Quote of the Month

"When the winds of change blow some people build walls and others build windmills."

Chinese Proverb
 

Universal Design Recognition Project honoree in Residential Kitchen Under $40,000 DJ's Home Improvements Inc., Franklin Square, N.Y.

As the tough housing market forces more people to stay put homeowners are personalizing their space during a remodel rather than move according to a poll conducted by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) in honor of National Home Improvement Month.

Poll results showed that 26 percent of respondents are planning to stay an additional 16 to 20 years in their homes because their home values have decreased during the recession. Twenty-three percent reported they are going to stay an additional six to 10 years in their homes.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports combined existing and new single family home sales decreased 5 percent in 2010. "This is very telling of what homeowners are experiencing as a result of the recession," says NARI National President Dean Herriges, MCR, CKBR, of Urban Herriges & Sons in Mukwonago, Wis. "Because many homes have recently decreased in value, people are deciding to stick it out for much longer than they had originally planned."

This in turn, has sparked a new remodeling trend that centers on making homes better reflect individual lifestyles and tastes as people decide to live in them longer. "Remodeling used to be about increasing resale value-making improvements that are appealing to the majority of buyers in order to boost the value of the home," Herriges says.

Universal Design Recognition Project honoree in Residential Bath $30,000 to $60,000 Jones Design Build LLC, Minneapolis, Minn.

But that is simply not the case anymore.

"More and more people are throwing out the resale theory and making specialized improvements that suit their needs and their needs only," he says. And this trend stretches far beyond flashy paint colors and finishes. Homeowners are opting for spas with exercise pools, caterer kitchens, art rooms, yoga studios, motorcycle garages, dog spas, wine cellars and tasting rooms, helicopter pads, 3-D murals, built-in teppanyaki grills, sewing rooms and meditation rooms.

Herriges cautions homeowners, though, that it's important the customizations make sense to their lifestyle. "Make sure that whatever your adding is going to be something that you really intend to use, otherwise the space will end up being underutilized and make you unhappy," Herriges says.

The entire poll results are as follows: 13 percent responded they had not planned to stay longer in their homes, 28 percent planned to stay one to five years longer, 23 percent planned to stay six to 10 years, 10 percent planned to stay 11 to 15 years longer and 26 percent planned to stay 16 to 20 years longer.

Click here to see full size before and after pictures on our Facebook page.
 

Tomco Company, Inc. Universal Design & Adult Safe Places

The answer is "yes" as far as patients at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan are concerned. Doctors are testing out "telerounding" using facetime with Ipads.

"I can check how the patient is breathing, responding, and I can look at their incisions. I can actually use the iPad to examine them," said Dr. Rogers, Director of Renal Surgery & Director of Urologic Oncology. "I still have a team onsite. I still have nurses, and a fellow, and residents that are here. It definitely helps that I can be more of a part of the process."

Facetime is a video call program, similar to Skype, developed by Apple. The chats are encrypted for security and privacy.

Click here to watch telerounding in action.
 

Tek RMD is the world's smallest motorized standing movement device: 36 cm wide and 62 cm long. With these dimensions it covers only one third of the space of a small wheelchair. This way users can pass through many narrow spaces which they cannot pass through with a wheelchair of an average width of 60 cm.

Can mount from the back

The Tek Robotic Mobilization Device can be pulled easily by the user and the user can mount onto the device securely from its back. Mounting and dismounting the device can be done successfully in a much safer way since the user is doing so while in a seated position.

 Correct standing position

Standing wheelchair-like devices that can move while standing up, usually cannot lift their users to a fully upright position. In contrast, Tek Robotic Mobilization Device holds the user in an upright position while leaving his hands free.

Standing up and health

As a mandatory daily exercise, paraplegic people must stay in a standing position for approximately one hour everyday. This exercise is of vital importance for preserving the body's health. Existing devices for standing up are either very slow or require too much effort. In contrast, it is very easy and quick to stand up and sit down with Tek Robotic Mobilization Device. The suspension system containing gas spring balances the weight of the user so that standing up requires just a gentle pull. From the moment they wake up, users can mount the device and stand up without needing assistance from others.

Tek RMD is not an alternative to wheelchairs, it is a new platform that provides the opportunity of movement for people with paraplegia by enabling them to independently stand up in a completely upright position with correct posture and facilitating their movement in their daily activities.

Click here to watch the Tek RMD in use.

We invite you to join our campaign to help people "Get Home Smart" and successfully live independently and age in place. The Chairs & Cares Model Accessible Home is a 4600 square foot demonstration center for independent living and will be used for filming informational videos.

The ability to live independently while managing a chronic condition from home has enormous benefits. In addition to the necessary medical equipment needed, it's important to know what types of home construction, furniture and furnishings are available to make lives as functional and comfortable as possible. And that's what "Get Home Smart" is all about and we welcome your support!

Your rants, raves, suggestions and stories are always welcome! Tell us what we can do to help you AIP in your home, your way!

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