The User-Friendly Home

Most people take for granted their ability to live and function at home. But as we age, a number of sensory and physical changes occur. We can't see as well and our strength, flexibility, dexterity and endurance decline. As a result, the home that we were comfortable in at age fifty may not meet our needs at age seventy.

Changes in furnishings, lighting, color and design can help us carry out daily living activities, maintain our physical well-being and make home a safer place.

LIGHTING

If you have fading eyesight, decreased alertness and/or uncertain balance, you will need more overall lighting as well as more lightingnear chairs or the bed where you read or do handiwork.

Here are some guidelines for planning good lighting for a person with failing eyesight:

- Use frosted glass globes in wall and ceiling fixtures to reduce glare.
- Lighting for watching TV should be relatively indirect and even in the room.
- Use light-colored translucent shades on lamps to distribute light more evenly.
- Be sure the shade on table lamps hides the bulb.
- Three-way switches on lamps will allow for extra lighting when it is needed.
- Use night lights in bathroom, hallways and bedrooms.
- Use lighted cover plates for light switches in the bedroom, hallways, stairs and bath areas.
- Cover windows with a transparent or translucent material like sheers to filter natural light and eliminate glare.
- All storage areas should have lights controlled by wall or easy-to-reach pull cords.
- In kitchens, provide lighting over counters and the sink. Track lighting or fluorescent light sticks that plug into electrical outlets can be added.
- Switches on table lamps should be easy to use. Through-the-cord switches are easy to use and may be added at minimal cost.

COLOR

Color can also make a home safer and more enjoyable. Light colors reflect light back into the room. Dark colors absorb light. For example, a white wall will reflect 85% of the light back into the room, whereas a dark brown wall will reflect only 10% back into the room.

Bright colors can help the visually handicapped "read" the environment more effectively. Dark and light color contrasts can make objects more visible. For example, a dinner plate with a colored border or a white plate on a colorful placemat can help the person see the plate better and avoid hitting the glass on the edge of the plate. Contrast is also effective in signaling changes in the floor level. It can be used to show where stairs begin and end.

- Select light colors for walls and ceilings. Use medium colors for floors and wood finishes.
- Furniture that contrasts with the carpet and walls is easier to see. Slipcover a sofa or chair or use a throw cover to save reupholstering expenses.
- Avoid glossy finishes on floors, wood furniture, etc. to eliminate glare.
- Use cloth tape in a bright contrasting color on the edge of kitchen or bath countertops that are similar to the floor color. The counter edge will be more visible.
- Avoid very large patterns or small "busy" wallpaper designs. They can become confusing or produce blurred vision and eye fatigue.
- Use light colors in areas which tend to be dark, such as hallways, closets and cupboards.

FURNITURE

As you age, consider furniture that is not only attractive but also safe. Here are some suggestions for safety:

- The table beside a chair or sofa should be same height as the armrest. An inch or two higher is okay, but for safety, it should never be lower.
- Table legs should be sturdy and straight. They should not stick out beyond the table edge.
- Pedestal and drop-leaf tables can tip if someone leans on them for support.
- It's too easy to trip over a low coffee table. They are below the line of sight of the standing person. A table 18-24 inches would be best.
- Bedside tables should be 2-3 inches higher than the mattress--never lower. The table should be large enough to hold necessary supplies (glasses, lamp, reading material, telephone).
- Beds should be sturdy, with headboard and footboard 12 inches taller than the mattress to offer support and leverage. They should be smooth and easy to grip.
- A bed should be 16-17 inches high or even with the wheelchair seat.

FLOORS

Anyone with limited vision or an uncertain sense of balance needs to feel secure when walking. Consider safety, ease of maintenance, ease of mobility, as well as aesthetics when selecting floor coverings. The floor should be level and firm underfoot.

