Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Including disabled people in cohousing, especially forming communities

[Allison Tom (allison.tom]

So, I thought I'd add one thing that makes spaces usable or unusable for 
me as a person with a balance disorder.  Strong patterns such as a bold 
black and white stripe but also such as Venetian blinds at certain 
angles and curving linear patters in brick/stonework can throw me off.  
My vestibular system is shot so I use vision for balance and those 
patterns are intolerable for me.

Again, I really appreciate this conversation.

Allison


All excellent. The contrast factor is not something I've seen before, 
but it makes perfect sense. Along the same lines, I encountered 
carpeting in a hotel that made accidental falls on the stairs almost 
inevitable. It consisted of strongly contrasted horizontal stripes of 
random widths that made stair edges almost impossible to detect. When 
you're picking out carpeting for stairs, think about any potential 
optical illusion.
> > 9. Make sure that all bathrooms are built with grip-rails near the 
> > toilet,
> > and in the tub or shower, for older adults and others with balance 
> > problems
> > to use these facilities with safety and confidence.
>
> We specified that the blocking has to be in the bathroom walls to 
> accommodate grab bars, but we're leaving it up to individuals whether 
> to install them during initial construction. They can always be added 
> later.
>
> Dick Margulis
> Rocky Corner cohousing
> Bethany CT