Using architecture and technology to promote improved quality of life for military service members with traumatic brain injury.
Today, injured service members are surviving wounds that would have been fatal in previous wars. A recent RAND report estimates that approximately 320,000 service members may have experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI) during deployment, and it is not uncommon for a soldier to sustain multiple associated injuries such as limb loss, paralysis, sensory loss, and psychological damage. As a result, many military service members and their families face significant challenges returning to a high quality of independent life. The architectural concepts of universal design (UD) and evidence-based design (EBD) are gaining interest as an integral part of the rehabilitation process of veterans with TBI. This article examines the possibilities presented by UD and EBD in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, in terms of high-end building and interior design quality, and possible technological options for individuals with disabilities.
Pasquina
Paul F
PF
Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, 6900 Georgia Avenue, Washington, DC 20307, USA. paul.pasquna@u.s.army.mil
Pasquina
Lavinia Fici
LF
Anderson-Barnes
Victoria C
VC
Giuggio
Jeffrey S
JS
Cooper
Rory A
RA
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D006801:Humans; D008889:Military Personnel; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012656:Self-Help Devices; D014481:United States