Remodeling options for those who want convenience and independence.

Luxury Bath and Kitchens is totally dedicated to enabling independent living by solving accessibility and mobility problems in your bath and kitchen.

According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), one in four Americans will be age 65 or older by the year 2040. The challenge of living at home using a wheelchair or walker is faced every day by an estimated 30 million Americans. This number is rapidly increasing due to the aging of the "baby boom" generation and the growing number of disabled people choosing to be self-sufficient.

Most kitchens are designed for a "standard" person, with standard countertop heights and upper cabinet heights made for a person with average reaching abilities in a standing position. Unfortunately not many people are average, and those with reaching, bending, or grasping limitations are presented with many challenges in a "standard" kitchen design. Even short people have difficulty reaching the top shelves of cabinets.

We can work within your budget to customize access according to your needs. The same level of service and expertise that is applied to renovation projects is available to our clients who require grab bars, special bathing units, tub-to-shower conversions, special cabinetry and easily accessible shelving and drawers.

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The Accessible Kitchen Layout

When designing a kitchen for use by persons with mobility impairments, especially those who use wheelchairs, careful layout of the kitchen is crucial to maintaining accessibility. People who are mobility impaired may:

• have walking and standing limitations which require them to sit while working
• use a mobility aid such as crutches, canes, or walkers
• use a wheelchair.

One of the key issues to consider when designing for persons with mobility impairments is adequate space to maneuver a mobility aid such as a wheelchair or walker.

Space to maneuver close to cabinets, appliances and work areas must be provided. Each feature must have at least 2'-6" by 4' of clear floor space, arranged for either parallel or perpendicular approach by wheelchair.

Clear floor space may extend under the counters and into knee space areas up to 19".

Knee Space

Adequate knee space under counter surfaces is important for people who need to sit while performing kitchen tasks. The space should allow them to pull up under counter for work areas, sinks, and cook tops. Knee room should be provided beside appliances such as complete ranges, ovens, and dishwashers.

Knee spaces should be at least 30" wide, 27" high, and 19" deep. A width of at least 36" is preferred, as this provides additional turning space, especially important in small kitchens.

Turnaround Space

A space large enough for a person to turn around 180 degrees should be provided in the kitchen. If the kitchen is very small, the space can be provided immediately adjacent to the kitchen.

Pivoting turn

Sufficient space for a complete, pivoting turn can be provided with a 5' clear diameter floor area. This allows a full turning radius of 360 degrees. The best location for the turning space is away from appliance areas, and between walls or cabinets only.

T-Turn.

A T-shaped turning space allows a three point turn to be accomplished. By making one of the necessary kitchen knee spaces 3' wide, or wider, one leg of the T can be accomplished within the knee space. This arrangement can solve maneuvering problems in very small kitchens.

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Laying it all out

Efficient kitchens are usually designed around a work triangle. This triangle is formed by the location of the refrigerator, sink, and range. The arangement of the surrounding work center depends on the available space. In general, an L-shaped kitchen provides the best access.

Advantages to using a U-shape include:

• Provides plenty of room to maneuver a wheelchair.
• Provides room for two cooks.
• Reduces traffic flow problems.
• Reduces risk of bumping into appliances.

Advantages to an L-shape are:

• Traffic flow does not interfere with work triangle.
• Plenty of room for storage next to each work station.
• Room for two, or a wheelchair.

Island and penninsula work centers

A work center with this layout shortens the work triangle, an advantage for people with low vision, or those who use walkers or crutches. Open appliance doors may, however, block aisle space needed for a wheelchair.

Corridor and Pullman work centers

A corridor work center places appliances across an aisle. A Pullman design has all appliances on one wall. Like island work center designs, these designs shorted the work triangle. The distances between appliances can make working in a kitchen with this type of design tiring for people with mobility impairments.

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The Accessible Bathroom

For people with disabilities, bathing or showering is often a difficult proposition. Accessible bathtubs, showers and seats available for home use can help them maintain some independence. These products also provide greater autonomy in personal hygiene and self-care for dependent bathers, while reducing the level of assistance needed from caregivers.

Barrier-Free Showers

Accessible showers are designed for people who have difficulty using bathtubs. They may have shallow or no thresholds to facilitate entry and exit while using a wheeled chair or walker. They have grab bars installed for added safety and stability, flexible hoses and soap and shampoo dispensers for added convenience. Some even have built-in seating which is fixed or conveniently fold out of the way.

Luxury Bath and Kitchens is a specialist in the East Central Florida area in converting your existing bath tub and surround into a beautiful, easy to maintain, ADA approved and functional shower unit.

Walk-in Bathtubs

Accessible bathtubs have an opening in the side that provides easy access and prevents transfer-related accidents. For caregivers, these tubs help minimize the stress and physical strain associated with bathing adults, considered by many professionals to be one of the most difficult aspects of home health care. They work well for a variety of users and are designed to blend in aesthetically.

To maximize safety, water will not flow in these tubs unless the door is perfectly sealed. The door remains sealed until the water is completely drained. The power-operated doors and the electrically controlled lock system in some models empower dependent bathers and offer them added security.

Many accessible bathtubs, both residential and institutional, provide some form of hydromassage while the user is bathing. Like all whirlpools, these bathtubs have built-in water supplies, as well as electricity for the motor and water pump, thermostatic control for regulating water temperature, an air-flow system for hydromassage and several valves for controlling water flow. A control panel regulates the whirlpool, water temperature, spray heads, mixing valves, drains and door.

Accessible bathtubs are made primarily of Fiberglass or acrylic and have built-in seats, grab bars and whirlpool jets. Some have flexible hoses and soap and shampoo dispensers for added convenience. There are three general types of accessible bathtubs:

• The side-entry tub has a hinged door on the side of the tub that swings open like a car door or slides to one side to allow bathers to get in and out. When the door closes, it seals the opening so that the tub can contain water.
• The overhead-door tub has a door that slides up and down on a wall-mounted track. In the open position, the door rests on the tracks, parallel to the ceiling, like a garage door. When closed, it becomes the tub wall and holds water.
• The shutter-door tub has a door that rolls open and is hidden beneath the tub floor. The bather pulls the door up to close the opening and hold water.

All three types of tubs have sophisticated sealing systems that inflate when the tub is filled with water.