Heidar Talleb Abdraboh Arabeh, General Secretary of the World Disability Union (WDU), says designing homes for People with Disabilities involves a range of modifications to ensure accessibility, safety, and comfort. Each type of disability requires specific adaptations. He outlined the key differences in engineering design between homes for People with Disabilities and regular homes for various types of disabilities. In essence, homes designed for People with Disabilities incorporate a wide array of adjustments to standard homes to enhance accessibility, safety, and usability. These adjustments will tailored to the specific needs of individuals with various types of disabilities, ensuring that the home environment is as accommodating and supportive as possible.
Mobility Impairments
Entrances and Doorways at Regular Homes have standard widths and steps at entrances. Accessible Homes should have wider doorways (typically at least 32 inches clear width), ramps instead of steps, level thresholds, and automatic door openers.
Interior Layout at Regular Homes has standard corridor widths and room layouts. Accessible Homes have open floor plans with wide hallways (36 inches or more), spacious rooms for maneuverability of wheelchairs, and clear space around furniture.
Bathrooms at Regular Homes have standard fixtures and dimensions. Accessible Homes should have roll-in showers, grab bars, lower sinks and countertops, accessible toilets, and enough turning space for wheelchairs.
Kitchens at regular Homes have standard counter heights and layouts. The Accessible Homes have lower countertops, accessible cabinets (pull-out shelves, lazy Susans), appliances with front controls, and space underneath counters for wheelchair access.
Visual Impairments
Lighting at regular homes has standard lighting. Accessible Homes have enhanced and adjustable lighting, non-glare surfaces, and task lighting in specific areas.
Contrasts and Signage at Accessible homes have high-contrast color schemes, tactile indicators, Braille labels on appliances, and larger, high-contrast signage.
Flooring and Obstacles at Accessible homes have consistent, non-slip flooring, clear pathways without obstructions, and tactile walking surface indicators (TWSIs).
For Hearing Impairments at regular homes have standard auditory alarms. Accessible homes have Visual alarms (flashing lights), vibrating alarms for beds, and visual doorbells.
Communication Systems at Accessible homes have video relay services, amplified phones, and visual alert systems for phone and doorbell notifications.
Cognitive Impairments at Accessible homes have simple, intuitive layouts, clear and consistent signage, color-coded areas, and easy-to-use controls and switches.
Safety Features at Accessible homes have additional safety features like automatic shut-off for stoves, door alarms, and secure locks that prevent wandering. For the elderly, there is often a combination of several needs. General adaptations for Accessible homes include a combination of features like grab bars, non-slip flooring, lever-style door handles, stair lifts, and home automation systems for easy control of lighting, heating, and security.
Universal Design features include Universal design principles that cater to a wide range of abilities like adjustable-height counters, multi-height work surfaces, and lever handles for doors and faucets.
Source: World Disability Union
