Custom ADA Signs for Assisted Living Facilities: Benefits, Guidelines & More
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If you manage an assisted living facility (or frequently fabricate signage for those who do), you know that having ADA-compliant displays is necessary. What you may not know is that such signage doesn’t have to be bland or ugly just to conform to ADA standards. In fact, ADA signs for assisted living facilities can be customized to include elements of an organization’s brand identity and fit existing décor.
Getting custom ADA signs for your or a client’s facility is highly recommended, which is why it’s worth learning more about the following:
- What specific benefits these signs can offer
- How ADA displays can be customized
- How to ensure the finished product is installed properly
But first, let’s take a moment to discuss the importance of ADA signage in assisted living facilities…
The Importance of ADA Signage in Assisted Living Facilities
Assisted living facilities are another example of a type of building that needs to follow some stringent ADA guidelines, especially when you consider the people who will be spending a great deal of time in these buildings. Many of the residents will have poor vision, walking difficulties, and more. This means ADA compliance is necessary from a legal and logistical standpoint to avoid potential fines and lawsuits.
Proper signage for people who are aging and perhaps even suffering from decreasing cognitive abilities must reflect clarity in terms of words, placement, and pictures, and must use contrasting colors. It’s not just enough for a sign to say, “Men’s Room,” for example—there should be clear color and picture identifiers. Further, the fonts used must be clear and crisp in color and use tones that contrast well with the background.
When it comes down to it, ADA signage helps create a warm, welcoming, and functional environment for residents. It’s not just about adhering to the law; it’s about reducing stress, improving navigation, and making those in the organization’s care feel more secure.
Benefits of Custom ADA Signs for Assisted Living Facilities
Whether you’re interested in outfitting your facility with new ADA signage or assisting a client in this area, chances are you’re curious about what specific benefits these signs can offer. Here are some of the advantages of custom ADA signs for assisted living facilities:
- They help provide a good first impression to new residents, new staff, and visitors.
- They enforce an organization’s branding efforts by incorporating brand look and feel.
- They improve navigation for residents and visitors by making wayfinding much easier.
- They allow for quick and easy identification, which can help boost residents’ memory skills.
- They ensure compliance without sacrificing appearance, allowing for a clean and attractive look.
Additionally, on the sign shop side, the ability to provide assisted living clients with custom ADA signs allows professionals to tackle special projects—even when orders can’t be addressed in-house.
How to Customize ADA Displays for Such Facilities
Now that you understand the benefits of getting custom ADA signs for assisted living facilities, you’re likely curious about what customization options are available.
Here are some of the ways your (or your client’s) signs can be fabricated to fit your exact needs:
- Colors – As long as there’s a high level of contrast between background and text, ADA signs can feature virtually any color imaginable. If you have a brand color palette available, you can have these shades woven throughout all ADA displays.
- Font – It may come as a surprise, but there are several font choices when it comes to ADA signage. Per ADA guidelines, all important text must be in sans serif font; however, this still leaves quite a few options. Further, non-important text (such as the organization’s name) can be included in whatever font is normally used.
- Logo – ADA signs for assisted living facilities not only can feature the organization’s logo but also should! This helps reinforce the brand and ensure consistency across all displays. By providing an appropriate file, you can have a logo placed on all signs you order.
- Shape – Although many go the traditional route with square or rectangular signage, there’s a world of possibilities when it comes to shape. If a different form suits your needs better, you can have signage fabricated accordingly. The only requirement is that it’s large enough to fit all required text, graphics, and braille.
- Materials – Custom ADA signs for assisted living facilities can also be fabricated in the material of your (or your client’s) choosing. Some popular options include Corian, chemetal, Rowmark ADA Alternative, high-pressure laminate, cast acrylic, extruded acrylic, and frosted acrylic.
- Graphics – Along with logos, ADA signs can be customized with unique graphics and pictograms as desired. Such images can further reflect the look and feel of a facility.
It’s worth noting that compliance doesn’t end at signs themselves. Although you can order custom signs that meet ADA design standards, it’s important to adhere to mounting guidelines as well. That’s why we provided a quick rundown that both facility managers and sign shop owners may find helpful…
Mounting Height Requirements for ADA Signs in Assisted Living Facilities
As mentioned above, ADA compliance isn’t met once signs are ordered. There’s also the matter of making sure they’re mounted properly.
As in any other case of ADA signage, mounting height is crucial. In assisted living facilities, it’s important that signs are mounted in areas where residents will actually see them. ADA guidelines go into great detail about mounting height and locations, but a good rule of thumb is to install braille signs on the latch side of the door no lower than 48 inches from the floor, and no higher than 60 inches from the floor. Consistency in this regard helps make it easier for residents to navigate throughout the building safely and independently.
This idea of independence is especially vital for assisted living facilities. Though the residents are getting older and experiencing more health problems, they still want to maintain their independence as much as possible. Having appropriately designed and mounted custom signs placed throughout a building allows residents to accomplish this.
Takeaway
At Erie Custom Signs, we develop a wide range of custom ADA-approved signs specifically for assisted living facilities. These signs include everything from room markers and descriptions to emergency signs, directories, and rule postings. As our team is well versed in ADA rules and regulations, you can feel confident your order will meet both federal and state regulations.
Further, you have the ability to choose from several customizable options to better incorporate and blend the signage seamlessly with existing décor. You can use various patterns on top of laminate or acrylic surfaces, as well as choose from a wide assortment of designs.
For more information about custom ADA signs for assisted living facilities, contact Erie Custom Signs today for a free quote!
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