Visitability is on my mind this week. My parents last visited me in my 1906 brownstone five years ago for a Christmas dinner; it is no longer possible for them to visit. My home is not visitable; only a crazy amount of cash would make it so. For a resident...
The Five Year Plan
Do you have a five-year plan? As it is close to New Years, how about a one-year plan for 2011? Those who make a plan are much more likely to achieve their goals than those who don’t. What about your company, what’s their plan? How about your country? Still with...
Tags: einstein, five year plan, India, kaletsch, konrad, Konrad Kaletsch, new year, plan, universal design
Surviving Snow & Ice: SNOW REMOVAL
Snow and ice spell trouble, maybe danger, probably extra work, and certainly limits to mobility. Hardest hit won’t be those who live in snow country and are used to it, but those who live in the marginal areas that rarely get snow or ice. Overcoming the inconveniences of snow requires...
Surviving Snow & Ice: UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR WINTER
Snow and ice spell trouble, maybe danger, probably extra work, and certainly limits to mobility. Hardest hit won’t be those who live in snow country and are used to it, but those who live in the marginal areas that rarely get snow or ice. Overcoming the inconveniences of snow requires...
The 8th Principle, Part I
An eighth principle would be a welcome and needed entry to the brilliant seven as created in 1997 by the North Carolina State University’s Center for Universal Design. Rather than only define the environment of a user, this eighth principle would address perception; those shared by the observer and the...
Surviving Snow & Ice: PREPARING FOR WINTER
PREPARING FOR WINTER Overcoming the inconveniences of snow requires preparation. This series of posts provides checklists to help you create and prepare for a better winter experience. The posts in this series are: Universal Design for Winter, Preparing For Winter, Snow Removal, Getting Around, and, New Home Construction. Preparing For...
OMG: You’re Such an Ableist!
Said by a builder, “That ADA stuff isn’t good for anything anyway; no body uses it.” Said by coach, “Well, if you can’t stand for long periods, maybe you shouldn’t be a lab technician.” Said by a teacher, “Why should I give you extra time to take the test!” These...
Surviving Snow & Ice: GETTING AROUND
The best design for getting around during the season of snow and ice is to set yourself up so that your mobility is as safe and easy as possible. For starters, try not to be out and about when conditions are treacherous. This means having what you need before the...
More than Your House … Your Money!
Another area of self evaluation will be your economic forecast. Most simply, will there be enough financial resources for you to live the way you wish to live? Managing your assets always mattered, however, the retirement model you grew up with has little remaining practical value. To retire at age...
NAHB’s course: Universal Design/Build
This blog is an announcement and the body of text that follows is copied from NAHB’s website: UNIVERSAL DESIGN/BUILD This two-day course focuses on integrated home design features and product specifications that account for client differences due to circumstance, physical characteristics, health issues and aging. Universal Design/Build expands on the...