Dr. Ching-Chiuan Yen,
Have you ever heard of this type of villages in the USA? In the Indiana area
there are these types of villages fro older people call, West Minster
Village. They consist of apartments designed for old peoples needs, a
recreational hall, large dinning areas for community dinning if one chooses
and on staff nursing for emergencies or care. This village is not like any
type of institution because the person renting the apartment are in full
control of their life.
I would be interested to know has the needs of older people with dwarfism
came into your research. There seems to be on provision for those of short
stature in this area. I am a dwarf person and also use a wheelchair for
going long distances. Many dwarf people need to use wheelchair and most
wheelchairs do not fit the dwarf body. We need to sit down into the wheels
because of our tall bodies yet short arms and because we have short legs this
unbalance with the centre of gravity that most wheelchairs are designed for.
I have a GPV Quickie sports chair because it is light weight and I use 26
inch wheels, but I had to drill extra holes into the frame works so I bring
the wheels closer to my body. Now my chair flips over quite easily. My
husbands father is a welder and is going to redesign it with me so I can
adapt it even better. Do have any suggestions for me?
I do have a degree in Architecture so I have had structural analysis
calculation courses, but I am not an engineer.
Regards,
Jude
Judith M. Irving BSc arch. envir.
LSA Design consultant
'Layering Systems of Access in Design to Create Atmospheres of Equality.'
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