldwork site. Kati actually helped us start this podcast, so it is pretty fun to see how our work is impacting OTs in different settings and encouraging OTs in looking to do something different in a non-traditional practice.
[00:02:47] I am so glad that in just a few weeks, you've learned more about the role of OT in the design world, whether it can apply to a commercial project like you're working on in the hotel resort, as well as how it can be beneficial in the housing industry. In both projects, it's really thinking about how people will use the home and use the hotel to make it user-friendly.
[00:03:09] Thinking about UD in this way is much different than working with individual people in their homes, because you have to consider any type of person that may come through the doors of the hotel and make it work well for them, so they have an enjoyable experience from check-in to the amenities, to their room and beyond. I look forward to seeing how your perspective grows this summer, but let's take a step back. Daniel-Hannah, how did you first become interested in the world of UD?
[00:03:35] Daniel-Hannah: Yeah, so during my first semester, well, second semester actually, in the program of occupational therapy at Wash U we had a course titled, "Enabling Community Living". So, topics for this course included: social determinants of health, technology for recreation, exercise, and community mobility, and universal design.
[00:03:57] We got a short introduction to UD through a lecture and then we were introduced to this tool called the Community Health Environment Checklist, which assesses community settings for their usability based off of what people with disabilities say is important for them to be able to participate and interact within the community site.
[00:04:16] This idea of "usability for all" made so much sense to me. Why would we not create something that can be used by everyone with input from the very people who use it? I'm sure you've had a moment when you interacted with a product or business and thought, "wow, they really missed the mark with this one". Or when you wonder, who was even at the table when they were designing and testing the product.
[00:04:39] Understanding user experience and the implementation of universal design is interesting to me because they try to optimize real people's interaction with the world around them. And that's what I want to do.
[00:04:52] Rebecca: Well, you are speaking my language, my friend. I love that this kind of course is included in your curriculum because I think it's an aspect of occupational therapy that so many people overlook- and that's our ability to analyze environments, including community environments, not just home and personal ones, to understand how they may support or sometimes inhibit people from doing what they want to need to. This idea of optimizing real interactions in the world is precisely what OTs are trained to do, though, I bet if you asked a hundred people what an OT did, very few, if any, would say that. So moving along, tell us and our listeners, "what is your favorite home-related universal design feature?"
[00:05:39] Daniel-Hannah: I love this question. I'm gonna lump office in with the home, especially with so many people working from home, I think it definitely counts. I'd have to say that my favorite home-related UD product is an adjustable desk. So, I'll give you some context for why this is my favorite product. I'm five foot even, and reality is most chairs are just not made for me.
[00:06:02] I think the only time I've really felt like a chair was made for me was when I did a short rotation at an elementary school because they just have smaller chairs. And sure I can use an adjustable chair and that might solve one of the problems for my legs to touch the ground comfortably, but then the table surface ends up being way too high, my wrists are at a weird position, my shoulders are tense, and especially if I'm working in that position for a while, it adds up. But with an adjustable desk table surface, I can put it at a height that's perfect for me and whatever chair I'm using. I also love that I can take a break from sitting and stand at the desk if I want to. Beyond working for me, this is my favorite UD product, because it is truly usable for everyone. Anyone can use this same desk, seated or standing, kids, adults of all heights, and you can use whatever chair fits you best.
[00:06:56] Sarah: This is definitely a great UD feature, Rebecca and I can attest to the amount of conversations we've had in our team meetings about finding the perfect height of a countertop in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms, and if only they were adjustable, it would be perfect. I am so glad to see adjustable desks venture into the office space and other workspaces. We have two adjustable desks in our office and it's great because I am also on the short side too, Daniel-Hannah. If I'm rounding up, I'm five foot three, and I interact with the desk about the same way you do. Plus we have the added component of Scott who uses two different wheelchairs. One that sits lower and the other that sits a bit higher and that impacts if he can fit under a desk and where the keyboard and the screen end up being. Sometimes we switched desks. And then with the tap of a switch, we have flexibility in our space for his needs and my needs in the tasks that we're doing.
[00:07:53] It's all about angles and that changes when we sit or stand. It's important that our feet are supported, our neck is in a neutral position, looking straight at our screen, and our arms are in a comfortable spot to type so we aren't needing massages each week, although that would be nice, after sitting crooked at our screens all day. Sometimes this requires more computer equipment like extra screens, but making things more ergonomic is important. Who all is listening and is starting to think that you might need to check out how you sit at your computer? Maybe you're like me and you also need to get off the couch when doing lots of work. I see you.
