Yesterday I took dinner to a friend who had hip replacement surgery. Her visible struggle to rise from the chair was painfully evident. She tenderly chose where she sat and how she moved. This reminded me that sitting and standing is a huge concern for people with back, knee, hip and other mobility issues.
Everyone who owns a business is aware of the American Disabilities Act. For 25 years this legislation has made buildings, transportation, work and play places in the United States more accessible. People with disabilities can now rejoice in being participants when they were once just by-standers or worse – hidden from society.
Research in 2010 done by SIPP (Survey of Income & Program Participation) reported that 18.7% of the U.S. population suffer from some disability. Included are Visual, Hearing, Cognitive, Ambulatory, Self-Care and other Movement difficulties.
Funeral and cemetery personnel work in places designed to offer comfort and hospitality. ADA-mandated ramps, handrails and wider doorways are some obvious changes we have seen. So, are there other less expensive ways to accommodate this growing group?
The answer is seating. Some of my friends’ families have selected funeral homes based solely on seating comfort and cozy conversation areas. Sadly, we know that families’ choices are not always based on a funeral director’s outstanding service or skills. Thoughtful design is an easy way to honor visitors and allow them to sit in comfort.
Whether a new facility is being built or there are plans to replace a few chairs, consider the following accommodations for people we see every day.
Mobility/movement Issues – Our aging population plus those who have endured joint replacement or suffer from back issues always look for seating which allows them dignity and independence.
• Provide ample quantities of arm chairs for the elderly to manage independent sitting and standing.
• Pub style chairs allow those with joint replacements to put less pressure on tender areas. Sitting up higher helps to avoid the dreaded 90 degree angle.
• Firm cushions prevent visitors from sinking down into too soft or worn-out furniture. It is embarrassing to all when visitors struggle to extricate themselves from a seating ‘hole’.
• Individual seating (chair) is preferred to group seating (sofas) by those who cannot tolerate being jostled or bumped due to back/upper body issues.
• Tall chairs (aka Widow’s Chairs) for visitation spaces are appreciated so to greet mourners at eye-level or to lean against for additional support.
• ‘Parking space’ near seating is necessary for easy-access to walkers, wheelchairs, strollers and canes. It helps to maintain independence.
Hearing Issues – This disability is easy to overlook in a design plan. People want to be able to converse easily and hear each other clearly. Whether or not acoustics are perfect or music is being played, design can again offer a solution.
• Place chairs in small groupings. Cluster them together for conversation ease.
• Auditory studies show that appropriate conversation distance is about 7-9 feet. The noisier a room, the closer people cluster to hear.
• Reserve chapel chairs for those who might need to be closer to the speaker.
Visual Issues – Seat placement is important for good conversations and easy access.
• Intimate seating groupings allow for more visible facial cues. ‘Reading’ a face assists with understanding especially when hearing is diminished.
• Seating should not ‘blend in’ to the carpet but should appear distinct enough for visually handicapped people to locate easily. Colors, shapes, wood arms and patterns are important visual cues which help determine visual distance.
Brian Marry at Borek-Jennings Funeral Home, Brooklyn, Michigan can attest that comfortable, easily-accessible seating is of utmost importance. “We also use the bistro chairs for widows. They find it helpful to be able to hug everyone at that height.”
Think about people in your family, people who have sustained injuries, people from your church and people you serve. Whose life could you make better with some simple seating changes to your facility? When you make it easier to host people who struggle, you could be the one sitting pretty!