Prepare an Interior Environment – Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
In early 2000, a South African family received the diagnosis for their son, and later their second born son, of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. What is Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy?Muscular dystrophy (MD) is a group of conditions that cause progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass. In muscular dystrophy, abnormal genes (mutations) interfere with the production of…
Interior Design for Life Limiting Childhood Disease – Tay Sachs
In preparation for the new addition to the family, a nursery or place for the baby to live is carefully thought through and planned. There are many functional needs and processes in an environment that must first be included into the room. The aesthetics are then added, with size, balance, colour, and scale in order…
Guideline Questions for a Brief- Person with a Physical Disability
Ask about the occupants and related individual disabilities• What type of physical disability does the disabled person have? For example- paraplegia, quadriplegia, stroke effects, etc. How does this affect the disabled person’s daily life? Do they have hobbies or work from home?• Is the disabled person able to walk with a stick, crutch, walker/rollator or…
Should an Interior Environment be Different for an Amputee?
An amputee is a person who has had the misfortune of losing a limb for a variety of reasons. The most common amputation done is one below the knee. Rehabilitation and physiotherapy follow an amputation procedure, where the amputee learns to adjust and regain control over their body. The amputated body part is most often…
Vinyl Sheeting in a Wet Room – Water Resistant and Hygienic
Vinyl flooring is a versatile product with many applications. For example; commercial, residential, restaurant kitchens’, gyms, and hospital environments. Vinyl flooring is made of material that has some elasticity, unlike other flooring products. This gives the flooring a degree of flexibility called resilience. Vinyl flooring is available in large rolls or in pre-cut tiles and…
Best Shower Options for a Physically Impaired Person
What must be considered before renovating a bathroom to include a shower for a physically impaired person? For this blog, our physically impaired person is named Emerson. A full understanding of Emerson’s abilities and needs must first be obtained: including independence level or if assistance is required when showering, standing time, and arm reach distance…
Focus on Wash Hand Basin- Bathroom Sink for Wheelchair Users
Today we focus on the fourth functional area in a bathroom, the basin/wash hand basin, or bathroom sink. The mandatory requirement for seated users is to be able to sit comfortably at the basin with sufficient legroom underneath and to easily be able to rest their lower arms on the basin. The diagram below shows…
Bathtubs and Taps – Disability Options
Is it possible to have an accessible bathtub? A walk-in bathtub is a great solution, however, it comes at an exorbitant cost with our South African exchange rate. If opportunity and a client’s budget allow for a walk-in bathtub, the design with the door that swings into the bath is a better option than an…
Toilet Options for People with Physical Disabilities
Visually, Emerson, our personalised physically disabled person of all ages and genders, has the same style choices for an ideal toilet as an able-bodied person does. Either floor standing or wall mounted, exposed cistern or concealed cistern but the ease of use is improved in the details, for example, in the height of the toilet.…
Equipped to Bath- Bathroom Transfer Equipment
Here we discuss a scenario of designing a bathroom for an imagined wheelchair-bound client named Emerson. Our aim is to facilitate daily self-care, independently, or with a carer‘s assistance and this will be the subject of the next few blog posts. There is much to consider for this project, and we need to work around…
Moving Car to Couch for Physically Challenged People
How do physically challenged people move from inside a motor vehicle into their residence? All physically disabled people have different abilities to move, bend, and varying degree of strength, and flexibility. The types of equipment or devices used are: wheelchairs, mobility scooters, walkers/rollators, crutches, walking sticks and transfer boards. The compatibility and weight of the…
Seated Chef’s Functional Kitchen Design
The 2021 forecast for kitchen design is open plan and visual design continuity with the surrounding open space. Functionality comes first when planning a kitchen for a seated chef, followed by contemporary styling. A visitor will first evaluate the aesthetics and the users will consider functionality first. It is up to the designer’s skill and…
Kitchen for the Seated Chef
Meticulous planning is the order of the day when designing a kitchen for the seated chef. Every centimeter/inch counts. First, residential kitchens have the same interchangeable, functional zones: preparation, cooking, consumables, cleaning, and dining. An allowance for sufficient passage space and wheelchair turning circles must be made (Turning Circles for Wheelchair, 5 November 2020 and…
TASK to Select a Dining and Recliner Chair for an Elderly and Physically Challenged Person
The chair selection team can be either an interior designer, family member, caregiver, and the disabled person, collectively called ‘Team S’ for this blog. A medical therapist is the most suitable person to evaluate and advise on the seating needs of the person in question.In the first place, Team S must understand the person’s physical…
‘Hand Up’ Rails, Assists, and Handles
It is an unconscious movement for an able-bodied person to reach for a stair handrail when using stairs. However, for people with visual impairments, balance, and walking/movement difficulties, handrails are an essential aid. The functional use of rails/grab rails/handles extends into toilet areas, bathrooms, showers, adjacent to beds, couches, and in cars. A vertical handrail…
Interior Disability Design Guide 