My role is sales and marketing in all sections of the company – residential, commercial, home modification, wholesale, and internet. I work with customers and building professionals every day, helping them find solutions to problems and the perfect product. Developing product knowledge information flyers, designing catalogs, promoting Ponte Giulio on social media, specifying custom and new products, making presentations and webinars, attending trade shows, and targeted marketing projects are all part of my job. I get to wear many hats – so the job is always interesting!
The CAPS certification is earned from NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) for professionals who work with homeowners who wish to make modifications that will allow them to live in their chosen home for as long as possible. CAPS is a designation indicating educational coursework has been completed successfully that assists in making recommendations for modifications and designs to help someone improve their living environment. Having a CAPS certification helps me speak the same language as the home modifiers and Occupational Therapists that I work with and allows me to make suggestions to homeowners who need guidance.
Everyone wants to be able to manage their personal bathroom needs on their own, but when age, injury, or illness interfere, making life more difficult, home modifications can keep everyone as safe and as independent as possible. Bathroom accessibility is independence.
Residential projects take place in an individual home and should be tailored to the specific needs of the homeowner and the people who live in the home. The homeowner is the final decision maker.Commercial projects are public buildings, such as libraries, dormitories, schools, grocery stores, apartments, and office buildings. These projects must follow ADA guidelines – as a minimum requirement – but when architects, designers, and builders understand that ADA is the minimum, commercial projects may incorporate even more accessible features which benefits the community. Commercial projects have multiple decision makers who must approve the project and take significantly longer to complete.From a sales standpoint, residential projects are usually smaller than commercial projects.
Universal Design simply means providing equal access for people of all ages and abilities. Having a zero-threshold entry to a home makes access easier for someone visiting in a wheelchair, using a walker, or even pushing a child’s stroller – that is smart design. Opening a door with a lever rather than a doorknob is just easier. Having grab bars in the shower for support or wider doorways throughout a home makes it easier for everyone to get around. Universal Design makes a home easier to live in and easier to visit.
Everyone I speak with wants to live in the home of their choosing for as long as possible. No one wants to give up their independence and live in a nursing home. Many people who might like to move to assisted living are not prepared for the high cost of those living arrangements. Often, the most economical option is to modify the existing home to allow for future needs.Making home modifications before they are needed is being proactive and is better than being reactive and waiting until a modification must be done immediately. Aging In Place means planning to maintain independence.
The most inexpensive improvement is to add grab bars to the bathroom.Add a vertical grab bar at the shower/bathtub entry point because that is the most common spot to slip, trip, and fall. Add grab bars by the toilet to help maintain independence.Replace towel bars with grab bars – by the sink and by the shower – the added support from these grab bars makes the whole bathroom safer.Adding a shower seat makes taking a shower safer and more relaxing.
We have an ongoing commitment to keep our prices as low as possible; the fluctuating cost of transportation and potential tariffs are always a challenge.
My favorite product is the vinyl-coated PRO Series grab bar. It is an upgrade compared to stainless steel and has many added benefits, including permanent anti-microbial protection, it feels warmer to the touch, it is available in 11 colors and 9 lengths, and has a superior non-slip grip. Vinyl-coated grab bars are what I have installed at my home, in the bathroom, in the doorway from the garage to the house, and even outside as a handrail on the steps to my front door.
