Accessibility

1. Accessibility Presented by: Janice L. Rieger, BID, MA, IDEC

2. issuesdefining accessibilitychanging marketeducation and trainingimplementationnew initiativespower to change Accessibility

3. issues • There is a lack of housing stock with • basic access in Canada. The aging • population is growing and Canada needs • to move forward immediately to meet • future housing needs. • Consumer demand is what will • ultimately drive the availability of accessible housing. If consumers ask for it, we will build it and accessible housing will become a more mainstream part of new home construction.

4. Motion 505, Alberta2013 Alberta Building Code Barrier Free Design Guide 2013

5. defining • accessibility • Continuum of Accessible Housing • Visitability • Aging in Place • Barrier- Free Housing • Universal Design

6. Visitability Visitability is an affordable and sustainable design strategy aimed at increasing the number of basic-access family homes and neighbourhoods. “Visitable housing” includes: ■ a no-step entrance; ■ wider doors; ■ a bathroom on the main floor.

7. The Cost of Visitability If the interior visitable features are designed into the home at the outset, the cost is negligible. The only cost for a visitable home arises then from the design and construction of the no step entrance. Which is minimal given the upgrades that buyers usually add on. Visitable Housing, Cost Estimate Summary, 2007, based on Waverly West, Winnipeg

8. It is easier to maintain, easier to move furniture in and out of, easier to get into and out of with a baby carriage, bicycle or cart; easier to have older friends and relatives visit; and is easier living. People are in the market for homes and neighbourhoods that are more livable; however, there is very little visitable housing stock available in Canada. The North American visitability movement began in the late 1980s and we still have a long way to go.

9. Europe, the U.S.A., Australia and the U.K. are moving forward in visitable housing. Many cities have mandatory visitability standards for all new housing.Canada is lagging behind other nations in terms of legislation, incentives and education about visitable housing. Ontario, Manitoba and B.C. have some visitability standards that are being implemented. (www.visitablehousingcanada.com).

10. One of the first Visitable Communities in Canada-Waverly West, Bridgwater Lakes, WinnipegOver 1100 visitable homes being developed50% of the community will be visitable

11. Aging in Place “We need to find ways to be more creative in how we can deal with the challenges created by an aging population and how we can keep people in their homes longer, and be more responsive to their needs.” – Mayor Stephen Mandel, City of Edmonton, quoted from Making Our Houses Lifelong Homes , Accessible Housing for Seniors In Alberta, according to the most recent statistics, it is projected that the number of people aged 65 and older will double over the next twenty years.

12. Aging in Alberta Alberta Statistics: Every 19 minutes another Albertan turns 65. The clock is ticking. In Alberta, we are also facing longer life expectancies, increasing the overall number of seniors in our province- these numbers will continue to grow as people continue to live long and active lives well into their 80’s and 90’s. http:www.seniors.alberta.ca/seniors/agingpopulation 

13. “We’ve been talking about accessible housing for thirty years, but I think our aging population will be what finally pushes us to get it done. Baby boomers actually have the money and the influence to make things happen. They won’t just accept that nursing homes are part of their future – they will demand something different.” – Ron Wickman, Architect quoted from Making Our Houses Lifelong Homes , Accessible Housing for Seniors

14. A home is said to be barrier-free when it contains no architectural, design or physical features that might prevent anyone, able-bodied or impaired from using the environment to the full extent of his or her abilities. A ramp, home elevator, and track lift are all examples of barrier -free design. Barrier-Free Housing

15. Universal Design Universal design is a concept that goes beyond mere visitability and accessibility, and aims to create housing and environments that can be used by peopleof all ages, abilities and mobility levels, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.Universal design focuses on creating homes that are comfortable, attractive, safe and usable by everyone at every stage of life.

16. market demand As Canada’s baby boom generation ages, the availability of accessible housing will likely increase simply to keep pace with the demand. Baby boomers have tremendous buying power, as evidenced by their influence over most of the consumer trends that have dominated the past fifty years.

17. market demand According to a study by the CHBA in 2008, 53% of Canadian renovators want to incorporate accessible features into renovation projects over the coming years. Another CHBA study reported that direct consumer requests for accessibility features and aging-in-place increased 18% in 2009. We are on the brink of this demographic shift- the demand will increase significantly over the next few years.

