Members of the so-called "Baby Boom" generation are hunkering down, nesting and cocooning. This benchmark generation is spending money to turn their homes into havens; creating places where they can stay and get older-"aging in place" is what the sociologists call it. As a result of trying to create their own highly amenitied private resorts, many of the Boomers' home remodeling dollars are being funneled into luxurious bathrooms with an array of upscale features.

This generation may not want to admit to any physical ailments that come with aging, but they do want products in their homes that make their lives easier. Toss another factor into the equation: Multi-generational living. Baby Boomers with children still at home want to add their parents to the household mix rather than shelling out additional dollars for residential senior care. The trick is designing living spaces so they can accommodate all ages and physical capabilities. This is where universal design comes in.

The Center for Universal Design in Raleigh, N. C. defines universal design as "the design of all products and environments to be usable by all people to the greatest extent possible." Also called "inclusive design," universal design has become a buzzword in remodeling and renovation.

AARP, the American Association of Retired People, offers some guidelines for universal design bathrooms on its Web site. Features include better lighting, wider doors, higher toilets, lower threshold tubs and showers, non-slip surfaces, walk-in showers with fold-down or molded-in seats, grab bars, hand-held showers and anti-scald devices.

"Five years ago, 'universal design' was not a term that households were necessarily familiar with," said Shelly Roberts, senior marketing manager at Lasco Bathware in Anaheim. "Now, with so much coverage on the aging population, consumers are becoming more aware of what it is and how it can fit into their homes. Whether you're five years old or 85 years old, universal design products meet everybody's needs."

Agreeing was Lenora Campos, a spokeswoman for Toto USA Inc. in Morrow, Ga.: "Today, people want to age in place," Campos said. "They would rather 'improve' than 'move'."

More homes are being built with an "In-Law Suite," said Jeff Belles, sales manager of Phylrich, a division of Elkay in Oak Brook, Ill. This is essentially a second master suite on the ground floor, almost a mirror image of the master suite without the hassle of having to climb stairs.

"I've seen quite a bit of that in higher-end developments and I'd like to see more of it on all price levels," Belles said. "People want their bathrooms to look the way they want them to look. We as manufacturers have to address that to give them the function that they need. Let them worry about the form; we'll give them function."

TLC For Mom and Dad

Lasco's four-piece shower stalls are available in three sizes and feature three-inch thresholds for easy access and are ADA/ANSI compliant. Photo courtesy of Lasco.

Rob Buete, president of Safety Tubs in Temecula, Calif., said his company is seeing more bathrooms being remodeled using universal design principles to accommodate the older generations while still making sure the rest of the family can enjoy the facilities also.

"AARP has reported that a high percentage of the aging population expect to be caregivers for their parents, many of them in their own homes," Buete said. "Our end-user averages age 60 but the buyer is much younger because they're buying for their parents."

Diana Schrage, interior designer, at the Kohler Design Center in Kohler, Wis., said, "It makes good sense, regardless of age or capability, that when we are looking at bathroom installations, that we have them as universally designed as possible. We do need to move away from the idea that the elements of universal design apply only to an aging population. In other words, 'universal' means 'universal', working for any age or physical capabilities."

Take ADA-compliant toilets, for example. When the semantics changed and they became "comfort height" toilets, they suddenly became more acceptable for inclusion in a wider spectrum of designs, Schrage said. "The same probably will apply to grab bars when they are viewed as 'safety rails', as useful for balance and stability for young children, teens, someone with a sports injury, or anyone who wants to avoid slipping in the bath."

Noted designer Cynthia Leibrock teamed with Kohler to create a model "Universal Design Bathroom." Fixtures and accessories include standard products strategically positioned for maximum convenience and mobility, Schrage said. The room features freestanding under-counter units on casters, elongated toilets, non-skid flat-bottom bathtubs, and faucets, shelves, grab bars and levers designed for ease of use.

Elkay's Phylrich faucet division is designing six new series designed so to easily opened and closed by anyone, even with reduced strength or arthritis. Photo courtesy of Elkay.

Another approach to bath accessibility is the Geberit Concealed Tank and Carrier. The toilet tank is encased in a carrier inside the bathroom wall so all that's visible is the bowl and an actuation plate, explained Marnie Kut, residential products manager for Geberit in Des Plaines, Ill., "The reason this is valuable for universal design is that the bowl is height adjustable on the carrier from a 15- to a 19-inch rim height," she said. The units can be used for retrofit or new construction and are used in conjunction with toilet systems from Villeroy & Boch and Duravit.

One of the Center for Universal Design's messages is that you don't always have to use ADA products to achieve universal design. "In many cases, you can use much traditional product, yet meet ADA requirements through thoughtful installation," Schrage said. "We are striving to get to the point where people aren't discriminating through design."

One bathroom remodeling option for all age groups is installing a low-threshold, door-entry bath tub. Safety Tubs' thresholds are just 7 inches tall, which make it easier to get into and out of them when compared to a traditional tub. Once the old standard tub is removed, the Safety Tub is slid in, leveled and hooked up to existing plumbing connections.

Safe Designs Are Inclusive

Toto's Ryohan Suite features an ADA-compliant, universal height toilet with a push-button Double Cyclone Flush Engine. Photo courtesy of Toto USA

Safety Tubs' tubs come in three different sizes in two colors-white and biscuit. There is a 51-inch long by 26-inch deep by 37-inch tall unit, useful for tight spaces or narrow doorways; a 51-inch by 30-inch by 37-inch unit which provides added interior room; and a 60-inch by 32-inch by 32-inch walk-in bathtub with additional room for showering.

