Kitchen & Bath Business - October 2017 - 28

Learning Corner
"This is a wonderful flooring with many different design options,"she added."I also specify styles
with textured surfaces, but be aware that these can
still be slippery - especially with pooled water or
spilled food on them."
KEEPING FLOORING DRY AND WARM

For areas where feet, shoes or wheelchairs need to
dry off, such as at an entry door, McCarley recommends a recessed area in the flooring where you
can install a low-nap carpeting or rug to absorb the
water. Be sure to install underfloor heating to help
keep the flooring dry and prevent mold.
"Some medical conditions can cause an individual to have an increased sensitivity to cool
flooring," she explained. "When a person can't
properly sense their feet, stepping on a cool surface
causes the nervous system to go into overdrive, and
they have difficulty with the sudden temperature
change. To minimize this problem, occupational
therapists often suggest heated floors."

No-Fall Zone
Safe flooring choices
for living in place
ACCORDING TO THE U.S. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for older

Americans. One in four seniors falls every year, which is almost 30 million
people. Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for
a fall; every 19 minutes, an older adult dies as a result of a fall. In 2013, the cost
of falls was $31 billion and is expected to grow to more than $67 billion by
2020. After a fall, many people are not able to go home, but proper flooring
can make a big difference in preventing a fall in the first place.
SAFE IDEAS IN FLOORING DESIGN

Occupational therapist Sabrena McCarley advises designers to toss out
throw rugs, as they are a slip-and-trip hazard - especially for people who do
not fully pick up their feet. She suggests that designers specify recessed area
rugs as an alternative and is also an advocate of using contrasting colors to
clearly identify steps.
"One of our basic survival instincts involves depth perception, which can
keep us from stepping over a cliff, and this same principle applies in the
home," said McCarley. "Use high-contrast floor colors when there is a step,
being sure the contrasting colors are visible from both directions."
She also explains that busy flooring patterns can be visually confusing and
disorienting to many, especially those with cognitive or vision challenges.
"I recommend working closely with a qualified kitchen and bath designer
to choose minimal patterns that still work with the overall design but minimize the risk of a fall," she added.
According to Barbara Barton, CMKBD, a bright reflection of light from
the floor can temporarily blind someone and lead to a fall.
"Only use satin finishes for hardwood flooring because gloss or semi-gloss
can be slippery and cause dangerous reflections,"she added."You can also let
the experts coat or etch the floor to minimize those. Besides the benefit of
safety, these processes allow the true beauty of the floor show."
Barton also recommends padded carpeting, cork or rubber for people who
are prone to falling, explaining that all of those are soft, good at absorbing
sound and good insulators. Soft floors may be difficult for a wheelchair to
easily roll over, so you should recommend hard surfaces - or at least very lowpile carpet - for wheelchair users.
Another popular kitchen and bath floor choice is luxury vinyl, which Barton says has a bit of cushioning and reduces sound transmission.

SPECIFIC TO THE BATH

By LOUIE DELAWARE
& ERIK LISTOU,
co-founders of the Living in
Place Institute, LLC

Both Barton and McCarley also discussed one
of the biggest hazards in the bathroom - the
base of the bathtub or step into the shower. Even
though many tubs have what are intended to
be built-in anti-slip features, they may not prevent a fall, so McCarley recommends using a
full-adhesive bath mat that will not move and
provides some cushioning.
They both agree that one critical must-have in
all bathrooms are no-step showers. They are now
more affordable, and with some systems they are
much faster to install.
There are many flooring options available that
can help prevent your clients from falling at home.
Your team should include both a professional
kitchen and bath designer and a flooring specialist
to make the best recommendations. If a client has
medical issues or is older, always include a medical
professional to help you select options that are best
to help all your clients safely live in place.

Kitchen & Bath Business / OCTOBER 2017 / KBBONLINE.COM / The official publication of KBIS (KBIS.com)

http://www.KBBONLINE.COM http://www.KBIS.com

Kitchen & Bath Business - October 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Kitchen & Bath Business - October 2017