Rosemarie Rossetti is a powerful, internationally known speaker, trainer, consultant, writer, and publisher who walks her talk. On June 13, 1998, Rossetti’s life was transformed when a 3 1/2 ton tree came crashing down on her and paralyzed her from the waist down. Author of the Universal Design Toolkit and Take Back Your Life! Together with her husband she designed, built, and lives in the Universal Design Living Laboratory. This is the top-rated universal design home in North America with three national universal design certifications.

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Universal Design Living Laboratory

Learn More






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Helpful Links

American Housing Survey referenced in the episode.

Universal Design Living Laboratory for virtual tour, many photographs, and additional references.

Universal Design Toolkit free chapter.

Rosemarie Speaks website for additional information on consulting with Rosemarie Rossetti.

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Nichole Kain

Environmental Gerontologist
OTR/L, MA, CAPS

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About your host: Nichole Kain is a residential universal design and aging-in-place consultant, her work is based in solid research and guided by a deep appreciation for the power of place and importance of personal choice. 

Nichole is the founder of Home and Place Project. With a background in occupational therapy, environmental gerontology, and training as a certified aging in place specialist, she helps homeowners, researchers, and business owners go beyond ADA to create beautiful and inclusive environments.

To connect, collaborate, or just learn more about Nichole and her work, please visit: www.homeandplaceproject.com 

Want to be social? You can also find Nichole on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn

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Podcast Transcript

APA Citation:

Kain, N. (Host) & Rossetti, R. (Guest). (2019, March 1). Universal Design Toolkit: An interview with Rosemarie Rossetti [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.homeandplaceproject.com/podcast/2018/11/26/an-Interview-with-rosemarie-rossetti-universal-design-tool-kit

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Intro by Nichole:

[upbeat banjo music]

Hi, I’m your host Nichole Kain and you’re listening to the Home and Place Podcast where I translate theory to practice and create cross-discipline conversations about aging and the importance of place.

I’m so glad you’re here.

Today I’m talking with Dr Rosemarie Rossetti.

Rosemarie is a powerful, internationally known speaker, trainer, consultant, writer, and publisher who walks her talk. On June 13, 1998, Rossetti’s life was transformed when a 3 1/2 ton tree came crashing down on her and paralyzed her from the waist down.

Author of the Universal Design ToolKit and Take Back Your Life! Together with her husband she designed, built, and lives in the Universal Design Living Laboratory. This is the top-rated universal design home in North America with three national universal design certifications.

[end music]

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Nichole: Rosemarie thank you thank you thank you so much for joining me today. This is a true honor to have you on the show!

Rosemarie: You're welcome I appreciate you inviting me.

Nichole: You have an incredible incredible story and I'd love for you to share your personal story and your mission, and really how you got into this work of Universal Design.

Rosemarie: It all started from an accident in June of 98. My husband and I were out for a bicycle ride celebrating our wedding anniversary and a 7000 pound tree fell on the bike trail right on top of me and I was instantly paralyzed (paralyzed incomplete) with a need to use a manual wheelchair for my mobility (and now it's been 20 years post injury) as I looked ahead and discovered that there are many features of homes that cannot accommodate people like myself. Coming home with the realization for the first time in a wheelchair what a perspective that was to realize how difficult life is even rolling on the carpet in my home and trying to reach things. You’re trying to take a shower and not being able to get into the door. So, Nichole, that is really the story in itself. No one can predict when something like that going to happen, but why don't we design things right from the beginning??

Nichole: Oh, you're speaking my language! So often when I go to talk with students I'll share some statistics and stories. I know that that we since we speak such a similar language, you find very powerful statistics as well about our society or and what housing is available. Could you talk about that a little bit?

Rosemarie: I think the most surprising is that only 1% of US housing units have these Universal Design features. And there are five basic ones that came out in the American Housing Survey in 2011.

Those are simple things like a no-step entry. A way to get into the home, be it through the front door, the side door, or the garage for somebody in a wheelchair, or someone in a walker, that lives there or is visiting there. So that’s the first, a no-step entry.

The second one is single floor living, so we have all of the bathroom and kitchen and bedrooms on that first floor.

The next is the extra extra-wide doorways and hallways and we're looking at a 36 inch wide door and (at least) a 42 inch wide hallway.

The accessible electric controls to plug things in and the light switches that are accessible and the lever style door handles and faucet handles.

So of those 5 features, only 1% of US housing units have these in place. And then when you look at housing, more than 90% of US housing units are inaccessible for people with disabilities. And that came from the Journal of American Planning Association in 2008. So we’re looking at homes that just don’t work. The features of accessibility just aren’t there.

Nichole: And people will then say to me, “Wait a second. Isn’t there ADA? Doesn’t that relate to housing?” What do you say to them?

Rosemarie: Well, ADA isn’t about private homes at all.

Nichole: That’s right!

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