Show Notes:
Pointe Giulio – who donated items to the house
Below are images of the OT House
Transcript:
Sarah: [00:00:00] You’re listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. Our podcast is part of The UD Project, a small business rooted in occupational therapy that looks at how the design of a home environment impacts how well people of different ages and abilities perform everyday activities. We chat about this unique perspective to boost your knowledge and help you consider what can be changed in communities like yours.
Learn more about our work at universaldesign.org.
Caroline Hart: Hey everyone. Caroline here. I’m so glad to be back on the podcast today to talk about my doctoral capstone project. This project actually started last year with another student, Grant Todd, who you might all remember from previous podcast episodes, and I had the opportunity to build onto his work. So over the past several months, you all know I’ve been working on something that’s been a huge part of my life. Turning a little campus house at the [00:01:00] University of Central Arkansas, where I went to school, into an accessible demonstration home. The whole idea is to give people a real place to see and try out universal design and home modifications. So instead of hearing about grab bars or adaptive tools in a classroom or from a therapist, you can walk into this house, touch them, see how they work, and imagine how they could fit into a real home. I focused on making the space more functional, adding more adaptive equipment, and creating a self-guided training program so people could learn as they explored.
Sarah: Caroline, it has been a joy to mentor you in your Capstone project, and I loved seeing your vision continue into reality of having a demonstration home all ready for people to come in and explore. I’ve always said that this hands-on experience is essential to learning and understanding the value of a safe and functional home. That has been a dream of ours in our organization, and I love that you already had [00:02:00] a space on your campus that you could revamp for this purpose and even better to continue on from a previous project.
Rebecca: Yes, Caroline, this is so exciting. I feel like Sarah and Scott have been talking about this idea of a demonstration home for as long as I have known them, so it’s really cool that you were able to pilot this idea on your campus. Now, can you share with the listeners a bit about how you completed the project?
I imagine you had to think about things like budget and audience and who would be visiting the home. But then I’m also curious to know how you learned what to put in the house and how in the world you knew how to install it.
Caroline Hart: So from the start, I knew I wanted to partner with The Universal Design Project because Grant partnered with them and what they do just fits so perfectly with what I wanted this house to be. I worked a lot with Sarah and Scott throughout my capstone, taking the continuing education courses that they created, which I learned a lot more about universal design principles, adaptive equipment and creative ways to make the spaces [00:03:00] accessible without losing that homey feel. In between all of that, we had a lot of conversations. They give me feedback on what I was planning for the house, share resources, and help me think about the big overall picture. After taking some of those continuing ed courses they provided, I kept going back to the material again and again as a resource to guide what I wanted to find for the home. It wasn’t just a resource I used occasionally. I used those courses almost like a checklist while I was making decisions about equipment layouts and what would be most useful for our visitors. That back and forth with conversations and their course content was huge in helping me make decisions that were both practical and affordable. Those weekly check-ins with Sarah always left me feeling more energized and confident and like I had a clear direction for where to go next.
Sarah: That is so fantastic to hear and I really love checking in and chatting about your progress each week and sharing new [00:04:00] things with you. I’m glad to hear you explain how you use the courses as well, because that is exactly how we designed them as a resource and not just a one-time listen through. I’m so thankful that you found them helpful. And listeners, I’ll link them in the show notes for you if you’re interested in checking them out.
The first one is free and has a lot of great info in it as well. So, Caroline, tell us a little bit more about your project.
Caroline Hart: So another big part of making this project work was figuring out how to stretch a pretty tight budget. I did a lot of reaching out for donations and I’m so thankful for the individuals and organizations who stepped up to help me. Ponte Giulio generously donated six high quality grab bars that completely changed the look and safety of both of our bathrooms in the OT house. iCAN, The Arkansas Statewide Assistive Technology program, provided equipment support through their donation program, which is a resource that all Arkansans have access to. I [00:05:00] also spent a lot of time bargain hunting. Checking local shops and online marketplaces for discounted adaptive equipment. Those finds added variety and kept the house stocked with practical items people might actually be able to afford themselves. Working through all those channels, not only stretched my budget, but also showed me how resourceful OTs can be when helping clients in the real world.