- Select a non-skid material with a satin or dull finish. Reflected glare from glossy finishes can give a sense of instability.
- Avoid waxing. The glare and the slippery surface can be a hazard.
- Floors in kitchen, bath, laundry area and entry should be easy to care for and slip resistant when wet.
- If carpet is used, select a low-level loop pile. Pile height should be no greater than 1/4 inch. Use thin padding underneath or no padding and glue the carpet down directly to the subfloor.
- Avoid patterns, strong color contrasts and sculptured carpet. Those "busy" designs can cause visual problems and thus poor balance.
- Use no or low thresholds between different flooring materials.
- Do not use area rugs. They tend to slip and can easily cause falls.

Your Relationships

Three Generations, One Roof

According to the 1990 census, one of the fastest growing types of households has grandparents, adult children, and grandchildren all together under one roof. Two of the most common reasons for this trend are (1) job loss or low-paying jobs that make affording one's own home impossible, or (2) health conditions that require live-in care and assistance. Sometimes family members move in with grandparents; other times grandparents move in with their adult children.

Changes in living arrangements require lots of decisions about sharing space, costs, and responsibilities. The quality of relationships, however, can affect and outweigh all these decisions. Here are some ideas for strengthening relationships when three generations (or more!) live together:

- Get acquainted with each generation's values. By taking a close look at the way each age group views the world (perspectives, attitudes, and prejudices) and contrasting them with your worldview, you will be able to spot some sources of conflict. By listing the attitudes toward life for all three generations, you will help yourself see both similar and different values.
- Do not try to change others' values to conform to yours. Each generation is apt to have developed values (religious and otherwise) that are appropriate for a particular era. When you respect others' values, they are more inclined to respect yours.
- Define any alliances and identify and control struggles. Are children going to grandparents for support when parents try to discipline them? Does more than one generation often compete for control? If so, try to discover the reasons for such behavior. Are unresolved conflicts from adolescence still being acted out?
- Encourage the generations to help each other rather than use one another. This will be easier to do once you have identified the struggles for control. Released from such struggles, a grandparent may have more energy to teach grandchildren a special skill, such as baking a special pecan pie recipe or going to a low-impact aerobics class.
- Keep a comfortable distance. Families need to be clear about the amount and kind of help desired. Getting close often means keeping some distance as well. Try to develop some common under- standing of how you can support each other and foster closeness without compromising your individual role.

Your Health

Get Fiber from Your Bread

Have you been trying to get more fiber in your diet? If so, you need to know what the slogans mean on bread wrappers so you won't be fooled. Some bread labels make you think the bread is high fiber, when it really is not. Look for breads that contain 2 or more grams of fiber per slice.

If a bread says it's made from 100% whole wheat, then it will contain a generous amount of fiber (2 grams or more per slice). However, if the label simply says "wheat" bread, the bread may be made from white flour (which comes from wheat, but has the fiber-rich bran removed). Sometimes the "wheat" breads are colored a dark brown which could fool you into thinking that they contain whole wheat flour.

Some white breads have added fiber, such as oat fiber, wheat bran, xanthan, or guar gum. Wonder Light White, Taystee Family Light White, and Arnold Brick Oven Extra Fiber White bread are examples of white breads that contain 2 grams of fiber per slice.

There are high fiber breads which contain grains other than wheat, such as rye flour or oat bran. Some examples are Weight Watchers Multi-Grain, Weight Watchers Rye, Arnold Bran'nola Country Oat High-Fiber, and Arnold Bakery Light Oatmeal bread that all contain 2 grams or more of fiber per slice.

But some breads labeled "old fashioned," "seven grain," or "multi-grain" may not be good sources of fiber. For example, Pepperidge Farm Old Fashioned Oatmeal, Country Hearth Bran 'n' Honey, and Arnold Natural 12-Grain bread contain only 1 gram of fiber per slice.

Manufacturers will be required to list the amount of fiber on the nutrition label after May 1994, when new food labeling laws begin. Many labels already have the fiber content listed. If the fiber content is not listed, chances are the bread contains little fiber.

An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Organization Committed to a Diverse Work Force

DP-CFR-017 March 1993

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.

Gale A. Buchanan, Dean and Director