Brief Summary
This project will finalize the design and demonstrate the feasibility of PrivyPod, which is an innovative prefabricated and modular bathroom designed to support older adults who are at a high risk of falling and/or who use an assistive device such as a wheelchair for their indoor mobility. PrivyPod addresses the critical challenge of providing an accessible and safe bathroom to the >40 million Americans who want to age in place but lack access to a full bathroom on the floor of the home which they live.

Objectives

1. Iterative prototype development and installation of functioning prototype in the HHL
2. Usability evaluation with older adults with mobility impairments trialing out the PrivyPod prototype in the HHL
3. Prototype refinement guided by stakeholder usability feedback

Results
This Phase I study is in progress to determine the technical feasibility and commercial potential of this novel modular bathroom system.

Community Impact
Lack of bathroom access is one of the most common reasons older move into more expensive and often less preferable nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Development of this novel product could lead to a viable alternative for older adults who do not currently have a first-story accessible bathroom.

Funding Source
U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Grant

Partners