Life on Wheels (94 page)

Many bathroom sinks are set in a cabinet top. The cabinet can often be removed from under the sink to allow room to get close to the sink, after making certain that the cabinet is not supporting the weight of the sink. Remember to cover the water pipes under the sink with insulation to ensure that you don’t burn your legs.

The best sink faucets are single-lever types. Antiscald devices are useful here. Use a spout that extends far enough out so that it is easy to get your hands fully underneath the water, unobstructed by the back of the sink, and so that you are not forced to lean forward away from your chair back.

Choose a faucet with an easy-to-use control for closing the drain. The old-style rubber plug with a chain is easy to use.

There are unique temperature-management issues in the bathroom. Warm water in the bath or shower generates heat and humidity. On the other hand, you tend to feel chilled when you open the shower curtain and let in the cooler air from the rest of the room or house. For people with temperature sensitivity, heat and cold can be managed with:

A dedicated air conditioner

An infrared heat lamp

A wall-mounted heater

An exhaust fan

An operable window

Because of the amount of water in a bathroom, a space heater placed on the floor is dangerous and not recommended. In bathrooms, windows tend to be installed higher for privacy but may be important for ventilation and temperature management. Some window controls can be extended with a chain or a pulley system to allow them to be operated from a lower position.

The kitchen is much more than a place to make food. It is a central gathering place and social center for the home. Access to the kitchen is crucial for participation as a full member of the household.

When looking at kitchen design, think in terms of the two-cook kitchen. Leave wider aisles, and create work spaces that allow knee clearance so that the wheelchair will not obstruct circulation in the space. Then the chair user can join in, rather than become an obstacle that prevents others from working with him in the kitchen.

To be able to cook from your wheels, you need a surface that is low enough for cutting vegetables and for other food-preparation tasks. Normal-height counters can still be reached easily to hold items not in use but are usually too high for a seated person to comfortably use for cooking preparation. At the least, you can set a cutting board on your lap, possibly with a piece of thin foam underneath to level and support it.

Ideally, provide a lowered work surface. The surface should be within reach of the sink and stove so that you won’t have to be moving back and forth as you work. The surface should have knee clearance and unobstructed leg room. A cabinet could be removed and a height-adjustable surface installed, controlled either by a manual hand crank or a motor. Lower surfaces also let children get more involved in the cooking process, and elderly or temporarily injured family members can sit on a stool to work in the kitchen. Space underneath this counter might also accommodate a serving cart or recycling bins.

Lowered surfaces can also be created with pull-out counters installed into the kitchen cabinets. They are hidden when not in use and greatly expand counter area for all users. They are especially valuable near the stove, where foods can be cut and placed directly into pots. A pegboard with hooks or a countertop container allows you to keep commonly used utensils, like a spatula or spoons, within reach at all times rather than having to open and close drawers and cabinets. You should not have to struggle to operate anything in the kitchen or risk having something heavy, hot, or sharp fall in your lap because a sticky drawer forces awkward movement.

Ideally, it should be possible to sit straight at the sink, saving you from the need to twist continually while washing vegetables or dishes. A shallow sink can both help provide better leg room and spare you from having to reach down into a deeper sink. If you are installing a garbage disposal, it is best placed to the side and rear to preserve leg room. A garbage disposal can help keep trips to the trash can to a minimum. Pipes and plumbing underneath the sink must always be insulated to protect your legs from burns.

Height-adjustable sinks are possible thanks to flexible drain pipes that allow the sink to move. Flexible pipes can be used underneath the drain while maintaining a trap—the U-shaped form that keeps water in the hose and prevents gases from rising back up through the drain into the house.

Use a single-lever handle on the sink. Use a spout that is high enough so that there is room underneath to place pots. The spout should also extend far enough forward for minimal reach and be able to rotate. People with the ability to grip can benefit further from a handheld spout on a flexible hose, very commonly found in plumbing sections.

In general, choose appliances that are easy to operate, with clearly readable controls that function intuitively. All appliance controls should be in the front, especially on the stove, so that you will never have to reach over a hot heating element.

With an electric stove, choose a stovetop that includes a warning light when a burner surface is turned on, to prevent accidental burns. A stove with raised heating elements presents a greater risk of a hot pot falling off the edge, since the pot has to be lifted to be moved. Ceramic stovetops allow pots to be more easily slid safely to a counter surface at the side. A disadvantage of the smooth ceramic stovetop is that there is less capacity to catch spilled liquids, increasing the risk of burns for someone who is seated near the stovetop.

Stovetop burners should be staggered so that it is not necessary to reach across one burner to access another. It should be evident which control affects which burner. An angled mirror above the cooktop will allow you to see inside pots from a sitting position.

Oven doors generally open downward, forcing you to either lean over the door or position yourself to the side, assuming there is space next to the appliance. Either way, you are not in the best position for balance, especially to handle heavy, hot items. A wall-mounted oven with a side-hinged door allows you to be closer but also increases the risk of a spill, unless there is counter space immediately adjacent where you can set a hot dish without having to drive the chair. A pull-out surface immediately underneath the oven is the ideal.

Microwave ovens are often installed up high, over a traditional stove. This location can be too high for some people, who need the microwave placed on a counter top or installed into cabinetry at a lower level. Microwaves come with various types of door latches, some of which require pressing a button while pulling. These are difficult for people with reduced gripping ability.

Dishwasher designs suffer from the same issue as an oven, with a door that pulls down, although there is not any risk of burns. A dishwasher needs to have sufficient clearance at the side so that dishes can be put in directly after being rinsed in the sink.

In refrigerators, put the heaviest items at chest height, where they are easiest to access. Side-by-side refrigerator/freezers put more freezer space within easy reach.

In the traditional kitchen, a great portion of cabinet space is often inaccessible. Cabinets are too high, too low, or too deep to be fully accessible by someone sitting or older household members who also have difficulty reaching or stooping. Cabinets can be made more useful by any of several measures that improve visibility, accessibility of contents, or height.

Use shallow cabinets that keep more items within reach and within view.