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Are Accessibility Standards Meeting the Needs of an Aging Population
- Thread starter jar546
- Start date
steveray
SAWHORSE
One big detectable warning....danger is everywhere...
mark handler
SAWHORSE
And once again, it will take time to adapt 100's of years of construction to meet todays minimum standards, at least it is a start.
Yikes
SAWHORSE
To the extent that our current codes and standards reflect a legacy of decades-old assumptions about mobility technology:
As an alternative to modifying centuries of the built environment, I’d like to see a societal approach that takes advantage of technological improvements in mobility devices and other aids.
If mobility devices could be provided with scissor lifts, stair climbing ability, etc., at a lower cost than retrofitting old cities to take up more footprint to meet our current standards, could that be a better use of funds?
I have a friend who is in a wheelchair and only has limited use of his arms and hands. He has a wheelchair equipped with a scissor lift that allows him to reach upper cabinets and storage. It has a very tight turning radius. As a result, he is able to live independently in a small mobile home instead of a large sprawling flat. He car loads from the rear, so he can park in conventional parking stalls.
I realize that not every person in a wheelchair can take advantage of this. But anecdotally, it points out that a one-size-fits-all approach to the physical environment may not be the best approach to serve our population.
As an alternative to modifying centuries of the built environment, I’d like to see a societal approach that takes advantage of technological improvements in mobility devices and other aids.
If mobility devices could be provided with scissor lifts, stair climbing ability, etc., at a lower cost than retrofitting old cities to take up more footprint to meet our current standards, could that be a better use of funds?
I have a friend who is in a wheelchair and only has limited use of his arms and hands. He has a wheelchair equipped with a scissor lift that allows him to reach upper cabinets and storage. It has a very tight turning radius. As a result, he is able to live independently in a small mobile home instead of a large sprawling flat. He car loads from the rear, so he can park in conventional parking stalls.
I realize that not every person in a wheelchair can take advantage of this. But anecdotally, it points out that a one-size-fits-all approach to the physical environment may not be the best approach to serve our population.