Universal design is the future for creating bathrooms for an aging population.
It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone in the construction industry that baby boomers are making a tremendous impact on the housing industry. With between 70 million and 80 million people, “boomers” comprise almost one-third of the nation's population. In 2003, there were almost 36 million people age 65 or older, a little more than 12 percent of the population. And by 2030, one in five Americans will be 65+.
An early-2003 housing survey by the American Association of Retired Persons interviewed 2,001 people aged 45 and older about the home features, community characteristics and services they consider important for their later years. More than four in five (83 percent) said they wanted to stay in their current residence for as long as possible, even if they may need help caring for themselves down the road.