Consumers having trouble getting over the 17-inch height of the side of their existing bath tub might consider replacement with a Lasco four-piece shower stall. Available in three sizes aimed at the remodeling market, all three have three-inch thresholds for easy access and are ADA/ANSI compliant. The mid-sized shower unit is Cal-Title 24 compliant when equipped with pressure-balancing mixing valve, a hand-held shower with 24-inch slide bar, vacuum breaker and hose, L-shaped fold-up seat and L-shaped grab bar.

Constructed of Lascoat, a gelcoat-finished acrylic with a simulated tile pattern, the units come with or without an L-shaped fold-built-in fold-up seat, for roll-in application, and grab bars. Walls are supported for grab bars that can bear up to 300 pounds or pressure.

Toto's Ryohan Suite features an ADA-compliant, universal height toilet with a push-button Double Cyclone Flush Engine. The Ryohan EcoPower Sensor Faucet is the first to a have self-sufficient power source and has an infrared senor which helps to save both power and water.

The one-piece, ADA-compliant Soiree' toilet from Toto has an ergonomic 17-inch bowl and features a tank lid molded into a shelf and the Washlet, a warm water personal cleansing system that operates at the touch of a button, ideal for people of all ages and abilities, Campos said.

Installers should be made aware that they are meeting universal design criteria simply by recommending a "comfort height" toilet, Schrage said. Kohler's Comfort Height toilets range between 16 1/4- to more than 17 inches at the rim, similar to a chair height, compared to the standard 14 inches. The fixtures come in a wide array of styles and colors. Many of these units are part of a larger collection of products, so they can be integrated into a spectrum of décor choices. Kohler's Freewill shower units feature low thresholds and easy installation.

Kevin McJoynt, the director of marketing for Gerber Plumbing Fixtures in Lincolnwood, Ill., said that two key changes in more accessible bathrooms are raised vanity or counter tops and higher toilets. Gerber now offers toilets that are 2 1/2- to 3 inches higher than standard models, a comfort level that allows easy access. Consumers also can opt for a new air-assisted flushing mechanism that requires less force to operate.

Elkay's Phylrich faucet division is designing six new series offered with either a lever or a handle. "We've also developed a cross-handle designed so that is can be opened and closed with ease even using a fist," Belles said. "As people age, it becomes harder to turn knobs or handles due to arthritis, reduced strength. With our new system, the handle glides on a 1-molecule thick skin of H2O, thereby allowing the homeowner to easily turn the water on and off."

The biggest change was the move on the high end to the ceramic disk quarter turn cartridge, Belles said. "You put rubber and water together and over a period of time they'll calcify. Our cartridges removed the O-rings from the water flow. The new generation of ceramic disks three years, don't harden up over time."

Another critical component in bathroom design, in terms of safety and ease of use Belles said, is including thermostatic valves in faucets and shower systems. Elkay's thermostatic valve is designed so that water passes over the membrane without interacting with it so that the particulate matter in water will not clog it.

"This is the challenge for all of us if we want to age in place," Belles said. "How are we going to design water closets, shower systems, day-to-day faucets that will work for everyone? We're trying to work hand in hand with developers to make products that work to make products that are effective-a real team concept.

"The key for the coming decades will be the ability to design attractive products which look neutral, but provide help to the user. If we design products creatively, with an eye toward a little bit of style, we can design some very attractive livable spaces."

Form Follows Function

Aesthetics is playing a greater role in ADA-compliant products used in public spaces

"Residentially, we make a product that's very soft, and comes in different colors to match with their tile and plumbing fixtures," said Howard Ahern, national sales manager for Plumberex Specialty Products, Inc., in Palm Springs The company manufacturers covers for the P-trap and hot and water supply lines for sinks to prevent injury to wheelchair-bound.

"When people are in wheelchairs, a big concern is in the kitchen area," Ahern said. "Under the kitchen sink, we make covers for the garbage disposal and double-bowl sink piping, which offers protection against burns and other injuries."

In the 1980s, Gabriel Lachuga, president of Plumberex, was the first to manufacture and patent Handy-Shield, a pre-fit cover for the protection of the handicapped, Ahern said, predating ADA guidelines in 1991. The company now offers Trap Gear protective covers. Clear Shield, designed for commercial or public application, has found its way into residential use. The product offers the same protective qualities while allowing the underlying fixture finish to show through. "The homeowner wants to see the chrome or polished brass."

On the water cooler and drinking fountain front, the most significant change in ADA requirements in recent years is the addition of child ADA restrictions, said Johnny Bertella, director of sales for Halsey Taylor, a drinking fountain manufacturer in Oak Brook, Ill. "We have modified our standard units to meet both adult and child ADA," Bertella said. "Adult units require several inches more clearance under the basin than the children's units."

Halsey's new HVR (Halsey Vandal Resistant) Series Water Coolers offer a great deal of flexibility, Bertella said. "It is UL Listed for indoor or outdoor service can be installed to meet child or adult ADA. It has a chrome-plated vandal-resistant bubbler and vandal-resistant pushbutton, so it can stand up to heavy use."

Bertella noted that Halsey Taylor also offers high-end products for the architect, builder or designer that meet ADA requirements. For example, there's the OVL-II Series Water Coolers, bi-level units featuring twin basins featuring an extended barrier-free design.

Also on the water cooler front, Haws Corp., founded in 1906, has launched its Premiere Collection of drinking fountains, offering a variety of products in a collection of styles and finishes to fit into any traditional or contemporary design setting. Haws water coolers, electric water coolers and electric drinking fountains are manufactured to be lead free under ANSI/NSF Standard 61, Section 9; California Proposition 95 and the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

The company offers ADA compliant units in several single- and bi-level options, including the Model 0010A, a barrier-free wall-mounted drinking fountain in molded Polymarble.