18. Multi Generational Housing As our population ages and we have less resources to accommodate those that require assistive living facilities we are going to see more and more multi generational homes. Our family structures will change in the coming years and many of our homes will have three or sometimes four generations living under one roof. Accessible housing will accommodate the varying needs of these generations.

19. education and training So the question is how do we begin to educate ourselves and our teams on how to implement accessible features into our home designs? Designing an accessible home without the tools and knowledge is a difficult task. It is difficult to know where to begin and where to find the resources. So how do we become educated about designing for accessibility?

20. CSAHD Canadian Specialist in Accessible Housing Design, Mount Royal University, Fall 2011

21. The First Step is No Step • The key is to start small. Designing a visitable home is the first step. It really does not require that you change much within your interiors. It mostly involves implementing a no step entrance to the home, an accessible path of travel to the front entrance and a low threshold door. • If builders all over the world can do it and communities that have similar climates to us, like Winnipeg, can do it – it is possible.

22. implementation It is important to go beyond the minimums in terms of accessible standards. Make sure that you seek advice and educate and train your team to do it right! Most importantly, it is time to get started. We have been talking about this for years - now is the time to start implementing accessibility into new home design and construction.

23. My Top 20 Accessible Design Features 1. Task lighting—elevated levels of lighting for tasks 2. Step lighting and passageway/hallway lighting 3. Redefining storage needs — wheelchairs , scooters, walkers 4. Even flooring transitions 5. Grab bars—put the blocking in during construction 6. Smart Home features 7. Decora light switches 8. Flush entry shower or wet room—with at least a 5 foot turning radius 9. Lever handles 10. Stacked closets to accommodate a future elevator

24. My Top 20 Accessible Design Features 11. Wider hallways, minimum 48” to 53” 12. Different work surface heights throughout home 13. A “No Step” Entrance (with an accessible path of travel) 14. The Flexible Flex Room on the main floor  • Wider Doors, 36” 16. A door that swings OUT rather than IN for the bathroom, or a pocket door. 17. Pot drawers and appliance drawers in kitchen 18. Adaptable open cabinets under sinks and under cook top 19. Lower light switches, 43” - 55” AFF and higher electrical outlets 26”- 32” AFF 20. Lowered windows

25. Key Features Bench in bathroom to sit down Integrated , low storage in shower for toiletries Accessible sink with mirror that angles to accommodate those in wheelchairs Large turning radius in bathroom Adequate lighting in bathroom and shower Grab bars—put the blocking in during construction Flush entry shower Adjustable hand held shower

26. Key Features Bench in shower to sit down Accessible sink with mirror that goes to sink height for visibility Grab bars—put the blocking in during construction Flush entry shower

27. Key Features Maximize pot drawers and minimize shelves Appliance drawers in Kitchens — dishwashers, fridges, warming drawers,... Stack microwave and wall ovens, with an adjacent horizontal work surface to put down heavy pots Electrical outlets at an accessible height and location, like on the island Multi level work surfaces at the island to accommodate various users

28. Smart Home Features These systems allow for easier maintenance of the home and are especially beneficial in an accessible home.

29. The Flexible Flex RoomIt is important that the Flex Room on the main floor (if there is not an additional office space) have doors and a operable window so that it can be converted into a bedroom if needed. There needs to be a bedroom on the main floor of all homes or a space that can be converted into a bedroom for a home to be accommodating and adaptable.

30. Consider a “no-step” design to the entrance and to the outdoor living spaces. Ramps are not the solution.

31. new initiatives AHS, Accessible Housing Society Designing for Accessibility: A Compendium(2010 Publication) CHBA, Best Practices, Position Paper on Accessibility and Good Business Tips on Accessible Housing City of Edmonton, Making Our Houses Lifelong Homes Accessible Housing for Seniors (2009 publication)

32. new initiatives 2 Symposiums on Accessible Housing in Alberta in 2009, 2010 Studies in Aging Program, Mount Royal University Centre on Aging, University of Calgary Vistitability Research and Database, University of Calgary

33. power to change • Builders, developers, designers and renovators have the power to create change - to create great homes and great communities that are sustainable and accessible. • Builders can take a leading role by offering accessible features to their customers - both to those that require accessible features at the time of construction and to those that may need accessible features in the future.