Interior Design: “Everyday Life Without Barriers for Everybody is Desirable“

A living space in sterile brown beige – fortunately this color scheme has become obsolete for many older people. By now, a modern, colorful design can make many dreams of living a reality and clearly increase the quality of life.

01/08/2010

Susanne Goll; © private

REHACARE.de spoke with interior designer Susanne Goll about intelligent space planning, so-called “building eyesores“ and how the dreams of living for the baby boomer generation can be realized.

REHACARE.de: Mrs. Goll, the number of people over 60 is going to drastically increase in the coming years. Many are still fit, but are scared of becoming less flexible as they get older. What should the baby boomer generation (people over 50) consider when they plan a living space?

Susanne Goll: I think it is very important in this situation to rethink old thought-and living patterns and search for new ways of living. This primarily means to permit changes in space planning. You should distance yourself more strongly from previous habits and reflect on what you might need in your future life situation. It’s always helpful to get help from a competent designer. Together you should examine your life-and living situation and develop an individual concept.

More specifically it means to analyze the room use in your present apartment or house and realign it with your new needs. A room’s function can also be switched. A multi-story home would lend itself to having living spaces not distributed over several floors, but to rearrange the important living spaces on the first floor. One example: If you have to be in bed a lot, it makes sense to place the bed in the living room, because you are more comfortable in this room or because you would like to enjoy a nicer view into the garden.

REHACARE.de: The topic “Living in old age“ is frequently associated with the impersonal brown beige of senior citizen residences. Does functional layout exclude individual design?

Goll: This old thought pattern is unfortunately still fixed in our minds: “The home of an older person must be furnished in brown beige.“ But why should older people not enjoy color and modern design? There is a design concept, which is called “Universal Design“, meaning designing for everybody. Products, equipment and systems are designed in such a way that they are usable for all people without any further adjustments. This also means that they are designed for every life situation – regardless of whether you are old or young, with or without a handicap.

Generally, needs should change standards. Planning should not just consider tradition, but also modern design. By now there are many manufacturers, which realized that products that are brought to the market with a “universal design”, have a larger sales market. You can see this very clearly in the areas of bathroom interiors, draperies, furniture and light fixtures. However it’s up to the user to get informed on current and contemporary design, but functional layout does not exclude individual design or individual arrangements.

REHACARE.de: A narrow, steep stairway or a small door, which makes the access for a person in a wheelchair impossible. Those are some problems, which make everyday life for older people more difficult. Which living areas in your opinion have a definite need to catch up in terms of barrier-free accessibility?

Goll: Especially row houses have a lot of catching up to do, both in the planning of new buildings and also while restoring existing houses. Sadly, we always first look at costs without questioning whether the cheaper way actually has a lasting effect. The layout of a shower is very important, which should be larger than 80 by 80 centimeters. That’s simply too small. Oftentimes this is a minimal layout, which barely anybody gets by with anymore – neither tall people, nor people with a handicap.

Easy to use mountings, window handles and remote controls are also important. The living space should be laid out so you can use it in many life situations. When a realtor or owner markets an apartment or a house, he/she offers a special unique selling point, if the property is barrier-free. This increases the value in the long run.

REHACARE.de: What identifies a model living space design for senior citizens?

Goll: A spatial concept that works and one that individually reacts to the particular situation is ideal. I am thinking for example about barrier-free entrances – and in bathrooms an on grade shower should become standard. The bathroom should provide the possibility to sit at the sink. The kitchen should also offer optimal functionality. This means that everything I need everyday should be within reach, so that I don’t have to bend down.

More specifically, if you build a dishwasher higher up, additional physical struggles can be avoided. It is also very important to install good and sufficient lighting in your living space. It makes you feel safe, reduces fatigue and prevents trip hazards. When you need to get up at night, you can turn the lights on with one movement and go safely to the bathroom.

REHACARE.de: What requests do senior citizens have?

Goll: The older generation wants to be able to live as long as possible in their own familiar walls. You can be independent there, and you have furnished the place according to your needs. In case of a mobility restriction it’s beneficial if you know your environment and the existing infrastructure. From a medical and psychological point of view it also means that you are comfortable at home and feel safe and secure. Older, sick people or people with a handicap can lead a self dependent life, remain independent and stay fit at the same time. The social isolation has no chance here. Everybody also has their own ideas on how the ideal living space should be equipped.

REHACARE.de: What can everybody do to design their living environment on their own and make it age appropriate? Do you have a few tips?

Goll: An age appropriate design for instance includes a well-functioning spatial concept and an ideal bathroom layout. It is very important to create sufficient lighting in all rooms for the different areas of life. The proper color scheme, especially for visual impaired people, can help in everyday life. The use of contrasting colors shows trip hazards better. Color design also has clear effects on personal well-being. Favorite colors can inspire the user, convey a feeling of security and safety or create harmonious feelings. Generally, all living spaces should be able to respond to individual needs.

A classy interior builds up personal well-being and creates a feeling of security;© Rainer Sturm/
Pixelio.de

REHACARE.de: A lot has changed in interior design for older people – from the kitchen with all around automatic functions to the light switches with shiny, big symbols. Which innovations can we still expect?

Goll: The future spells simplicity and comfort. Technology can be viewed as an assistant. Manufacturers need to work towards technology playing a subordinate role in everyday life, and that technology is easy to use for every person. You should be able to do small technical changes on your own, without the help of a technician or mechanic. Admittedly the handling of some products is still very difficult and at the same time physically exhausting.

Another aspect is that you automatically include a space for a small passenger elevator in private homes. A modified hydraulic ramp could also substitute the function of an elevator in a house. It would be nice, if manufacturers would continue to develop this idea in the future.

REHACARE.de: Are there specific mandatory standards, which need to be adhered to for a barrier-free interior decoration?

Goll: There are the DIN standards 18024 and 18025, which are primarily for the public domain. These don’t have to be applied in the private domain. You can orient yourself toward these standards and use the listed specifications as reference points. However, you need extensive spaces for this, which are not often found. It needs to be a case-by-case decision to what extent an implementation based on DIN standards makes sense.

REHACARE.de: Is a barrier-free and age appropriate design of living spaces a question of money?

Goll: In general it is not a question of money. If you consider some details at the front end of your living design, costs remain low. But if you have to make many changes afterwards or if you have a shabby and difficult building, you may find yourself having to pay the price. Generally though, living comfort has nothing to do with luxury or exclusiveness. Living comfort always means that the user maintains his independence. An age appropriate design or a barrier-free remodeling enables the resident to do everyday activities in their home without the risk of accidents or exerting strength. Everyday life without barriers for everybody is desirable.

REHACARE.de: Do senior citizens or people with a disability receive financial support for remodeling?

Goll: It varies and always depends on the particular individual situation. Of course there are monies for a barrier-free remodeling of a home. Some financial institutions have created a program with favorable conditions. This again requires individual consideration. There is likely also the possibility that health insurance companies pay for some of the costs. An amount of ca. 2,590 EURO for example is granted, if you can prove that the money is urgently needed for a barrier-free remodeling project. The money could for instance be used to install an on grade shower. Often this makes a move to a nursing home obsolete and the person can continue to live at home.

REHACARE.de: Who helps older people with organizing things during the remodeling time?

Goll: Civic institutions and social services and also independent interior designers and architects act as contact persons and consultants.

This interview was conducted by Diana Posth and translated by Elena O'Meara.
REHACARE.de