Abundant Life of Perrysburg is a senior housing facility established in 1977 by Zoar Lutheran Church and is funded by HUD (Housing and Urban Development). Over the past several years Liz Brown, the manager, has been working diligently to update the facilities to make them more accessible to various disabilities that her elderly residents may have. Liz Brown and her staff eagerly make accommodations for each resident and in the best interest of the whole building through using the principles of universal design. Although numerous changes have been made for better accessibility, Abundant Life is still working on creating a fully accessible building. Initially, the parking lot was extremely accommodating to the residents who still drive. The
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The features that make the apartment accessible include, low light switches, wheelchair spaces underneath kitchen sinks, knobs on the front of the stove, shower seats and moveable shower heads, and emergency pull cords next to the bed and two in the bathroom. Particularly, the emergency pull cords were suitable since they were placed in rational areas where residents may have the most problems: in bed, falling in the shower, or on the bathroom floor. These pull cords will send a signal to the local fire department to send help out. Outside the door of each apartment is a light that will turn on when a cord is pulled so the fire department knows which resident needs help. Also, the fire department can get into the building because on the outside of the main door there is a lockbox of every apartment key, and only the fire department has the keys to open the lockbox. Any person that enters the building must have a key. The residents are safe from any intruders. On the other hand, pertaining back to the apartments, the kitchen cabinets are too high for many of the residents. In addition, the kitchen is small and not particularly easy to maneuver around in, especially with a wheelchair. Also, the windows open with cranks, creating difficulty for the residents to open and close them. Likewise to making Abundant Life as accessible as can be, the staff is …show more content…
For example, the ramps made for the patio doors follow all universal design principles. The ramps demonstrate equitable use by being accessible for wheelchair and walker users, as well as for residents who are unable to pick up their feet high enough to avoid the ridge, and for residents who are blind to prevent stumbling. Flexibility in use is exhibited by the fact that they are used to prevent tripping, to make it easier for wheelchair and walker users to enjoy their patio, and to remove any sharp edges on the floor to avoid injuries. As for the simple and intuitive principle, the complexity of using the ramps is nonexistent. They are simple aids for residents who need them. The principle of perceptible information is communicated through the staff to the residents. In evaluation of tolerance for error, the ramp is securely fixed in place initially, while the maintenance staff performs routine inspections for safety. The low physical effort principle is presented by the design to use less energy than if the ramp was absent. Lastly, size and space for approach and use is appropriate for the size of the door, patio, and apartment and can be used by any resident with any
The features that make the apartment accessible include, low light switches, wheelchair spaces underneath kitchen sinks, knobs on the front of the stove, shower seats and moveable shower heads, and emergency pull cords next to the bed and two in the bathroom. Particularly, the emergency pull cords were suitable since they were placed in rational areas where residents may have the most problems: in bed, falling in the shower, or on the bathroom floor. These pull cords will send a signal to the local fire department to send help out. Outside the door of each apartment is a light that will turn on when a cord is pulled so the fire department knows which resident needs help. Also, the fire department can get into the building because on the outside of the main door there is a lockbox of every apartment key, and only the fire department has the keys to open the lockbox. Any person that enters the building must have a key. The residents are safe from any intruders. On the other hand, pertaining back to the apartments, the kitchen cabinets are too high for many of the residents. In addition, the kitchen is small and not particularly easy to maneuver around in, especially with a wheelchair. Also, the windows open with cranks, creating difficulty for the residents to open and close them. Likewise to making Abundant Life as accessible as can be, the staff is …show more content…
For example, the ramps made for the patio doors follow all universal design principles. The ramps demonstrate equitable use by being accessible for wheelchair and walker users, as well as for residents who are unable to pick up their feet high enough to avoid the ridge, and for residents who are blind to prevent stumbling. Flexibility in use is exhibited by the fact that they are used to prevent tripping, to make it easier for wheelchair and walker users to enjoy their patio, and to remove any sharp edges on the floor to avoid injuries. As for the simple and intuitive principle, the complexity of using the ramps is nonexistent. They are simple aids for residents who need them. The principle of perceptible information is communicated through the staff to the residents. In evaluation of tolerance for error, the ramp is securely fixed in place initially, while the maintenance staff performs routine inspections for safety. The low physical effort principle is presented by the design to use less energy than if the ramp was absent. Lastly, size and space for approach and use is appropriate for the size of the door, patio, and apartment and can be used by any resident with any