At B&K Expo, the Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) is launching a new questionnaire that will help retailers tap into the relatively virgin market of inclusive design, or ‘Design for Life’.

Produced in conjunction with the knowledgeable ex-chairman of the College of Occupational Therapists, Kate Sheehan, the Rate Your Bathroom questionnaire ensures retailers and installers ask the right questions, thus guaranteeing the right product is sold and eradicating any awkwardness or embarrassment by posing a series of questions making the product selection process easier.

Kate Sheehan comments: “The number of people taking early retirement and looking forward to an active 'third age' of healthy, independent life after work is growing. These people want to remain in their own homes for as long as possible and therefore have to adapt their bathrooms to suit their changing needs without compromising on quality or design.

“In addition these people tend to have the highest levels of disposable income in the UK and most own their own homes, so surely it is time the Bathroom Industry capitalised on this opportunity?”

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Research conducted by the BMA in 2006 with professional carers and occupational therapists revealed that to ensure independent living we will require larger bathrooms to facilitate manoeuvrability, despite the fact that the majority of British bathrooms measure only 8x6 feet with just about enough space to accommodate the basics.

This is where clever design and planning can make a real difference. Using inclusive design products could offer the perfect solution in these cases.

Sheehan continues: “Consumers with particular requirements often find it very difficult to ask for what they need due to embarrassment and a lack of product knowledge or availability.

“The Rate Your Bathroom questionnaire totally eradicates any awkwardness or embarrassment for the retailer installer and customer.”

Speaking about the new fact sheet BMA Chief Executive Yvonne Orgill says: “Industry needs to realise that it is not only severely disabled people who need to modify aspects of their homes. Many people with debilitating conditions such as arthritis, waning eyesight and less strength also need to consider how they can adapt their homes to meet their changing requirements. This is a fantastic opportunity for retailers and installers.”

By 2008, projections suggest that almost 40 per cent of the European population will be aged over 50, while figures from the Office of National Statistics state that by 2050 the UK’s over 60s population will have grown 56 per cent, which means an additional six million people over the age of 60, including today’s 16 year-olds.

To help retailers capitalise on inclusive design bathrooms, the BMA will host a workshop in conjunction with Kate Sheehan, demonstrating how to overcome the awkwardness surrounding independent living and get the most out of this evolving marketplace.

(CD)