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The purpose of this paper is to describe a methodology to measure the circulation area required by a manual or powered wheelchair within a toilet stall and present the range of possible results that can be collected when used in an experimental bathroom setup.

A bathroom environment containing a toilet, grab bars and two transparent acrylic panels suspended on rails to simulate walls was built. Three setups were experimented: 1,500 mm from the walls, 1,500 mm diagonally from the toilet and 1,700 mm from the walls. For each of the participants, markers were placed on the back and on the rear of the wheelchair and one on the toes of the participants. The Vicon® optical motion capture system was used to register the markers’ position in the 3D space.

The methodology proved to be relatively easy to install, efficient and easy to interpret in terms of results. It provides specific points from which it is possible to measure the trajectories of markers and calculate the polygonal projection of the area covered by each participant. The results showed that manual and powered wheelchair users required, respectively, 100 and 300 mm more than the minimum 1,500 mm wall-to-wall area to complete a rotation task in front of the toilet.

These results showed that the 1,500 mm gyration area proposed in the Canadian Code of Construction is not sufficient for manual and powered wheelchair users to circulate easily in toilet stalls. The methodology can provide evidence to support the improvement of construction norms in terms of accessible circulation areas.

The purpose of this paper is to verify whether the horizontal grab bar for the toilet and the bathtub suggested by the Code du bâtiment du Québec conform to users’ preferences. Perceived effort, comfort and safety were considered.

In total, 31 adults and seniors using manual and powered wheelchairs were asked to test different grab bar configurations for both the toilet and bathtub. A questionnaire was designed to evaluate participants’ perceptions and preferences after the trials with each grab bar. Effort was measured using the ten-level Borg scale, while participants’ comfort and safety were assessed with a five-point Likert scale. Participants were finally invited to express an overall personal preference between the two grab bar used in each setup.

Participants showed preference for an L-shaped grab bar for the toilet, and a horizontal grab bar for the bathtub. The authors’ results differ from the recommendations of the barrier-free design standards of the province of Quebec’s construction code, which states that horizontal grab bars should be used for the toilet and bathtub.

This study suggest that despite the limited sample, there is an undeniable need for testing norms for public spaces, whenever is possible and has a direct effect on end-users, before publishing them.

Current thinking suggests that specialized services are needed for the successful community reintegration of ex-inmates with psychiatric disabilities (Hartwell & Orr (1999). Psychiatric Services, 50, 1220–1222; Healey (1999). National Institute of Justice, February; Hartwell, Friedman, & Orr (2001). New England Journal of Public Policy, 19, 73–82). Nevertheless, stable community re-entry after criminal incarceration involves the response of multiple organizations due to the complexity of community re-entry factors. This chapter presents findings from the analysis of secondary data collected since 1998 and a qualitative interview study with ex-inmates with psychiatric disabilities that identified pathways and turning points influencing community re-entry. Using Sampson and Laub's life course theory as a framework (Sampson & Laub (1993). Crime in the making: Pathways and turning points through life. Cambridge, MA: Harward University Press.), the pathways and turning points offer a point of departure for agencies and organizations in responding to ex-inmates with psychiatric disabilities in the community. Pathways related to service needs at release include race, age, education, diagnosis, and criminal history; whether an individual is on probation or parole; and whether an individual has a history of homelessness, mental health services, and/or substance abuse. Turning points post release include institutional resource availability, living arrangements, psychotropic medication compliance, outpatient therapy and substance abuse treatment, and having entitlements and benefits in place at release.