Glossary

A

ADA

The Americans with Disabilities Act. Its 2010 Standards set accessibility measurements for public buildings. They generally don't apply to private homes, but they're a useful guide.

ANSI A117.1

A widely used accessibility standard that many building codes refer to. Its measurements are similar to the ADA's.

B

Blocking

Solid wood fixed inside a wall so grab bars, rails or a wall-hung sink can be anchored securely.

C

CAPS

Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist, a designation from the National Association of Home Builders for remodelers and others trained in aging-in-place design.

Clear floor space

The open floor area a person needs in front of a fixture or appliance, typically 30 by 48 inches for someone seated.

Clear width

The actual open space in a doorway once the door is open, not the size of the door itself.

Color temperature

How warm or cool a light looks, measured in kelvin (K). Lower numbers, around 2700K to 3000K, look warmer.Read more: Glare, contrast and color temperature

Comfort-height toilet

A toilet with a seat about 17 to 19 inches from the floor, a little taller than standard and easier to stand up from.

CRI

Color rendering index. How accurately a light shows colors. Higher is better for reading labels and medications.Read more: Why older eyes need more light

Curbless shower

A shower with no lip to step over. The floor slopes gently toward a drain instead.Read more: Curbless showers: lowering the floor or raising the room

D

DCOF

Dynamic coefficient of friction. A rating for how much grip a hard floor surface has when wet. Higher means less slippery.Read more: Slip resistance: reading a tile's DCOF rating

G

Grab bar

A bar firmly anchored to the wall, rated to hold a person's weight. Not the same as a towel bar, though some are designed to look like one.

H

HCBS waiver

Home and Community-Based Services waiver. A state Medicaid program that can pay for services, and sometimes home changes, that help someone stay at home.Read more: Medicaid waiver home modification programs

HECM

Home Equity Conversion Mortgage, the most common type of reverse mortgage, insured by the federal government.

I

Induction cooktop

A cooktop that heats the pan directly with a magnetic field. The surface stays cooler than gas or electric coils.

L

Lever handle

A door or faucet handle you push down instead of twist. Easier for stiff or painful hands.Read more: Lever handles, D-pulls and touch latches

Linear drain

A long, narrow drain along one edge of a shower, which lets the whole floor slope one way.

LRV

Light reflectance value. How much light a color reflects, from 0 (black) to 100 (white). Contrast in LRV helps people see edges.Read more: Glare, contrast and color temperature

P

Platform lift

A small open elevator, also called a vertical platform lift, that raises a person or wheelchair a short height, such as up a porch.

R

Reasonable modification

Under the Fair Housing Act, a change to a home that a person with a disability may make, usually at their own cost, which a landlord or HOA generally can't unreasonably refuse.

Roll-under sink

A sink with open knee space beneath it, so someone can use it while seated.

S

SSBCI

Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill. Extra benefits some Medicare Advantage plans offer, which may include some home safety items.Read more: Medicare Advantage and in-home benefits

Stairlift

A powered seat that runs along a rail fixed to the stairs.

T

Threshold

The strip at the bottom of a doorway. For safety and wheels, it should be no more than half an inch high.

Turning space

The open area needed to turn a wheelchair around, usually a 60-inch circle.

U

Universal design

Design that works for people of any age or ability, without looking specialized.

W

Wet room

A bathroom where the shower area isn't separated by a curb, and the whole floor is waterproofed.Read more: Curbless showers: lowering the floor or raising the room