Discussing Simple Home Modifications for Older Adults to Stay in the home longer and live safer
Brad’s people-first approach allows him to identify & implement the best mobility solutions for families and businesses across Missouri. Brad and his team of Mobility Specialists are dedicated to improving your quality of life and delivers accessibility solutions to people with physical limitations.
Brad Kohlbrecher, Certified Aging In Place Specialist (CAPS)
https://101mobility.com/stlouis | 618-649-0663
Welcome back to another senior learning institute’s educational moment where older adults and their loved ones turn for honest and straightforward information. In just a few minutes, you’ll enjoy bite sized, easily digestible nuggets of knowledge empowering you to make the right decision the first time. So without further ado, here’s our founder, certified senior advisor, seniors real estate specialist, nationally syndicated podcasts and speaker the advocate. You can trust Mr. Ted Gottlieb.
TED: Hi Everybody, this is Ted Gottlieb from the SeniorLearning Institute, sitting here with Brad Kohlbrecher.
TED: Brad, Talk to me about the concept of Universal Design. What’s that all about? And give us some ideas in regard to how it is that companies like yours can help people achieve that and what the benefits are from doing it.
What is Universal Design?
Brad: Sure. So universal design is basically a thought process of of ideas and modifications that could be done to your home. It doesn’t look like it’s been modified. So it may make toilets. There are higher sinks that in the valleys and the bathroom hire. Everybody likes to have higher values because you don’t have to bend over so much, whether it is the kitchen sink been exposed or needs. So you can roll in and the bathroom shower that has basically is a roll in shower.
Ted: There’s no threshold. The whole bathroom is a wet area. So and those can be done in very elaborate tiles and look very, very nice. And so when you’re looking at those simple modifications, they aid the person to live and stay in their home longer and you can sell it and still have resale value in your home.
Brad: Right. So I know a lot of builders are trying to add universal design concepts to it, probably not as many as as could.
They’re still a traditional mindset out there, but for the older adult market as well, and I would assume 55 and over communities as well, a lot of that’s being put in place and a lot of times you don’t even know that it’s there. No. So wider doorways, things along those lines. Yeah. And I was recently outside Columbia and there’s a subdivision on the middle of nowhere where there wasn’t a single step going up to the door. And I thought that was so cool.
Ted: And a lot of the people have disabled children. So go from the driveway to the front door. It’s just a sidewalk going right up to it. There’s no thresholds except for the lower the threshold by the door itself. But that’s like less than an inch. I think that’s a great idea, as people plan and look for a home or want to build a new home. Think about that. Great. All right. Well, that gives you some ideas in regard to what universal design is.
And if you want some more information on that, just give us a call. Send me a text and we’ll connect you with Brad over here with one on one mobility.