[00:08:29] This is a great example, Daniel-Hannah, because I think we've all experienced this situation and this idea can be transferred over to considering adjustable countertops and workspaces and other areas of our home. They do make these countertops for other areas, but unfortunately, they're so expensive. Maybe as more people see the benefits of their office desks by jumping on the adjustable desk trend, maybe more manufacturers will get creative with this in other areas of the home, making the price go down a bit.
[00:09:01] Let's change gears a bit and venture out into the community. Daniel-Hannah, can you share with our listeners your favorite UD product or feature that is not typically in the home?
[00:09:11] Daniel-Hannah: Yes. I think my favorite UD example out in the community has got to be automatic doors. They are such a simple example of UD, but they really show how universal design helps everyone, not just those with disabilities. In thinking about navigating leaving the grocery store with your hands full, there are a few things that come to my mind: a grocery cart or an armful of grocery bags, or even a toddler holding your hand to cross the street safely.
[00:09:40] With that much going on automatic doors provide ease of entry and exit for those with limited mobility, decreased strength or dexterity to open doors, and those who just have their hands full. It's my favorite example of UD in the community because it truly makes things more usable for everyone.
[00:09:58] Rebecca: Yes. And spoken like someone who knows what she's talking about in the world of universal design and she is just getting started people. But, I digress. The automatic door is such a classic in the universal design world. That is one of my go-to examples when I'm explaining universal design to a client. So, I'm really glad that you brought this up. It really is something that most people don't think about as universal design and they just interact with it on a often daily basis without even realizing how universal it is. But it's an excellent example, as you said, of design that is simply functional for everybody.
[00:10:38] And I think that that's a lovely place to wrap for the day. Daniel-Hannah, welcome to the universal design project and to good fit, poor fit. We can't wait to see and hear more from you. And to our listeners, it is good to be back at the mic and we'll be back in your feeds real soon.
[00:10:54] Sarah: Thanks for listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. I'm your host Sarah Pruett, Program Director and Occupational Therapist at The Universal Design Project. Learn more about our work at universaldesign.org, and find more episodes and links to subscribe at goodfitpoorfit.com. If you have questions or topics you'd like to discuss, email us at podcast@universaldesign.org.[00:11:25] Thanks for fitting us into your day!
Transcript:
[00:00:00] You're Listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. A podcast that explores the interaction between people, design, and activity. Good Fit Poor Fit is part of The Universal Design Project, a nonprofit organization with a vision for every community across the USA to have a surplus of homes and opportunities for social participation that are universally and financially accessible.
[00:00:27] Sarah: Learn more at universaldesign.org.
[00:00:31] Hi listeners. Welcome back after a bit of a hiatus in our podcast. We are excited to be at our microphones once again, to talk about universal design and all the things in our lives that can be a good fit or a poor fit for our needs. We have some great interviews and content in the works so keep tuned in for more from us this summer. Today, we have another special episode in our series, UD and Me. Rebecca and I will be introducing you to Daniel-Hannah Grace. She is a student at Washington University in St. Louis, but is joining us remotely in New Mexico to finish up her doctoral capstone in OT.
[00:01:07] She is working in several places at once this semester and joining us part of the week to work on educational content for some online courses. We are excited to have her share more about herself, what she's up to this summer in her capstone work and some of her favorite UD things.
[00:01:25] Daniel-Hannah: Hi, Sarah, thanks for the intro, and thanks for having me on the podcast. So like you said, for my doctoral capstone, I'm exploring the role of occupational therapy in the design and build industry. And as you mentioned, I have two partners, one of which is The Universal Design Project. And one is local to my home state of New Mexico, where I'm currently living.
[00:01:46] Here at UDP, I'm already learning so much about universal design, the role of occupational therapy, and co-designing. And my other partnership is with an architecture firm where I'm consulting on the design and build of a hotel resort in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
[00:02:02] Even though UDP is focused on universally designed homes and my consulting partnership focuses on a commercial space, I am already seeing how what I'm learning from y'all about co-designing, and universal design, in general, is adding to my perspective and helping me pass along universal design recommendations to make the hotel more usable for all.