Sarah: It was so fun getting your messages, showing me all these things that you bought, from grab bars and little organizers. So I loved seeing all that stuff come through, and you were so resourceful, like you said. It is reality though, isn’t it? I’m on some of these groups online often, and people are asking if anyone has any extra equipment that they can put in their home. From Buy Nothing groups to local thrift stores, oftentimes you can snag some of these things pretty inexpensively, especially when you just really need it like yesterday. You just need to know what the options are out there to ask or what to [00:06:00] look for. So. I also wanted to mention that each state should have an assistive technology program that does different things from providing resources, equipment, and loaner programs. Just like the iCAN in Arkansas. The one here in Virginia is VATS, V-A-T-S, or the Virginia Assistive Technology System. So wherever you are, check to see what your state program provides. Oftentimes many people don’t even realize their state offers help with equipment and assistive technology, so be sure to check that out.
Rebecca: I definitely agree with all of this about Caroline’s resourcefulness and of the use of AT centers. I actually just moved to new Jersey and this was a great prompt for me to check out what’s available in my local area. And it looks like there are actually several options around me. I’ll admit I haven’t had time to dive too deep into them, so I don’t wanna give any recommendations prematurely.
But, it does seem that, there are lots of opportunities to get in touch with these assistive technology resource [00:07:00] centers. Now, Caroline, can you take us through the home and tell us how you added to Grant’s project? I know we’ve got some pictures in the show notes for people to see, but could you describe it as well?
Caroline Hart: Yes. I’m gonna break down each room like you would be walking through the house. So in the entryway we added brighter lighting and a small threshold ramp to an already existing ramp that was there show how simple changes can make a big difference. Good lighting is key for preventing falls, especially at night or for people with low vision. The ramp makes it easier for someone using a wheelchair, walker, or stroller to get through the door without tripping over that little lip that most homes have. It’s such a small fix, but it removes one of the first barriers people often face just trying to get inside the house. In the living room, we arranged the furniture so a wheelchair could move around easily, and added a Google home, along with what Grant had put in. We also created contrast with furniture edges to help [00:08:00] people with low vision tell where things start and stop. It wasn’t about repainting the walls, but about using everyday items to make the space more visible and safer.
The Google Home is a fun thing to have because it gives people hands free control, like turning on lamps, adjusting the thermostat, or even calling for help. In the training program, I included tasks where visitors get to try it out themselves so they can see how this technology could make daily routines easier at home.
Next in the kitchen, we equipped it with adaptive utensils, movable shelving, and visual schedules. These changes give people more independence in a space that’s often pretty tricky. For example, rocker knives or utensils with larger handles make it easier to prepare meals if you have arthritis or weakness in your hands. Movable shelving. Let someone in a wheelchair, wheelchair reach items in cabinets without asking for help. And a visual schedule can make meal prep and hygiene less [00:09:00] overwhelming for people with memory changes or cognitive challenges. All of these things take a task that might feel difficult or impossible and make it doable.
Sarah: I love that you added visual schedules and that really shows that not all things have to be about adding products. Talking through how tasks can be done and showing it step by step in pictures and words is helpful to a lot of people who are learning how to do tasks again, maybe they struggle with memory or sequencing or even anxiety. The beauty is that that can be customized to anyone and it can be put anywhere in the home. And it’s a really great example of what’s possible in using a visual schedule.
Caroline Hart: I completely agree, and I thought it was fun creating the visual schedules and finding the visual schedules because like you said, they’re so adaptable. So next, the bathrooms got grab bars, shower chairs, and adjustable shower [00:10:00] heads. One of my favorite parts was installing the actual grab bars from Ponte Giulio in both bathrooms. It was kind of chaos, but we got it done. They’re not just functional, but they look good, which helps reduce the stigma of that typical metal medical equipment. You can check out these photos that we included in the show notes.
Bathrooms are the most common places for falls, so adding supports for sitting, standing, and transferring is huge for safety. The adjustable shower head is also a simple change. That means someone can bathe while seated, which can make a big difference for conserving energy or staying independent. And lastly, in the bedroom, we added bed rails, adaptive dressing tools, motion sensored closet lighting, and plastic mats to make wheelchair accessibility easier on the carpet. These small touches really add up. Bedrails, help someone reposition or get out of bed safely. Dressing tools like a sock aid or a button hook [00:11:00] means someone can get dressed without help, which supports their dignity and their independence. Motion sensor lights in the closet cut down on tripping hazards and make it easier for people with low vision to see what they’re grabbing. the protective mats not only keep carpets from wearing down, but it also make it easier to roll a wheelchair across the floor, especially when the carpet has a higher pile. Together all of these features make the bedroom more comfortable, safer, and a place where people can feel confident doing their daily routines.
