Product Development

Access Table Design

The Access Table came about after interacting with senior residents living in a nursing home and observing the lack of a true dining experience. Instead of seeing an enjoyable event, I watched as my friend, Miriam, donned in an undignified full length bib, struggle with her left hand to get soup from her bowl to her mouth as she sat in her wheelchair. It was time for a paradigm shift.

For many years, the solution to adjustable table height was to raise and lower the base of a table. My experience told me otherwise. Staff often are not trained to change the height of tables to meet resident needs and often don’t have time to climb under the table to crank the table to an appropriate height for someone seated in a wheelchair. The other human factor missing from this solution is the ability for someone sitting in a wheelchair to be seated at the same table as someone sitting in a chair. So if all of your friends are seated in chairs, you can not sit with them, or if you do it is very difficult to feed yourself. After discussing this, with Miriam, and other residents, I realized that the table needed to come to the person instead of the person coming to the table. After many months of researching gadgets and holding design meetings with Chuck Beavan, my business partner, manufacturers and casework fabricators; it was clear that the simplest way to meet the need was to create an apron with a drawer that contained a bridge.

Universal Design for Lifelong Wellness

Designed by Patapsco Woodworks, (a product design sister company to JSR Associates, Inc.) and manufactured and distributed by Leisters Contract Furniture, the innovative Access Table is a well crafted table designed to ensure dignity for seniors. Designed to allow use by wheelchair or regular chair, the table satisfies the Universal Design credo of equal opportunity access. Its unparalleled quality and value to the health care and long term living marketplace make it a viable choice for any healthcare or aging in place setting.

Research Based Design

The Access Table is the product of real-life research and Leisters’ commitment to quality, durability and timeless design. With slide-out tabletops, the Access Table allows residents in wheelchairs to dine comfortably without having to reach awkwardly for their food. It’s truly a breakthrough in beauty and functionality and available in countless, customizable configurations.

Dimensions/Specifications

Standard dimensions: 41" x 45" x 30"H (floor to rail height is 27"). Drawers are placed on 41" ends and are 17 3/4" deep. Shelf measures 12" x 15 ¾". Available in the standard four-leg configuration and also in an oversized pedestal version that seats ten.

The Access Table can be customized with a variety of paints, stains, and leg options. Smart design, quality craftsmanship, durable Ndura™ surface and the look and feel of a residential dining table, it adds up to the perfect choice for the elder-care living environment.

Corner Cabinet Design

Resident rooms are commonly found to be limited in space making it difficult to add storage units without compromising floor space. One underutilized area in room design is the corner. By designing corner storage cabinets, JSR was able to co-opt several cubic feet of additional storage without sacrificing circulation or living space. The corner cabinet design provides an attractive storage and counter unit for the resident without taking up additional space. The cabinets are composed of high-quality materials and quality craftsmanship with a variety of customizable configurations.