Adding these ‘smart’ products to your kitchen can help you age in place

BY STAFF WRITER —
If you’re a senior who has decided to stay in your home, there are lots of options today for making it aging-friendly.

In this article, we’ll address how to make the kitchen more accessible using "Universal Design" principals. These are also good ideas if you’re building your retirement home from scratch. If you're considering construction of a new home, you'll want to envision how you might age and what your physical situation could be several years down the road. You can enhance the long-term resale value of your home if you build it right with universal design.

For books on Universal Design for aging in place, including kitchen design, check out the GrayTimes online bookstore.

If you are doing kitchen remodeling, pay attention to space. In terms of floor space, plan for a minimum of 30" to 48" in front of each appliance and work surface, and 42"- to 48"-wide aisles, to make the kitchen universally accessible.

If an island is included in your design, make sure that it doesn’t impede access to any part of the kitchen and allows enough space when oven or refrigerator doors are open.

Sinks

GE has a number of innovative kitchen products in its Universal Design series. Their Adjustable Height Sink raises and lowers at the push of a button, making it easier to use if you are in a wheelchair. When you are finished using the sink, simply touch the button again and the sink moves back into its original position.

Granberg, a Swedish company, also has sinks that raise and lower through its U.S. distributor, Universal Design Products. The company also has a wide array of lifts that raise and lower cabinets, counters, and vanities.

Another option is to install a sink with a shallow (5" to 6" deep) basin for easy reach. You should make sure that the drain and the water pipes are moved to the rear of the under-counter area to provide knee room. That’s an important task because you don’t want hot water pipes to come into contact with knees.

Installing the sink closer to the front of the counter can also make for an easier reach.

Faucets

Having to reach to the back of the sink to turn on water can be difficult for someone who uses a wheelchair or a walker. One option is to place the faucets on the side of the sink for easier reach.

Single-lever faucets with spray attachments are also recommended because they are easier to operate than faucets with handles. An extra long spray attachment can also make it easier to fill pots or wash dishes.

Moen’s Aberdeen faucet features a pause button for better control of water flow.

Delta has a Pillar Touch Faucet that allows you to start and stop the flow of water with just a tap anywhere on the spout or handle.

There are also motion-sensor faucets that activate when you move your hand under them, such as Kohler’s Tripoint Touchless Electronic Faucet.

Ovens and ranges

A wall oven can be more user-friendly. Placed at an appropriate height, it is easier to use than a unit in a range, but its pull-down door makes access difficult. Frigidaire addresses this concern with its Gallery series convection wall oven that has a side-swing door for easy access. The door can be mounted to open either on the right or the left.

GE has a pull-out counter beneath a built-in oven allows for easy transfer of dishes.

Another helpful feature is to have the oven controls at the front of the oven rather than in the back where you have to reach across the burners to access them. Consider smooth ceramic cook tops with burners as flush as possible, or continuous grates on gas cook tops, for easy sliding of pots and pans.

Dishwashers

Dishwashers whose racks pull out like a drawer are easier to use than those that require you to bend over to load and unload. You can also raise a dishwasher 9 inches or so off the floor to make it easier to use.

Refrigerators

A side-by-side configuration is helpful for those who are shorter or are using it while seated. It provides full-height access to both fresh food and freezer compartments, as well as narrower doors. Some top-mount refrigerators also have freezer storage within the recommended universal-reach range of 15" to 54".

Look for other features that make the refrigerator more convenient and easy-to-use, like spill-proof shelves, gallon container storage in the door, slide-out shelves, and see-through vegetable/fruit bins.

If you’re planning a major remodeling project, consider consulting with a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (“CAPS”). These people have completed a certification program sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders. You'll find a number of them in Minnesota by searching the GrayTimes online senior care directory.

(Posted: April 15, 2009)