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 Three Little Boomers
Once upon a time there were three little boomers and the time came for them to leave home and seek their fortunes. Before they left, their mother told them, “Whatever you do, do it the best that you can because that’s the way to get along in the world.” The...
The Wooden Plate
Long ago there lived a happy family in the foothills of the Pyrenees. They raised livestock in the hills, mostly sheep and pig, and went into town once a week to trade their meats for supplies. The grandfather, too old for work, stayed in the home and helped care for...
The Future
Topics: Blog, Universal Design
Read 100 books on future trends and two themes emerge: China once again becomes the dominant power (weren’t they always except for the last few centuries); and, Web 2.0 will change everything. So, wouldn’t you buy stock in a social networking company based in China? Our bias in life favors...
Tax Incentives
If you live with a physical limitation, you have added expenses that are rather obvious: maybe a specialized car, home, appliances, electronics, etc. You pretty much know that if you are relocating, the home you choose will require expensive modifications just so you can move in – we’re not even...
Technology
What are some of the technologies that support universal design (and aging-in-place)? PERS (personal emergency response system): These are those medical devices that you wear at home that link to a central station where help can be dispatched quickly; these little devices give you and loved ones great peace of...
New Baby vs New Elder
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...
Emily Post for Buildings
Laura Claridge has just published a biography on Emily Post. To the delight of fans, Emily Post was quite the woman living in quite the time. To her detractors, Emily Post is still no more than an arbiter of manners including the extended pinky finger while quietly sipping tea. It...
‘Time’ To Do It Right, Part II
Topics: Blog, Universal Design
On the April 13th post, I looked at the impact of time on design. Five hundred words were insufficient. I have since expanded the article and given it as a brief speech. Below is an abstract followed by links to the video and the article itself. Abstract: Time was measured...