[00:02:23] Sarah: We are so glad to have you and if my memory is serving me right, you came to us via the recommendation from one of our previous students, Kati, who you met at a fieldwork site. Kati actually helped us start this podcast, so it is pretty fun to see how our work is impacting OTs in different settings and encouraging OTs in looking to do something different in a non-traditional practice.
[00:02:47] I am so glad that in just a few weeks, you've learned more about the role of OT in the design world, whether it can apply to a commercial project like you're working on in the hotel resort, as well as how it can be beneficial in the housing industry. In both projects, it's really thinking about how people will use the home and use the hotel to make it user-friendly.
[00:03:09] Thinking about UD in this way is much different than working with individual people in their homes, because you have to consider any type of person that may come through the doors of the hotel and make it work well for them, so they have an enjoyable experience from check-in to the amenities, to their room and beyond. I look forward to seeing how your perspective grows this summer, but let's take a step back. Daniel-Hannah, how did you first become interested in the world of UD?
[00:03:35] Daniel-Hannah: Yeah, so during my first semester, well, second semester actually, in the program of occupational therapy at Wash U we had a course titled, "Enabling Community Living". So, topics for this course included: social determinants of health, technology for recreation, exercise, and community mobility, and universal design.
[00:03:57] We got a short introduction to UD through a lecture and then we were introduced to this tool called the Community Health Environment Checklist, which assesses community settings for their usability based off of what people with disabilities say is important for them to be able to participate and interact within the community site.
[00:04:16] This idea of "usability for all" made so much sense to me. Why would we not create something that can be used by everyone with input from the very people who use it? I'm sure you've had a moment when you interacted with a product or business and thought, "wow, they really missed the mark with this one". Or when you wonder, who was even at the table when they were designing and testing the product.
[00:04:39] Understanding user experience and the implementation of universal design is interesting to me because they try to optimize real people's interaction with the world around them. And that's what I want to do.
[00:04:52] Rebecca: Well, you are speaking my language, my friend. I love that this kind of course is included in your curriculum because I think it's an aspect of occupational therapy that so many people overlook- and that's our ability to analyze environments, including community environments, not just home and personal ones, to understand how they may support or sometimes inhibit people from doing what they want to need to. This idea of optimizing real interactions in the world is precisely what OTs are trained to do, though, I bet if you asked a hundred people what an OT did, very few, if any, would say that. So moving along, tell us and our listeners, "what is your favorite home-related universal design feature?"
[00:05:39] Daniel-Hannah: I love this question. I'm gonna lump office in with the home, especially with so many people working from home, I think it definitely counts. I'd have to say that my favorite home-related UD product is an adjustable desk. So, I'll give you some context for why this is my favorite product. I'm five foot even, and reality is most chairs are just not made for me.
[00:06:02] I think the only time I've really felt like a chair was made for me was when I did a short rotation at an elementary school because they just have smaller chairs. And sure I can use an adjustable chair and that might solve one of the problems for my legs to touch the ground comfortably, but then the table surface ends up being way too high, my wrists are at a weird position, my shoulders are tense, and especially if I'm working in that position for a while, it adds up. But with an adjustable desk table surface, I can put it at a height that's perfect for me and whatever chair I'm using. I also love that I can take a break from sitting and stand at the desk if I want to. Beyond working for me, this is my favorite UD product, because it is truly usable for everyone. Anyone can use this same desk, seated or standing, kids, adults of all heights, and you can use whatever chair fits you best.
[00:06:56] Sarah: This is definitely a great UD feature, Rebecca and I can attest to the amount of conversations we've had in our team meetings about finding the perfect height of a countertop in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms, and if only they were adjustable, it would be perfect. I am so glad to see adjustable desks venture into the office space and other workspaces. We have two adjustable desks in our office and it's great because I am also on the short side too, Daniel-Hannah. If I'm rounding up, I'm five foot three, and I interact with the desk about the same way you do. Plus we have the added component of Scott who uses two different wheelchairs. One that sits lower and the other that sits a bit higher and that impacts if he can fit under a desk and where the keyboard and the screen end up being. Sometimes we switched desks. And then with the tap of a switch, we have flexibility in our space for his needs and my needs in the tasks that we're doing.