Sarah: Caroline, I know you had a blast finding all of these products, either online or in stores. One major portion of this project was how people would utilize this home for education. We talked about how your school could utilize the home in their coursework from interprofessional collaboration opportunities between health related programs, and even a place to learn in the OT program for projects and testing out equipment. But the really neat thing was the training [00:12:00] program you created for people to learn, think critically, and try things out in the home. Can you share that with our listeners and who you hope will utilize it?
Caroline Hart: Yeah, so like you said, the other big part of my project was this training binder that I created. I wanted people to be able to walk through the house and learn on their own without needing a guided tour every time. The training program had things for people to try in each room of the house that consisted of descriptions of the concepts and equipment to try. I specifically had sections with intended purposes, such as what to observe, what to try, and what to think about. I had QR codes linking to videos, resources and vendor websites, case studies to get people thinking about real life situations, discussion prompts for students or groups visiting together, a list of all of the items purchased for the house with direct links to access them. Lastly, a contribution page thanking the individuals who donated to the [00:13:00] overall project. Seeing this training program come together made me feel like I really will be able to make an impact on the future students at our university, as well as any individuals that pass through this OT house.
Rebecca: I love the concept of having the training binder, Caroline. It’s actually pretty universal design. People can engage with the learning opportunities and the features in the home in a variety of ways. It can be self-guided with a tour guide. I think that’s really cool and appropriate. So Caroline, what’s something really big that you took away from this project or maybe that surprised you or you kept coming back to when you were working on this?
Caroline Hart: So one thing that I did keep coming back to throughout the project and something that I feel like Sarah and Scott really encouraged me to think about, is that accessibility doesn’t always mean big, expensive remodels. Sometimes it means a grab bar in the right place, better lighting in a hallway, or rearranging furniture so someone can move more easily.
I also learned how important it is to [00:14:00] be resourceful. My budget was really limited, like I said before, so I had to get creative looking for discounted items, reaching out for donations, and focusing on changes that anyone can realistically make in their own home. There were definitely moments I felt overwhelmed, especially when my to-do list seemed like it was never ending, but I focused on the big vision and what I wanted the overall outcome to be, and that really pushed me to finish strong and have a successful ending to this 14 week project and the last three years of OT school. I’m so thankful for Sarah Scott’s guidance along the way. They weren’t just giving me feedback, but they were helping me think with a universal design mindset, be a problem solver and an advocate all at once.
Sarah: You are very welcome and it was definitely a success. There were elements that pushed you outside your comfort zone, especially reaching out to vendors for donations. And then you were literally installing grab bars, touching up paint, and cleaning the home. [00:15:00] There are a lot of tasks that go into this. OTs wear many hats, and you did a lot of that this semester. Now that you are done, what are you most proud of with this project and what do you hope to see with the home in the future?
Caroline Hart: So the accessible demonstration OT house is going to be used by future students at UCA and visitors, and I really hope that it keeps evolving. My dream is that future Capstone students will add even more to it. New equipment, updated resources, maybe even workshops for the community, the world is their oyster. Thanks for listening to my capstone story, everybody. I really hope it gives you some ideas about how universal design and home modifications can make a difference. Even small changes can go a long way towards helping somebody stay safe, comfortable, and independent in their home.
Rebecca: I love this, Caroline, and thank you so much for all of your contributions to the Universal Design Project and of course to your [00:16:00] project and your community where you are in OT school. It’s so cool that this project can be ongoing passed from student to student, each of you bringing fresh ideas and resources and contributions, so we really appreciate being a part of that.
And we appreciate you listeners for listening to Caroline’s ideas and watching them come to fruition with us. We will be back soon with more Good Fit Poor Fit.
Sarah: Thanks for listening to Good Fit Poor Fit. If you want to learn more… first, find more episodes with transcripts and show notes at goodfitpoorfit.com. Don’t forget to subscribe! Second, check out our courses at go.universaldesign.org.
We cover housing topics like advocacy, collaboration, home modification, universal design and task adaptations. Lastly, if you have questions or topics you’d like us to discuss, email us at [email protected]. Thanks for fitting us into your [00:17:00] day.
Leave a Reply