Baby boomers today are facing knee and hip replacements, debilitating strokes, diabetic issues, heart problems:  in general, a drastic change in lifestyle!   It all sounds so depressing but facing these issues head on by having a plan can make the problems more bearable.  Many times a client will have to spend time in a rehabilitation center preparing to come home, but what if the home is not very user-friendly for a person with new disabilities, whether temporary or permanent?  You might want to check out Wesson’s page on accessibility remodeling. 

Most of the time before a patient is released from rehab, a discharge planner or occupational therapist will make an on site visit to the home to assess the accessibility and mobility issues of a home.  The first obstacle usually is just being able to get into the home. If using a wheelchair is only going to be temporary, a portable removable ramp such as pictured on the right may be the best solution. A ramp outside the home can be aesthetically pleasing to the eye such as the one above shown with vinyl railings.  Another option may be to place theramp inside an attached garage to access the house so there is no exposure to the elements.  If building a permanent ramp you may need a building permit, and remember, for every foot of fall your ramp should be 12′ long.  Check this site for some more helpful tips. 

Once accessibility to a home is managed, then it’s time to address safety and mobility within the home.  Usually this means addressing bathroom issues.  I found an excellent article by Debra Young published in the March 2011 issue of Rehab Management.  She has this to say, “Modifications in a bathroom can run the spectrum from the addition of hand-held showers, anti-scald devices and a non-skid surface inside the bath/shower to the conversion of a tub to a walk in shower and the addition of a grab bars and/or a roll-under sink. 

When considering accessibility for a bathroom, one really needs to make sure they are fully meeting the current, and potential future, needs of the client. Other than entrances/exits, the bathroom is a priority area for accessibility and independence. Being that the bathroom is considered to be one of the most dangerous places in the home, special considerations must be taken to increase safety and decrease overall falls risk. To assist with making appropriate recommendations to the physical layout, it is important to consider all persons in the home that will be using the bathroom as well as if the client will require assistance when using the space. Having enough space for the client, as well as a caregiver is important not only for accessibility, but for maintaining the safety and wellbeing of both parties. “ 

Buying a toilet doesn’t sound too exciting, but a toilet sure is something no one would ever want to be without, right??  Not all toilets are created equal, so how do you choose one that will do the job—no pun intended.  We are great fans of Kohler, Sterling by Kohler, and American Standard when it comes to bathroom fixtures, and of course we have our favorite models.(I’ll tell you at the end.)  Here are 3 things to think about when selecting a new toilet because the old one is broken, or you want to save water, or you’re remodeling,—whatever the reason!

• One-piece or two-piece toilet? A toilet consists of two parts, a tank and the bowl that sits on the floor over the drain.  Both are fine, but be aware that the one-piece is considerably heavier to handle, plus more expensive than a one-piece.  Be wary of inexpensive toilets–this is not the time to pick the cheapest! Read more about buying a new toilet

Following is a newspaper article that we were interviewed for.  Lots of good information!

June 2010 – Toledo Business Journal Article

“Universal Design a Growing Trend in NW Ohio”

There is a growing push to provide and promote in-home services such as home healthcare and aging-in-place due to the significant cost savings for insurance companies and the government. Baby boomers and seniors often prefer to stay in their own home rather than go to a nursing home. People tend to stay healthier and recover from illness or disease when they remain in their homes.

According to Wesson Builders, baby boomers represent 28% of the population and their aging parents over 65 represent another 14%. Meeting their needs and making their homes fit their new situations is often described many different ways: accessibility remodeling, aging-in-place, barrier-free renovations, universal design, etc. No matter the term, there is one common goal – to keep seniors in their own home in a way that enhances their independence, safety, comfort, and quality of life.

In a study conducted by AARP, 62% of respondents over age 45 reported that they, a spouse, or a parent had difficulty walking, bathing, climbing stairs, or getting in and out of a bed or a chair; had knee and hip problems; or used a cane, walker, wheelchair, or electric cart.

Bonnie Wolke, owner of Wesson Builders, explained that her company has witnessed this growing trend and recently began carrying products from AKW, designed to created flexible style design solutions in the bathroom area, focusing on barrier free showering and bathroom safety solutions.

“AKW has more of a multi-generational approach to people of all living in the same home,” Wolke stated. “In the US that push is basically just starting. Everyone wants to stay in their own home and have a better quality of life than in a nursing home. We are trying to enable people to do that safely and inexpensively.”

AKW uses a particular blue for many of its products – such as grab bars and shower seats – because it’s the last color to be lost visually in the aging process, according to the company.

The central focus of the barrier free products is the preformed shower pans for tiling or vinyl floor applications. For example, a bathtub can be pulled out and replaced with the Tuff-Form shower pan to create a true level entry shower with no step or curb. The Tuff-Form with built in slope top drain is only 7/8” thick and can be placed directly on the floor joists and tiled over for an efficient installation.

With AKW’s wet floor system, a special membrane protects the entire bathroom floor.

Wesson also offers door widening, wall removal, grab bars and handrails, adapting kitchens, and wheelchair ramps

According to Wesson, many homeowners are starting to look ahead to their older years and considering universal design in their plans earlier in life.

Wesson works with home health agencies, occupational therapists, and rehab centers. Discharge planners and case managers assess the needs of the client by evaluating the home safety problems and needs. Often this involves home modifications for accessibility to ensure a positive transition back into the home. This may involve full bath renovations for handicapped access such as adult height toilets, accessible sinks in vanities, showers level with the floor, shower seats, and half-height caregiver shower doors. Converting a tub to a shower is often the most needed renovation, according to the company.

Wolke explained, “We are going to be putting in a bathroom system in Waterville. We suggest to customers that, if they’re going to be remodeling the bathroom, they go with something accessible. People are becoming more open to that and thinking ahead with a zero clearance shower instead of a traditional curb shower.”

She noted that, five years ago, home additions were much more prevalent. However, with the current economic conditions, additions are no longer greatly increasing the value of a home.

“If you want to maintain or increase the value of your home, focus on your bathrooms and kitchens,” Wolke suggested. Though, she noted that homeowners should consider keeping at least one bathtub in their home to maintain resale value as well.

Wesson is also starting to focus more on commercial applications of its services in assisted living facility, rehab center, and skilled nursing facility renovations.

Wolke concluded, “No matter where people spend their later years – their own home or a facility – it is important that the proper products be in place for safety and an enhanced quality of life. That is why this new line of AKW bathroom solutions is so valuable for both the residential and commercial setting.”

WOW — what a trade show!   This past weekend at Seagate was phenomenal, not only in attendance, but in the serious interest of the attendees.  As home remodelers, Wesson saw the most inquiries about bathroom remodeling followed closely by kitchen remodeling.

We had on display our zero clearance shower system which most attendees had not seen or heard of before.  The comment most heard is “That is exactly what I need.”  Accessibility remodeling is getting serious consideration especially among the baby boomers.  Many who are converting a tub to a shower never realized the shower could be level entry and barrier-free.

Denny Wolke, owner of Wesson Builders, gave two seminars at the Home show: one was “Bath Remodeling for Safety and Accessibilty” and the second “Zero Clearance Showers For Your Bathroom.”

And “going green” was a big theme for many of the exhibitors.  See what the Toledo Blade had to say about the very successful House and Home Show!