I am fortunate to be able bodied and can readily choose products on the open market easily and without concern for factors other than the use I intend. Yesterday, with folks from Schowalter Villa and Regier Construction in tow, I set about into the lighting centers, plumbing showrooms and big box construction supply stores to help choose products for a simple project; the replacement of a resident’s vanity in a semi-private room.
Like my own home, I have several factors to consider when choosing: function, size, color, material, quality, ease of cleaning, height, brightness, contrast, etc. The list is as long as we want to make it. Unlike my home, there are layers to consider: adult care regulations, ADA, personal mobility, stature, eyesight, hearing, dexterity, reach, etc. These layers, when considered, will instill in the project qualities that will support the dignity of the individual for what many times are the last years of their lives.
It’s a careful balance. Each product (faucet, mirror, medicine cabinet, bowl) brings possibility along with concerns. Each solution is often met with, “…but what if…” scenerios. In the end, we all have to look through the eyes of another; the tall and the small, the mighty and the frail. I am grateful I have the opportunity to look through others eyes and see the world from their perspective. It enriches my experience as a designer and human being.
