We Americans come in all ages, sizes, levels of ability, and preferences. Trying to get something from a high shelf can be a challenge for anyone who is short or has difficulty stretching and reaching.  Round door knobs can be tricky to use for the small hands of children as well as arthritic hands of adults.  Steps leading up to the house create a hazard for youngsters, seniors, and anyone with some form of walking difficulty. Narrow hallways and doorways are difficult to get through when carrying bags of groceries, or carrying a young child, or anyone with some form of mobility impairment.

Do we shape our homes, or do they shape us?  Most of us live with some form of lost independence within our homes while performing everyday living tasks. Even for healthy individuals, our ability to successfully accomplish daily tasks efficiently and safely is often seriously impeded in the way most homes have been designed and built throughout the years.

There are well over 54 million Americans of all ages that have some form of permanent disability…and also many millions more who incur an unexpected injury or illness resulting in a temporary disability. At least 1 in 5 Americans is affected by a functional limitation that impacts daily living activities. We live in an aging society where people are living much longer, but not necessarily healthier!

Livable Homes - What we all want most in life is the ability to maintain our individual independence...especially in the performance of everyday living tasks and activities in our homes!   New homes can be built, and existing homes changed, to help the great diversity of our nation’s population better perform everyday living tasks…and maximize individual independence, dignity, and safety.

Livable Homes incorporate certain functional and esthetic
Universal Design features that help make them usable, to the greatest extent possible, by everyone at all stages of life.  The Livable Home is right for all people —whether 8 or 80 years of age.

The home incorporating Universal Design features will accommodate the needs of many different people with varying levels of ability.  These features incorporated into the design of the home will increase its worth and enhance its beauty and function, while maximizing independent and safe living for everyone…through ALL stages of life!

For older adults and people of all ages with some form of disability, the home can become an even greater barrier to safe independent living. Homes that was reasonably convenient when we were younger and in good health, can cause serious problems in later years, or when we incur an unexpected injury affecting our ability to easily walk, bend, grasp, or see. As our lifestyles and needs change… so should our homes change to meet those new needs.

The "Livable Home" is designed to help maximize successful independent living for all family members.  It is a home that actually makes it easy for us to perform everyday living tasks with a minimum of effort, and a maximum of safety. It is a smart home built in such a way to operate efficiently and economically incorporating features such as Energy-Star rated lighting, appliances, heating & cooling, appliances, etc.