New buildings are often now constructed with barrier-free features like ramps and elevators. The Japanese government even issued a set of “Design Guidelines of Dwellings for the Aging Society," recommending that all new buildings be designed with level floors, handrails, wider doors, and corridors. (Photo: Shutterstock)
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Ten Strategies for Barrier-Free Living
Oversized Tools and Appliances (3/10)
Refurbishing a house in a barrier-free way does not have to be costly. People with reduced manual dexterity can live pretty independently if taps, knobs, and appliances are oversized and easy to manipulate like this door handle. (Photo: Shutterstock)
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Ten Strategies for Barrier-Free Living
Automatic Doors (4/10)
Automatic doors that can be operated by the push of an easily accessible the quality of life for disabled people. Computers and remote-control systems to adjust lighting, heating, and other functions take this idea even further. (Photo: Shutterstock)
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Ten Strategies for Barrier-Free Living
Accessibility II (5/10)
Old homes without barrier-free living features can be refurbished with ramps and stairlifts to cater for people with disabilities. Such ramps allow wheelchair users to enter their house independently despite a high doorstep. (Photo: Shutterstock)
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Ten Strategies for Barrier-Free Living
Elevators and Doors (6/10)
Old doors and elevators are often too narrow to allow for wheelchairs to pass. Installing larger models helps. (Photo: Shutterstock)
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Ten Strategies for Barrier-Free Living
Barrier-free Office (7/10)
People in wheelchairs need special desks to access computer keyboards and move around more freely. (Photo: Shutterstock)
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Ten Strategies for Barrier-Free Living
Toilets (8/10)
Two simple metal bars turn a normal bathroom into a facility that also caters to people with a walking disability. More complicated systems exists for those in wheelchairs. (Photo: Shutterstock)
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Ten Strategies for Barrier-Free Living
Bathroom (9/10)
Free-standing sinks that leave enough space underneath for a wheelchair are important for a more accessible bathrooms. (Photo: Shutterstock)
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Ten Strategies for Barrier-Free Living
Building Awareness (10/10)
Specific roads signs remind drivers not to assume that all pedestrians are able to see an arriving car. Such signs improve traffic security for visually impaired people. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Staircases and steps can become urban hurdles for disabled people. Barrier-free living, also called universal design, tries to prevent such obstacles. See some of the most interesting examples.(Photo: Shutterstock)
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