[00:07:53] It's all about angles and that changes when we sit or stand. It's important that our feet are supported, our neck is in a neutral position, looking straight at our screen, and our arms are in a comfortable spot to type so we aren't needing massages each week, although that would be nice, after sitting crooked at our screens all day. Sometimes this requires more computer equipment like extra screens, but making things more ergonomic is important. Who all is listening and is starting to think that you might need to check out how you sit at your computer? Maybe you're like me and you also need to get off the couch when doing lots of work. I see you.
[00:08:29] This is a great example, Daniel-Hannah, because I think we've all experienced this situation and this idea can be transferred over to considering adjustable countertops and workspaces and other areas of our home. They do make these countertops for other areas, but unfortunately, they're so expensive. Maybe as more people see the benefits of their office desks by jumping on the adjustable desk trend, maybe more manufacturers will get creative with this in other areas of the home, making the price go down a bit.
[00:09:01] Let's change gears a bit and venture out into the community. Daniel-Hannah, can you share with our listeners your favorite UD product or feature that is not typically in the home?
[00:09:11] Daniel-Hannah: Yes. I think my favorite UD example out in the community has got to be automatic doors. They are such a simple example of UD, but they really show how universal design helps everyone, not just those with disabilities. In thinking about navigating leaving the grocery store with your hands full, there are a few things that come to my mind: a grocery cart or an armful of grocery bags, or even a toddler holding your hand to cross the street safely.
[00:09:40] With that much going on automatic doors provide ease of entry and exit for those with limited mobility, decreased strength or dexterity to open doors, and those who just have their hands full. It's my favorite example of UD in the community because it truly makes things more usable for everyone.
[00:09:58] Rebecca: Yes. And spoken like someone who knows what she's talking about in the world of universal design and she is just getting started people. But, I digress. The automatic door is such a classic in the universal design world. That is one of my go-to examples when I'm explaining universal design to a client. So, I'm really glad that you brought this up. It really is something that most people don't think about as universal design and they just interact with it on a often daily basis without even realizing how universal it is. But it's an excellent example, as you said, of design that is simply functional for everybody.
[00:10:38] And I think that that's a lovely place to wrap for the day. Daniel-Hannah, welcome to the universal design project and to good fit, poor fit. We can't wait to see and hear more from you. And to our listeners, it is good to be back at the mic and we'll be back in your feeds real soon.
[00:10:54] Sarah: Thanks for listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. I'm your host Sarah Pruett, Program Director and Occupational Therapist at The Universal Design Project. Learn more about our work at universaldesign.org, and find more episodes and links to subscribe at goodfitpoorfit.com. If you have questions or topics you'd like to discuss, email us at podcast@universaldesign.org.[00:11:25] Thanks for fitting us into your day!
Discussion regarding the dynamic shift in the occupational therapy profession and emerging areas of practice. Source
Our Design Advisors get candid about how they channeled their creative side to make a good fit when there was no available or affordable option. Source
The concept of a forever home and why most Americans want to remain in their homes for long periods of time, even if it is no longer a good fit. Source
Our Design Advisors share how flooring an be a good or poor fit in another episode of our candid conversations series! Source
Our Design Advisors get candid about how the design of bedrooms and closets can be a good fit or poor fit. Source
OT student, Rachel Melvin, shares her favorite UD things and how she became interested in an internship with our organization. Source
Our Design Advisors get candid about how the design of pathways to the front door can be a good fit or poor fit. Source
Our new interior design student, Nicole, sits down with the team to share what spawned her passion for universal design. Source
We welcome a very special guest today to discuss some favorite UD features and ideas! Source
Perspectives on UD features that can make homes welcoming for a wide variety of people. Source
What brought one of our most vocal design advisors to the world of universal design? Today we get to find out! Source
Today we chat about the top 3 UD features that come up in most conversations about accessible design. Source
Learn more about Matthew's favorite UD things and how 6 Wheels Consulting is impacting the community. Source
What do some of our Design Advisors have to say about the accessibility (or lack thereof) in public restrooms? Source
An interview series to learn more about the effect of temporary disabilities on everyday life. Source
A chat about the smelly challenge of trash and some UD ideas that could make it easier for everyone! Source
A chat about inclusive and accessible outdoor recreation, just in time for the summer! Source
It's almost that time of year--summer vacation! Today we talk about vacation rentals and accessibility. Source
How can universal design be used to support COVID long haulers? Tune into our newest episode to find out! Source
