EXAMINATION OF UNIVERSAL DESIGN IN KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS OF THE HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM: ELDERLY COTTAGE HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

TITLE	EXAMINATION OF UNIVERSAL DESIGN IN KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS OF THE HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM: ELDERLY COTTAGE HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
AUTHOR	Jeannette Steeves
YEAR	2005
TYPE OF THESIS	PhD
DISCIPLINE	Housing, Interior Design, and Resource Management
URL	http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.psz.utm.my/docview/305407225/fulltextPDF /13B1CB88E931D8ECA60/7?accountid=41678
ACCESS DATE	20 Dec 2012
FULL PAPER	FOUND
INSTITUTION	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
KEYWORDS	Universal design, housing for the Aging, America, housing, gerontology
ABSTRACT	Appropriate housing for the aging American population is a timely topic of research in both housing and gerontology. Universal design is an innovation in housing design that is gaining interest from both industries. This research examines the effectiveness of universal design features that have been identified by experts in the field of aging, housing, and universal design as important to resident and caregiver participants of the ECHO demonstration housing program. A national survey was conducted that included all available current residents of the HUD ECHO houses and their caregivers. The relationships between age, effectiveness of universal design features, health and dependency were investigated. Quantitative results include some confounding relationships, and plausible explanations. A qualitative analysis, based on on-site and telephone interviews, and tape recordings of those interviews with residents and their caregivers, as well as architectural drawings, observation, and photographs of the ECHO houses provided additional details. The qualitative approach indicated that many of the universal design features recommended by the experts consulted satisfactorily met the needs of residents and/or their caregivers. It also revealed, however that some features were not considered important by residents and caregivers, some were not reported as present (when they were documented by the researcher as present), and at least one HUD-specified universal design feature was not provided by ECHO houses. Another aspect of the qualitative perspective addressed the health of the residents. Health characteristics are presented in the context of their effect on dependency. Phase II dependency task information was compared to that reported in phase I, and improvement and decline was noted. Conclusions, and Implications that elaborate on findings, and future research is recommended for taking this research to the next level.

Accessibility for wheelchair users in public parks : a comparison between Adelaide and Kuantan

TITLE	Accessibility for wheelchair users in public parks : a comparison between Adelaide and Kuantan
AUTHOR	Liyana Mohamed Yusof
YEAR	2010
TYPE OF THESIS	Master  Thesis
DISCIPLINE	Architecture & design
URL	http://umpir.ump.edu.my/2724/ or http://umpir.ump.edu.my/2724/1/LIYANA_MOHAMED_YUSOF.PDF
ACCESS DATE	14 Dec 2012
FULL PAPER	FOUND, but no access to full paper
INSTITUTION	University of Adelaide, Australia
KEYWORDS	Universal Design, Housing, Malaysia, Design, Case studies
ABSTRACT	This study investigated the accessibility of wheelchairs users in public parks in Kuantan, Malaysia and Adelaide, South Australia. Anthropology of wheelchairs users locally is identified comprehensively. The investigation takes into consideration the needs and difficulties of wheelchairs users to access public parks as well as fundamental facilities required by wheelchair user in public parks. An inclusive study on Malaysian legislation, The Persons with Disabilities Act 2008,  Australian legislation, Disability Discrimination Act 1992, Malaysian Standard MS 1184:2002, Australia Standard AS 1428.1-2001 and policies and guidelines used by Majlis Perbandaran Kuantan (MPK) and Adelaide City Council (ACC) when planning for people with disabilities specifically wheelchair users is undertaken. The effectiveness of these governments documents is analysed and compared by conducting observation and documentation on accessibility in selected public parks in Kuantan and Adelaide. Esplanade Park, Kerang Park, Karrawirra-Park 12 Parade Grounds Park and Elder Park are chose to serve as case studies. Comparison on the observations and documentations conducted between these four parks found that the Australian government document is more effective when compared to Malaysian government documents. The study also found, in providing accessibility for wheelchair users in public parks, common issues such as budgets, conflicts with infrastructure, conflicts with other disabilities, natural factors, effectiveness of government documents, and lack of awareness arise in both states. However the issues in Kuantan are more critical.