Aging is traditionally seen as a negative experience fraught with challenges and limitations. Baby Boomers are changing that narrative and reshaping what it means to age for themselves and future generations. With this shift comes a heightened sense of health, wellness, and desire to stay at home — to live in place. To accomplish that, architects and designers must approach adaptive kitchens to suit the changing needs of older adults as well as multigenerational users. This course will examine active aging; adaptive kitchen design; and connected, smart appliances that are as high-performance as they are functional. The CEU qualifies for continuing education credits that count toward the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB’s) Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) credential.
Learning Objectives
- Examine the demographics of today’s aging population and the growing need for designing adaptive spaces.
- Discover how a well-planned kitchen can better meet the needs of all users, especially active aging clients.
- Describe design considerations for accessible, adaptive kitchens that will make the space safer and more convenient for all users.
- Explore kitchen appliances that improve safety, accessibility, and ease of use.
Pre-Requisite: Intermediate knowledge of accessibility and adaptive building techniques.