Making an Informed Decision About Accessability

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An uninformed decision when you are doing accessibility remodeling or any bathroom remodeling can cost you.  Look at the difference between these two shower wall samples.  You don’t have to be an experienced contractor or plumber to see the difference in quality and durability.   Can you imagine that anyone who was truly educated on the pros and cons of each of these products would choose to put the thin walled one in their home or their parent’s home?  This type of shower or tub surround product gets it strength from being molded into curves creating air pockets between the surround and the wall that make adding grab bars a challenge and sometimes nearly impossible.  The surround from Best Bath Systems is one of my favorites.  It combines durability and beauty and is easy for building professionals to work with.  I think that people end up with the other type of product because they don’t know about their options.  Maybe the people they are buying products from don’t know about all the options.   I also know that people often make choices based only on the initial cost of a product.  They don’t take into account the cost down the road of making changes or of fixing problems.  This is truly unfortunate, especially in situations where people plan to stay in their homes for the rest of their lives or when people know they may have changing needs due to a disability.  

Actually, people make choices about accessibility all too often without all the information they need as well.  Did you know for instance that you can put a barrier free shower in the same spot as a tub?  Did you know that you don’t always have to cut the joists of your home to put in a roll in shower pan?  If you think you may want a roll in shower in the future, but you aren’t really sure, you can have a walk in shower that converts to a roll in without additional major construction?   You see what I mean?  There’s a lot for consumers, therapists, and building professionals to know when making that initial decision about which products to use.

I will always be glad to come to your home or clinic and talk about great products and access designs, but here’s another way you can learn more so you can make educated decisions for yourself and the people you care for.  Best Bath Systems is making one of their mobile demo units available to us here in Nebraska.  We are holding Best Bath Systems Open Houses in Omaha, Lincoln, and Hastings September 12^th and 13^th.   You can visit, see a walk in tub and some barrier free showers.  Our national representative Jason and I will be there to answer your questions.  Registration is not required, but pre-registration will make you eligible for a great coupon and our drawings.  

Here are locations for two events:

September 12, 1:30-3:00 at the Disabled American Veteran’s McArthur Post #2  4515 F St., Omaha, NE 

 September 13, 1:30-3:00 at Kulley Pipe and Steel  500 W. South St. Hastings, NE

We are setting up others at local rehabilitation facilities and agencies.  Call us for locations

We are also holding contractor training sessions with the Best Bath Installation trainer in Omaha and Hastings.  Seating is limited for this opportunity and registration is required. If you know someone who works with bathrooms, let them know.  402-291-9514.

So share the news and share the video.  Making decisions about bathroom remodeling projects without information about all the options can cost you a lot down the road.  Work with knowledgeable people and learn about the options available to you before you begin.

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The Home Access Magic Wand

Sorry Virginia, there is no magic access wand.

Sometimes we can tell that we are disappointing the person standing in front of us at a health fair or talking to us on the phone. We are simply too responsible to attempt to solve their home accessibility answer without more information and usually without going to their home. Sometimes they’ve given long explanations of what is going on and what isn’t working, and we have listened. But even when they can accurately describe their abilities and what their home looks like, they are only able to give us their perspective of those things. 

While our client’s perspective is critical and plays a huge role in the recommendations we make, they deny themselves the benefit of our objectivity and experience over the years if they ask us to rely solely on their impressions. 

Here are a few reasons why a responsible access consultant won’t just attempt to solve problems for people without a good individual and on-site review:

1. There are accessibility guidelines that some people think can be used like a cookbook for access such as the Americans with Disability Accessibility Act Guidelines, but these are not designed to meet the personal need of every individual and they aren’t required in private residences unless they’ve been incorporated into a building code.

2. Every person is different from others and should be treated individually. Even two people with the same medical condition, same age, same size, and same sex, will have different goals, preferences and abilities.

3. Houses are very different from each other.

In short, there really is no notebook or cookbook that says what is exactly right for every person and we know there is really no such thing as accessibility magic wands so we have to rely on good old evaluation, knowledge about a multitude of options, and the experience to match those options with the individual’s needs. We feel like the best way to solve an access issue is to listen to a person to understand their goals and observe them in the environment they want to change. So if you give us a call with an access question, we really don’t want to disappoint you. Expect a thorough residential access answer to include a visit to you in your residence. 

If you want an objective, professional solution to your residential access problem, call us and set an appointment with one of our designers. We provide in-home assessments with no travel fee in the Greater Omaha, Nebraska area. All other areas in Nebraska and Iowa are possible with a travel fee. We will give you a firm estimate of your costs for consultation when you call to make an appointment.