Allow us to introduce our newest student, Sally Kiker. She shares how she became interested in Universal Design! Source
Meet our new student, Lauren Dexter and learn what she's curious about in the world of Universal Design! Source
At its best, universal design is invisible! Listen for some examples of design that you may not even realize works for a wide variety of users! Source
Hannah Pugh, OT and UX Designer tells us about how she became passionate about universal design of the user experience. Source
Our architecture student, Bethany, drops by to share her "UD and Me" origin story! Source
What style and placement choices make dishwashers most functional? We called on our Design Advisors to find out! Source
How can universal design play a part in weather-proofing your home? In this episode, we discuss climate considerations for designing and building universal residences. Source
Meaghan Walls shares her UD and Me story about what inspired her to pursue the design of inclusive communities and spaces. Source
In this episode, we learn about universal design features that really speak to our team member, Tiffany Dill! Source
What works best for reheating those holiday leftovers? We asked our Design Advisors for tips about accessible and functional microwave features! Source
A chat with the Executive Director of the Universal Design Project about his favorite UD features. Source
The first episode of our new mini-series about some of our favorite universal designs! Source
From style to safety -- an overview of grab bars and how to find the best fit for your home. Source
An interview with Dr. Katie Hansen, OT, about considering sensory needs in design. Source
An interview with Danise Levine, Assistant Director of the IDEA Center at the University of Buffalo. Source
Tips for designing and setting up a home entrance that is functional, safe, and germ-free! Source
An overview of alarms and alert systems for the Deaf and hard of hearing that can actually keep us all safe! Source
A discussion about the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. How far have we come? Where can we go next to make spaces equitably accessible? Source
Rebecca Langbein joins in on the conversation to discuss unique design tips that benefit those with memory loss, yet are helpful for all. Source
Learn why little details make a big difference in the design and layout of a bedroom. Source
If communities can change how things are done with this virus, we can transform the approach to home design for families with and without disabilities. Source
Our design advisors shared their feedback on a sink that is height adjustable and swings to different locations. Yet, is it universal? Source
"Your home should be the great equalizer - where your disability doesn't matter." Source
We discuss some uniquely universal ways to cut down on clutter plus keep things organized and accessible. Source
Our design advisors weigh in on a kitchen design. Is it a good fit or a poor fit? Source
Experiential education! Deeper understanding is gained when people can practice tasks then apply lessons learned to their life. Source
"It was not until I actually gained more access in and out of the house that my health truly got better. My mental health went up and I felt more worth than I had felt before." -James Source
Kati reflects on her experience as an occupational therapy student and discusses how she promoted our organization and her future profession. Source
Experiences as occupational therapists collaborating with building and design professionals. Source
Even though these tubs are a current design trend, we polled our Design Advisors and they all agree this product's design isn't safe for most people. Source
Collaboration between an occupational therapist and a lighting designer will result in exterior lighting that's a good fit for everyone. Source
Kati, an occupational therapy student, shares a story about how her client was able to look and feel her best for a special event because her bathroom was universally designed. Source
Our thoughts: Social distancing is now mandatory in the US due to COVID-19, but some people with disabilities experience social isolation every day. Source
We discuss how the internet isn't always accurate in the description of universal design, and what our Design Advisors thought of this ramp/stair design. Source
A backyard party at someone's home turns from excitement to heartbreak when you have to question if you can attend the due to inaccessibility. Source
Sarah discusses how her friend increased the functionality of her garden by using raised garden beds and how an outdoor space improves mental health. Source
We discuss 3 themes from a peer-reviewed article: form versus function, the earlier the better, and universal design as a specialist area. Source
Of course they do. We're talking about universal design! Listen to Julie & Jackson's story. You'll learn about what they have to do just to visit family or friends. Source
Kati recounts a story about a patient who broke a hip and had struggles with a common yet meaningful task. Source
Sarah shares a story & some thoughts about the functionality of parking areas. It's the little things that make a big difference for universal design! Source
Sarah and Kati talk about various universal design features to increase function for those living with invisible disabilities. Source
Sarah talks with Kati about discharge scenarios and what home modifications looked like for their patients. Source
Design can create a "good fit," or a "poor fit." One of the models we use is the Person-Environment-Occupation (PEO) model of Occupational Performance. Source
Welcome to the first episode of the Good Fit Poor Fit podcast! Learn more about The Universal Design Project and what got us to where we are today. Source