Universal Design & Aging In Place
Aging in place and universal design are not exactly the same thing, however, there is so much overlap between the two that they often get used interchangeably.
Design Considerations
As you learn more about what these approaches to design mean, you learn that they both require, at times, substantial changes in your design and what most would see as compromises. Making bathrooms larger, changing flooring types, using different hardware, etc — are all things you’d have to be willing to accommodate.
Most of the time, the approach is to allow for future accommodations and upgrades. This means designing and specifying items that could be swapped at a later date. The times when consideration is given to aging in place is generally when people are building their ‘forever house’ that they plan on passing down to children.
Another reason that these two approaches aren’t taken into consideration is simply cost. The compromises many times mean less design control, with more cost. Spaces need to be larger, cabinets more complex, and other changes lead to an increased cost that most people would not want to swallow, especially if giving up design integrity.
Small Changes; Big Impact
The best lesson to be taken from this is that small changes can make a big impact. If you are able to widen a bathroom slightly to allow aging in place, it's worth considering. Even if the bathroom is only a half-bath at the time, allowing so that the homeowner could do a small renovation making it a full bath, would mean a great payoff against needing to immediately move. Small changes that could potentially allow the homeowner more longevity by several years should always be considered and proposed to clients as alternatives.