Feature Articles
Universal design gifts improve ease of use for people of all ability levels
Marsha Alexander, Housing and Environmental
Design Specialist
University of Missouri Extension
"This year, consider buying universal design products for
family and friends,” says University of Missouri Extension
Housing and Environmental Design Specialist Marsha Alexander.
These are products designed to assist people who may have
difficulty with hearing, memory, mobility, vision and more.
Based on a nationally accepted standard of seven design
principles established by a group of product designers,
engineers and environmental design researchers, these products
accommodate a wide range of abilities and continue to meet the
needs of people as their abilities change. “They are intended
to benefit everyone, not just the elderly or physically
challenged,” says Alexander. “These products and designs are
comfortable to use, convenient and safe. They are not just for
people with disabilities.”
Often people think it will cost thousands of dollars to
retrofit an existing home to be more usable for someone who
has physical challenges. Yes, redesigning entrances to provide
an alternative to steps and widening doorways is costly.
However, it is not expensive to replace door knobs with lever
door handles making accessibility much easier. This change
will provide a grandparent with arthritis or a busy homemaker
with an armful of laundry a much easier option. Single-lever
controls compared to dual controls on kitchen and lavatory
faucets provide easier usage and make adjustment of water
temperature and output simple for everyone.
Compare products you are considering for safe and easy use.
For example, if you were buying a rain gauge, look for one
that is large with large print. A more traditionally designed
gauge will be small with small print that is harder to read at
a distance. A universal designed calculator will have large
buttons making it easier to enter numbers accurately. It will
also have a high contrast and large display so that it is easy
to read. By comparison the more traditionally designed
calculator will have small buttons and a low contrast and
small display making numbers difficult to see.
Kitchen tools are often popular stocking stuffers. Consider
the ease of use for these products. For example, a standard
vegetable peeler is often a small, metal-handle tool that can
be slippery and uncomfortable to grip. A universal design
peeler will have a cushioned handle that is comfortable to
grip. A standard measuring cup will often have small lettering
making it difficult to read. A universal designed measuring
cup will be easy to read and you can see accurate measurements
when the cup is sitting on the counter.
Buying universal designed products will make simple tasks easier for those who receive your gifts. Products and designs that allow for long-term use are also smart investments.
For more information on universal design products, contact your local University of Missouri Extension Center at (816) 482-5850 or visit the web site at http://extension.missouri.edu.
Source: Marsha Alexander, Housing and
Environmental Design Specialist
University of Missouri Extension,
alexanderm@missouri.edu
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Last update: Wednesday, October 25, 2006
