Working in conjunction with Ferguson Enterprises of Wausau, Wis., bath fixtures manufacturer Lasco Bathware donated two products from its FreedomLine series to the Chairs & Cares Model Accessible House.

Working in conjunction with Ferguson Enterprises of Wausau, Wis., bath fixtures manufacturer Lasco Bathware donated two products from its FreedomLine series to the Chairs & Cares Model Accessible House, a two-story, 4,600-square-foot showcase home built on the North Central Technical College campus designed to inform visitors of the many residential products and design features available to people with disabilities and inabilities.

The Lasco products were selected from its FreedomLine collection of assisted-care and barrier-free bathware products for residential and assisted-living environments. The products are located in the two upper-floor bathrooms:

• A four-piece, modular roll-in shower (model F1604-P) with a height-adjustable seat and horizontal movement allows wheelchair users to transfer themselves from their wheelchair to the seat with minimal effort and is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the American National Standards Institute.
• A tub/shower unit (model 2603-SMTE) is also ADA- and ANSI-compliant.

“We’re excited to be involved with the Model Accessible House project, which demonstrates how people with disabilities can live with dignity and comfort in their own homes,” said Gus Carver, the sales manager for Lasco Bathware who oversaw Lasco’s participation in the project. “As the baby-boomer generation reaches retirement age and aging-in-place issues become more of a consideration for all homeowners, demonstration houses like this play an important role in educating the home-buying public and letting them know what product options and design opportunities are available to them.”

The home’s grand opening was held Oct. 27, 2007, and included tours to introduce visitors to the benefits offered leading-edge products and technologies. According to Wayne Geurink, president of Chairs & Cares Accessible Model House Inc., the house will provide a number of educational opportunities in addition to showcasing adaptive equipment for persons with disabilities or inabilities, such as technical solutions, building modification information, options to reduce safety concerns in the home, and low-cost enhancements to maintain independence.