Designing homes for veterans with injuries, PTSD
The
right adapted design in homes can assist veterans with brain injuries and post-traumatic syndrome disorder (PTSD). Wellness design can prevent home elements from becoming barriers. The tub providing relief from tension can be changed to a walk-in tub. Throw rugs and ottomans can be moved out of danger. Voice-activated systems can dim lighting, and adjust temperatures and window shading. These and other accommodations can make otherwise inhospitable domiciles welcoming sanctuaries.
Traffic flow represents the most vital consideration for the residences of veterans with mobility challenges, says Perla Lichi, CEO of Perla Lichi Design in Pompano Beach, Florida. “Keep it as barrier free as possible,” she urges.
“It’s important to have the space flow open. The Americans with Disabilities Act always suggests a minimum of 3 feet from the corner of one piece of furniture to the corner of another piece. And you need a 5-foot diameter turnaround for a wheelchair.”
Flooring should be on the same level throughout the home, Lichi adds. That means the floor should not change from, say, carpet to tile. Floors should also be free of area rugs, because a change in height can halt the progress of a wheelchair or walker through the home. In addition, many non-skid flooring materials are sold today, and Lichi strongly urges their use in any home featuring a resident with disabilities.
Designing for veterans’ physical safety and emotional support
should be a prime concern, adds Smita Sahoo, founder and creative director for Chicago, Illinois-based asaya l DESIGN. Furniture should have soft edges, making it safer to walk around rooms. It should be durable but also offer soothing visual attributes, she says.
In general, veterans’ homes should be free of items that could get in the way. “Less is more, so make sure the space features less visual clutter,” Sahoo urges.
In bathrooms
In the bathroom, height of vanities can be varied to accommodate different disabilities, Lichi says. Vanities should also be kept open underneath, to allow for wheelchair movement. Reinforced grab bars essential in every shower and every tub, can be appropriate in other areas of the home and needn’t look institutional. “There are some beautiful grab bars that can match your faucets and towel
rings,” she says. “They become like jewelry. You can get them in chrome or in satin nickel.”
Remote controls that otherwise would tend to get lost in sofa cushions can be incorporated into the vets’ smart phones. “You can have on your cellphone all the adjustments for the dimmers, the ceiling fans and the lights,” Lichi says. “So you don’t have multiple remotes, have them integrated into one cellphone. You can also ask Alexa, ‘Alexa, remind me who’s coming over at 10 a.m. tomorrow.’”
Speaking of lights, any chance to use soft white LEDs in veterans’ homes should be strongly considered. LEDs offer longer lifespans than traditional bulbs, meaning less bulb-changing maintenance for vets. Moreover, LED is a better-quality light, Lichi says.
Low-tech enhancements can also play their part in making veterans’ homes safer and more hospitable. Strategically placed calendars and whiteboards in kitchens, bedrooms and home offices can aid veterans whose short-term memories may be impacted.
Window treatments
Even the way windows are covered can make a difference in the homes of veterans. Different times of day generate different types of light, resulting in interiors looking different morning, noon and night, Lichi says. She recommends using two-layer window treatments. “One layer should be something sheer, kind of see-through, which filters the light and provides a view, but reduces glare,” she says. “The second layer should provide blackout. That has dual purposes: it closes fully, blocks out the sun and lets you watch TV without glare. But it also gives you total privacy at night.”
Another suggestion is to infuse home interiors with biophilic elements, meaning plants, woods, stone, organic materials and other elements found in the natural world. Gardens, nature-inspired works of art and soft colors can also help. Bringing nature into the interior of a home carries life into the home, Lichi and Sahoo report.
“Plants — live or even dried and preserved — as well as herbs add value and taste, as well as help to sooth the living space,” Sahoo says. “Bring in soothing sensory design elements (such as) small and low-maintenance water fountains that use recirculated water. The sound of trickling water is soothing to our senses.”
Adapted design
The mission of Homes For
Our Troops (HFOT), a Taunton, Massachusetts 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, is to build and donate specially-adapted new custom homes for seriously injured post-9/11 vets. Each residence offers more than 40 adaptations, including lowered appliances and countertops to allow for safe food preparation, roll-under access of counters, sinks and cooktops for those in wheelchairs, widened doors and hallways, pull-down shelving and carpet-free vinyl plank flooring.
Veterans also benefit from roll-in showers, hands-free automatic doors that allow them to enter and exit the home, therapy tubs that soothe the pain of their injuries, and a safe room for the family to shelter in the event of natural disasters.
“Specially adapted custom homes are important because they restore freedom and independence to severely injured veterans, and significantly reduce stress for the veteran and spouse or caregiver,” says HFOT executive director Bill Ivey. “Over 95% of HFOT veterans experienced less stress after moving into an adapted home per a 2022 survey. This enables veterans to rebuild their lives and continue their recoveries. Empowered by the freedom of an HFOT adapted home, many of our veterans have embarked on new careers, completed college degrees and started families.”
In the final analysis, it’s best to remember that dwellings of veterans can be spaces of comfort and tension release. The home “can be very livable — and given all the new materials these days, very beautiful — if planned properly,” Lichi says.