Barrier free living Self determined living for the elderly Dirk Sommermeyer, IAQ e.V

Barrier free living

Self determined living for the elderly

Dirk Sommermeyer, IAQ e.V.

Housing needs of the elderly

• autonomy• self-dependence• safety• familiarity and continuity• social contacts• social participation• confident in their environment• habits and regularity

Adapted/Taken from „Was ist Wohnanpassung?“ – Die Fachstelle informiert, Niedersächsische Fachstelle für Wohnberatung

How do the elderly live today?

• Common appartment / house93 %

• Retirement home5,3%

• Assisted living 1-2 %

• Supervised accomodation• Self-organized residential community


Independent living

• Independent performing of personal tasks (getting up, dressing, washing, toilet gear, etc.)

• Independent self-supply (shopping, cooking, eating, do the dishes, etc.)

• Participation in social life (active and passive contact to other people)

• Daily routines


Objectives of a barrier free appartment

• Compensation of functional limitations• Prevention of accidents• Support of remaining skills• Minimal adaptation efforts

Important aspects of barrier free living

Access to the appartment/house– Avoidance of thresholds (allow thresholds of max. 2cm

height, in case there is no way to avoid it completely) .– Convenient access to the appartment and to all rooms

on one level – if possible the ground level.– Stairs with handrails on both sides, – Good illumination.– avoid dangerous misuse of equipments


Inside an appartment– Movement area of at least:

• 150 cm between walls outside the appartment• 120 cm between walls inside the appartment and in front

of washrooms, in the kitchen and at the long side of a bed.

• 90 cm in front of furniture

– Door width within the appartment of at least 80 cm, Width of the front door or entrance to the elevator at least 90 cm.

– No obstacbles in living area (incl. wires)



Bathroom• Shower floor at the same level as the bathroom• Shower with diameter of at least 120 cm• Additional handles inside the bathroom• Door to the bathroom should swing to the

external side• alternative: sliding door• Non slipping floor even wet




Illumination• Elderly people need 3 to 10 times more light compared to

young people in order to see and recognize things in a comparable way.

• Good illumination can prevent falls and can improve or enable activities (e.g. reading, handcrafts).

Good means:– Bright enough – e.g. 300 Lux for reading/working, 200

Lux as Light near the floor– antiglare– cast shadow free (especially on stairs)


Examples

• Problem house entrance stairs Handrails difficult to grab


Examples

• Difficult entrance situations


Examples

• Good entrance area– roofed– House number easy to read– Good illuminate– Easy accessible– Bell at medium height

(ca. 1,30-1,40 m)

– Easy to open the door, incl. door opener

– Facility to put/place bags when (un)locking the door

– Aggression prevention systems Adapted/Taken from „Was ist Wohnanpassung?“ – Die Fachstelle informiert, Niedersächsische Fachstelle für Wohnberatung

• Feasible solution

Examples


Examples

• Feasible solution

ramp


Examples

• Feasible solution Scissor lift


• Corridor– Easy to access– seat– bright– non slippering floor– No devices obstacles

Examples


Examples

Too low beds and sitting furniture


Examples

Problem door sills


As a first step: Check list

• Lower risks:– Rough edges, e.g. at furniture– Danger spots which can cause falls, stumble, slip– Tripping hazards: carpets, cables, …– Dangerous items or poisonous substances

• Prevention:– Enough handles– Anti-slip mats in the shower / bathroom– Sufficient illumination– Lights on the way to the toilet during the night– Smoke detector

• financially affordableAdapted/Taken from „Was ist Wohnanpassung?“ – Die Fachstelle

informiert, Niedersächsische Fachstelle für Wohnberatung

Thank you!

Special thanks to the Niedersächsische Fachstelle für Wohnberatung

Hildesheimer Str. 2030169 Hannover

for the permission to use informations and fotos from the brochure „Was ist Wohnanpassung?“ – Die Fachstelle informiert

Documents

Barrier free living Self determined living for the elderly Dirk Sommermeyer, IAQ e.V