Last week, a dear friend came to me with a dilemma from his client. The son of the client was concerned with his aging parents and their accessibility into their home (vacation home). He wanted a ramp but not to have the ramp intrude or over-step the existing landscape. The problem became not only one of aesthetics but also of grading. This sketch shows a proposed sloped path, no greater than a 5% slope at any one point and wide enough for a wheelchair, should they need it. Immediately, though, I was thinking enough for one person pulling a wheeled piece of luggage. AND with the addition of some native Filifera Palms, boulders to retain the soil, and the honed quartzite path (chosen because it's already used as the hardscape around the house, and honed to keep it smooth enough for wheels). The new path flows through like a small creek underneath a mini oasis. The skinny palms, the Washingtonia robustas are existing on site, and would remain to blend with the new native palms.
Planning for elderly mobility is a critical issue for landscape architects; and I suspect, it will become more popular as the baby boomers begin to lose their agility. When my parents (and my grandmother) come to visit, they indirectly (and fairly immediately) show me the mobility issues around my own house. I'm lucky to not be disabled and I know where my steps and handrails are and aren't, BUT my guests aren't as familiar... I want to be sure family and friends are comfortable while visiting. So, even if my client isn't disabled, I will always try to ensure ease of access and circulation through my client's outdoor spaces, if not for them, for their guests.
Site Planning and Design for the Elderly (by Diane Y. Carstens) is a great reference book that is always near my desk. And in this day and age of lawsuits, you can't be too careful in planning for people who are or may become, and even visitors who may be mobility challenged.
