Design isn’t just making things pretty or trendy, not anymore. Design includes neuroscience; maybe one could say it IS neuroscience. It’s your nervous system that matters now (it’s the planets nerves too). Our world has changed. The Smithsonian Institution has this list: The Ten Most Disturbing Scientific Discoveries, third on...
Kaitekisei
Kaitekisei roughly means comfort translated from Japanese to English. In more specific terms it describes a condition of spiritual and physical satisfaction, a very pleasant feeling. What comfort is to different people varies as much as the people themselves. What is clear is that comfort only comes after a certain...
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...
Geriatric Planning
I don’t really do something that we are all supposed to do: I don’t have a fire emergency plan for my home – not really. I live in an attached-house part of town and know my neighbors, as do my kids. There’s a lots of people just a few doors...
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...
Guidelines for UDR Website
Topics: Blog, Universal Design
Originally planned in 2006 as the universal design store, it became instantly obvious that it would be so much more, it would be a resource. It is for the person who heard a hint, perhaps in a passing conversation, about universal design and wants to understand. It is for the...
Hurricane Irene … EMERGENCY!
Hurricane Irene hit a sawth of country not normally accustomed to disaster on a large sacle. Furtunately it turned out a bit less worse that expected. But say, how did you do? While it is fresh in your mind, what did you prepare for well and what left you with...
I Owe You: I.O.U.S.A.
Topics: Blog, Universal Design
Warning: This blog entry has strong moral overtones. I just watched the documentary, I.O.U.S.A. It’s about our nation’s economy. What’s clear is that we don’t need a terrorist hiding in a cave or a rouge dictator to wipe out this great country, we’re doing a fine job by ourselves. The...
Improves Sex?
Can universal design improve your sex life? Somehow this question seems to permeate every aspect of our lives (you know somewhere someone is contemplating whether Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination could improve your sex life). The impact on sex is never a bad question, just an overused one. At the risk of...
Euthanasia
Today’s partisan politics is like a bad marriage. The couple no longer communicates; instead, they undermine each other’s intentions by using any opposing position, even when it doesn’t support their own agenda. President Obama wants to improve our health care system. He doesn’t have a perfect solution – it’s a...