PCREG August 2010.pdf - The Pictou Advocate

Make your home more accessible
As we age, our needs
begin to change over
time. But there are
many things we can do to
help ourselves and our families
stay independent for as
long as possible.
One of the best ways
to keep all of your family
members safe and healthy
at home is to ensure that
your bathroom is universally
accessible. Universal
design starts with identifying
potential users and
anticipating the needs of all
family members and visitors.
This will ensure that
the bathroom is accessible,
functional, secure and easy
to use.
To help you make sure
your home is keeping pace
with your changing needs,
Canada Mortgage and Housing
Corporation (CMHC)
offers the following tips on
ensuring your bathroom
is safe and comfortable for
everyone in your family:
►First, ask yourself who
will need to use the bathroom.
For example, do the
users need to have easy and
quick access to the bathroom
Does your family
prefer to use the shower or
bathtub Does anyone in
your home have a disability
that might require greater
manoeuvering space or grab
bars beside the toilet and
near the bathtub or shower.
Do you worry that a family
member might fall
► If anyone in your home
has limited mobility, you
may need to consider safety
issues such as having a
larger bathroom, placing
controls within
easy reach, incorporating
non-slip surfaces and adequate
lighting, and providing
a raised seat for the
toilet.
► To ensure your bathroom
is as efficient as possible,
place related elements together
in the same location.
For instance, locate the storage
for make-up and medicines
near the vanity or sink,
and plan to have towels and
bathing supplies near the
shower so you don’t have to
walk around the bathroom
while wet. Consider providing
storage options at a
variety of heights.
► To keep maintenance
and cleaning to a minimum
and to prevent mold from
growing, make sure that the
wall and floor surfaces in
the shower are designed to
drain fully. Adequate ventilation
can also help eliminate
moist air which could
lead to mould and mildew
on surfaces.
► Bathrooms are one of
the most common sites for
falls and other accidents.
To keep your family safe,
choose a non-slip flooring
surface and avoid placing
bathmats or other tripping
hazards on the floor.
► If you have children, or
if anyone in your home has
Alzheimer’s disease, developmental
disabilities or a
reduced ability to feel temperature
changes, consider
installing a mixing valve to
limit the water temperature
in your home to a maximum
of 49 degrees C.
► Last but not least, make
sure your bathroom has
sufficient lighting, and try
to avoid having any sharp
edges on countertops or
other surfaces.
For more information or
a free copy of the “About
Your House” fact sheet Accessible
Housing by Design
– Bathrooms, or for information
on any other aspect of
owning, maintaining or buying
a home, visit our Web
site at www.cmhc.ca or call
CMHC at 1-800-668-2642.
For more than 60 years,
Canada Mortgage and Housing
Corporation (CMHC)
has been Canada’s national
housing agency and a source
of objective, reliable housing
expertise.
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PAGE 16 16 - PICTOU COUNTY REAL ESTATE GUIDE - AUGUST 2010