By Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD
I am in the early stages of designing the landscape for my new home, the Universal Design Living Laboratory. This home and garden will be open for tours to the public when it is completed, estimated to be spring 2009. My husband and I purchased a 1.5-acre treeless lot and will […]

Your home may be accessible but is it assistive? Get some tips from John Canning.

The American National Standards Institute includes criteria to make new homes visitable by people with disabilities.
By Jennifer Perry
“Visitability,” a growing movement focusing on making individual homes accessible by targeting the most fundamental, inexpensive features––getting in and out of the house and being able to use a bathroom––has gained important support from the American […]

When visiting a friend resembles an episode of Man vs. Wild.
By Beth Livingston
Last summer I made plans to visit my friends Lisa and Mike in Salt Lake City. I was going to be in town on business and delighted in the thought that I would get to see them, too, as a side […]

By Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD

Last month, I noted that container gardening is ideal for people who use wheelchairs. Shop for containers large enough to hold their roots; containers with 10-inch or larger diameters can hold more massive displays of color. This also helps to ensure that water is available to the plants and […]

By Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD

The most recent survey of the National Gardening Association, conducted in 2005 finds that gardening is more popular than ever. The report shows that 91 million American households (83%) participated in some kind of do-it-yourself indoor and outdoor lawn and garden activities. This sets a new record, and an increase of […]

By Leonard J. Selfon, J.D., CAE, and Mark Maghran
Until recently, eligible veterans and members of the armed forces could receive a one time only Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) special adaptive home modification grant of $10,000 or $50,000, depending on their level of disability. On June 15, 2006, however, the ‘‘Veterans’ Housing Opportunity and […]

By Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD
After a spinal cord injury, where we go and who we visit become more limited. Since my injury in June 1998, I can no longer go to any of my neighbor’s homes and ring their doorbells. Even the two brand new homes a few doors down from me were built with […]

By Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD

It was months after my spinal cord injury before I did my first load of laundry. The reason why? I couldn’t get into my laundry room!
Even though our laundry room is on the main floor, located off of the attached garage, it is still a tight squeeze to navigate my […]

By Linda Stango, AIA

The kitchen is one of the most interactive rooms in the house and is often the gathering place for family and friends. Planning is essential since this room cannot be “rearranged” as other spaces can. If you are considering remodeling or building new kitchen; a good place to start is […]

By Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD

In July 1998, when I first came home from the hospital after my spinal cord injury, I realized that my wheelchair would never fi t into our bathroom’s 3’ x 5’ toiletting area; with the door attached, the door clearance was only 26 inches. I looked at the glass-enclosed shower and […]

By Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD

I remember coming into my kitchen in my wheelchair for the first time after my spinal cord injury nine years ago. I was wearing a neck collar and body brace to stabilize my spine after surgery. I went to the kitchen sink to get a glass of water. The glasses were stored […]

By Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD

The egress solution that the author has chosen is the ScapeWEL® Window Well System.

When building a home with a basement it is important that an emergency escape route be included in the design. In addition to using the stairway, emergency exits can be provided through doors and windows.
When the […]

Whether you want to grow healthy vegetables, a beautiful bed of flowers, plants to attract butterflies, perennials, tropical or desert plants; a garden is a worthwhile endeavor and can reap great rewards.
By Linda Stango, AIA

A computer generated image of a raised garden bed demonstrates just how easy and accessible gardening can be for wheelchair […]

By Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD

Coming home from the hospital after a spinal cord injury is a traumatic experience. Chances are that the home you left prior to your injury won’t work for you in the short- or long-term because of your need for wheelchair access. Modifications and remodeling may be needed.
My homecoming in July 1998 posed […]

By Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD

My husband and I are in the final design phase of our new home, the Universal Design Living Laboratory (www.udll.com). As I look at our plans, I see that miles of wires will be concealed within our walls, ceilings, and floors. These will enable us to integrate the home’s […]

By Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD
Of course, most of us want to live in pleasant, not to say “beautiful,” surroundings. We often think in terms of colors, patterns, schemes, shades, and so on. Many people are so concentrated on form when they think of home design that they all but forget function. I can’t afford that luxury.
The […]

By Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD, and Brian Bixler

Iraq War veteran Mark Mix at the door of his new universal design home, built with a grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
In the last several issues of Action, from January through April 2007, this column has featured the universal design features of the home of […]

By Rosemarie Rossetti, Ph.D.

When you are a wheelchair-user, you really notice when a bathroom is designed properly and meets your every need. Too often we are confronted with public restrooms, as well as hotel bathrooms, with designs that inhibit our independence and make life more difficult.
When given the chance to remodel our existing […]

By Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD

Building a new home is a daunting task. The investment is large and no one wants to make a mistake that you end up living with day after day for many years to come. There will be things that you notice after you move in that you wish you had […]