Grabrails in the home are considered one of the most stigmatising functional support devices, particularly by older people. Several design attempts have tried colour, wavy shapes, or “hiding” them as bathroom shelving and toilet roll holders. Installation of grabrails, regardless the design, are resisted until there is a major health event or a fall. But what if grabrail design doubled as a piece of artwork?
The two pictures below show a completely different way of designing grabrails. These designs might not be suitable for all users, people who need help with their balance in wet areas might benefit. Perhaps this solution is better than no solution.
The Inclusive Housing Living Lab in Hasselt, Belgium, focuses on research for real-life situations. The pictures above are taken from a conference paper which explains the role of the Living Lab. Research projects focus on universal design solutions with input from users and designers and occupational therapists.
Fitting all showers with grabrails as standard would dissolve the stigma and prevent falls. However, this is unlikely to occur except in public places.
The paper includes a renovation project turning an old building into a rehabilitation centre. Local authorities wanted to keep some of the existing elements such as steps which then required a creative solution.
The aim of the Living Lab is to show that good design can minimise the need for personal assistance. It is locally based and introduces visitors, students and professionals to a universal design approach.
The article is, Inclusive Housing (Lab) for All: a home for research, demonstration and information on Universal Design (UD).
Below are images of “disguised” grabrails: a shower shelf, a soap dish, a toilet roll holder and a towel rail.
Images of Invisia bathroom products.
From the abstract
This paper states the underlying concept and motivation of the design and building process of a Universal Design Living Lab. The UD-lab is located in Belgium and has three main ambitions. They are demonstration, conducting research and offering information on the added values of designing universally. Global real life initiatives are important for driving a general awareness on universal design as ongoing activity.
This conference paper is from the UD2014 conference in Sweden.