With the goal of aging in one’s own home with dignity, the codes and regulations need to be adapting to our clients’ needs.
The Design for Aging and the Access Knowledge Communities are joining forces to discuss the applicability and relevance of various accessibility codes and regulations to the needs of older adults, particularly those requiring assistance and who are recuperating. The history of the different codes reveals the original drivers that shaped these codes. Injured veterans returning from the Vietnam war were the initial beneficiaries of these legislations.
The challenges facing architects, designers, owners, and the construction industry in the senior environments space, with regards to implementing these codes and regulations, is to assess – are they appropriate for the users we serve.
Personal circumstances vary between people. The aging process impacts the appropriate solutions. What works for a 75-year-old resident when they move in may be completely different from what they need at 90. Going above and beyond minimum codes, using equal facilitation, and taking advantage of the variance tools are some of the ways the design community can tailor solutions to real needs.
The virtual meeting will take a format of an interactive discussion lead by Access Committee co-chairs Josh Safdie AIA (KMA) and Ian Baldwin AIA (NMA), Design for Aging co-chair Ruth Neeman AIA (LWDA), and senior staff members from KMA, Lisa Pilorz Assoc. AIA and J George. |
