FUNCTIONAL INTERIORS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS 4(2+2)

Lesson 8: Housing Environments for Special purposes and Needs: Adaptable Bathrooms and Kitchen

Bathrooms

The bathroom is one of the major accident prone area and where safety and privacy are major concerns. Safety is a much more important requirement along with independence for people with special needs. Mere inches make the difference between independence and dependence. A small bath­room plan with all plumbing fixtures mounted along a common wall is the basis for a bathroom an adaptable bathroom. Some essential and important features are;

• All adaptable bathrooms must include knee space below lavatories.
• Horizontal and fold-down grab bars should be added.
• Additional space should be allocated beside the toilet to allow safer transfers and assistance if needed.
• Extra maneuvering and clear floor space should be provided.
• Adaptable controls in bathtubs and showers.
• Clear floor space for approach to fixtures.
• 1500mm diameter turning circle for wheel chair maneuvering
• Additional reinforcing around toilet and bathing fixtures.

There should be at least one bathroom with enough floor space to be ‘minimally accessible’ and should meet the following space requirements:

• Clear dimension from the front edge of the toilet to the facing wall should be a minimum of 800 mm. (Figure – 1)
• Space from the front edge of the bathtub to the centre of the toilet should be a minimum of 508 mm (20”).
• Clear floor area in front of the sink/lavatory should be a minimum of 760 mm wide by 1220 mm deep centred on the sink/lavatory.(Figure – 2)

Grab Bars