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HOMES PLUS AUGUST 2014 6 236095001 at MERRILL HILLS MANOR Living Life The trusted partner in your neighborhood. A safe community for your loved one. MERRILL HILLS MANOR a Senior Lifestyle community 888-871-2237 3217 FIDDLERS CREEK DRIVE • WAUKESHA, WI 53188 An Assisted Living and Memory Care Community WWW.SENIORLIFESTYLE.COM 236555008 Independent Senior Living • Retirement Communities Senior Apartments • Assisted Living • Subsidized Housing =DB:HEAJHH:C>DGA>K>C< Accessible bathrooms can benefit everyone SPECIAL TO HOMES PLUS WAUKESHA — Dave Clark, a design spe- cialist for Muskego-based Callen Construc- tion Inc., said his company is getting more and more requests for accessible bath- rooms. "The idea is that the bathroom will not only accommodate a disability, but can be used comfortably by other members of the household," Clark said. Clark, a certified aging in place specialist, is trained to modify homes fo address cur- rent needs and future living. A common modification is to reconfigure the bathing area. "Showers that are over bathtubs or have curbs are inaccessible to a wheelchair user or for someone whose balance, strength or mobility may be limited. The solution is a no-barrier or curbless shower," Clark said. Curbless showers can be outfitted with a shower curtain or door. "However, glass doors typically are in a 30-inch standard width and while larger doors can be special ordered, it can be quite expensive," Clark said. "To keep the bather warm, I recom- mend a heated floor throughout the bath- room, including the shower and possibly the addition of a heat lamp outside the shower area." Another important element in the shower is having the spray setting accessible. "Someone in a chair will not be able to reach the top of the showerhead to divert the spray, so I always recommend two diverter valves," Clark said. "Another alter- nate configuration can be a fixed shower- head in the conventional location and adding a second handheld showerhead with See Accessible/Page 7

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