How Form And Functionality Can Be Conducive To The Needs Of Senior Citizens

Form and functionality are the core of designing a home. Shraddha Kamdar finds out how these can be conducive to the needs of senior citizens and the differently abled.

- Shraddha Kamdar

As Prerna Mehra* slowly moves past the automatic glass doors in her building lobby in Mumbai, the security guard exchanges everyday pleasantries with her while walking towards her to take the key she holds out. He then opens her mailbox, retrieves the letters, and neatly stacks them into a thin pile before handing it to her. “I can easily navigate through my building with the automatic glass doors and side ramp, but the mailboxes are at a height that can’t be reached from my Cinderella carriage,” she laughs, pointing to her wheelchair.

Left paralysed from the waist down after an accident, Mehra recently moved to a new apartment building for the ease of access it offers. “The building where I stayed earlier was not equipped with ramps, and the width of the doors wasn’t sufficient to let the wheelchair pass through,” she says, adding, “Sure, I have to ask for a little assistance every now and then, but other than that, I feel comfortable moving about in my own space.”

Until recently, the need for inclusivity in the interior design and décor space was felt in a family only when a member had specific requirements, but interior designers are now coming up with solutions that make a space accessible to everyone. “People need to feel comfortable in their own homes. We need to ensure that those who are aged or differently abled do not feel restricted in movement at home,” says Bansari Shah, director of the Mumbai-based Bansari Shah Interiors.