A bit of a rant today: It’s getting to be years ago that I was looking at bookshelves filled with books on having a baby, bringing a baby home, what to do with a baby when it’s home, what to expect next; what it’s expressing and when, how-to this and...
Geriatric II
With forethought and planning, you can recognize and then optimize the ability to enjoy life, reduce chances of hospitalization or institutionalization, and continue independent living. This might be for yourself or for someone you care for such as a parent, spouse or sibling. Consider this endeavor as meaningful as having...
Grave to Cradle
The provocateur speaking… What if universal design prevents a very important part of life, that of connecting with our elders. The ideal is ongoing independence, and it is voiced most strongly by those who will retire soon, but what if we are too successful? What if old age becomes just...
Dragon
Much assistive technology ends up benefitting us all; fax machines and closed captioning are two biggies. Yet another one is making it big: speech-to-text, also known as speech or voice recognition software. Originally designed as an alternative input device specific to the challenges of typing, it now is increasingly used...
Driving
For most Americans, driving is the primary access to a world beyond our doors. It gets us to work, it gets the kids to school, it helps us shop, go to worship and socialize. When driving isn’t an option, chances are you just entered a different world called isolation. The...
Education Saved the Day
Long, long ago, in a distant galaxy, around 2006, a Google search for universal design would give you under three million results. Today, it’s 41,200,000! This is a fast growing field as we prepare for a planet with an older population. Students considering career choices: look into universal design! This...
Emergency Planning
We know the emergency prep basics but what would make them more universal design? The short answer is, not much. If you have a universal design environment, you’re in good shape. Where emergency planning might be more universal design is in its thorough application and in you actually being prepared....
CAPS – Certified Aging In Place Specialist
Hooray! I am a CAPS graduate. What’s so different? Through manuals, instruction, discussion and testing, I added to my knowledge (even me, Mr. know-it-all). And, I am very excited. CAPS is an acronym for Certified Aging In Place Specialist. It is a three-day training and certification course offered by NAHB,...
Born Again
Have you raised a child? I often wonder what I learned in school that was so great: geometry, endless history, exotic authors, extreme science? After years of school there was so much practical stuff that I didn’t know: how to cook, nutrition, conflict resolution, and child rearing. Simply bizarre, even...
$10 or $1000, Choose
Last week I wrote about visitability. Today I’m surfing the ‘net and discover in the Justice for All blog that the Inclusive Home Design Act (IHDA) has been reintroduced in the House by U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky. On a metaphysical note: start thinking and speaking the world you wish to...