Is your home barrier free? Technology can give us the answer

Not only the design, but also installation

Homes and any places of hospitality must be equipped with the right spaces,
furnishings and accessories in order to make areas completely accessible. Correct
installation of these furnishings and accessories is fundamental. If in a bathroom,
for example, the grab bars are installed incorrectly (too far from strategic
points), barriers will remain. We mention the bathroom because it is one of
the rooms where accessibility must be total. Not only therefore must there be
sufficient space, but the right grab bars and sanitary facilities are essential
and these must be installed properly. Apps providing evaluation of grab bar
placement together with our design technicians' advice are very useful.

5 steps to make a bathroom area barrier free

There are just five steps to make it accessible:

• Install grab bars in the washbasin, toilet and shower areas


• Replace the toilet with one which is 50 cms high


• Replace the washbasin with one which allows you to rest your elbows on it
  andmove a wheel chair closer ;


• Replace the bath with a flush fitting shower tray;


• Add the necessary bathroom accessories, like a shower head near the toilet,
  soap dish and towel rail not more than 100 cms from the seat in the shower
  area.

The correct installation makes the difference

In order to create a comfortable and barrier free environment it is necessary
to study the design of new spaces on a human scale in greater depth. We need
to consider anthropometry, a science that measures body size through the use
of statistical models, with an acceptable degree of approximation. This is used
in industrial design. The anthropometric surveys allow the designer to establish
the relationship between man and what he has built.

Examples of designs in the bathroom area

There are specific measures for each area of the home when we think in terms
of anthropometrics, in particular for each area of the bathroom sector, while
also considering the differences between men's, womens' and disabled people's
needs. This gives us a general idea of the physical constraints that limit and
regulate the daily actions of a human being.

Here are the different areas of the bathroom:

The washbasin area

The design shows a sink area, with an ergonomic basin and two straight grab
bars:

The second image shows an ergonomic washbasin and a fixed side grab bar.

Toilet area:

The picture shows a wall mounted toilet and folding grab bar.

In this second picture there is a wall mounted toilet, a folding armrest and
a corner handle.

Shower area:

The picture shows a shower seat being installed with a folding armrest, vertical
grab bar with shower head holder and straight grab bar.

Bath tub area

The last picture also includes the idea of a vertical grab bar with shower head
holder and corner handle or a straight grab bar, for the bath tub area. The
design can be completed with a removable bathtub seat.