[00:00:00] Eric Goranson: It's around the house. We have been talking with Wendy Glaser from Wendy Glaser interiors and Jarrett Oakley, the director of marketing for Toto USA, about aging in place. And those little things you can do to your home along the way.

[00:00:18] Wendy Glaister: Heated floors are coming into play. I think when you talked, Eric, about people's sensitivities, we're doing a lot more heated floors and lighting, especially as you're planning for a living in place, bathroom.

[00:00:32] Wendy Glaister: Or spa retreat. If you're 70, the amount of light that you're going to need to see clearly is double what it was when you were 25. So if we as designers can keep that in mind. When it comes

[00:00:47] Eric Goranson: to remodeling and renovating your home, there is a lot to know. But we've got you covered. This is

[00:00:54] Intro: Around the House.

[00:00:56] Eric Goranson: Welcome to the Around the House show. The next generation [00:01:00] of everything about your home from home. Home improvement to design to construction. We're here to help you out with your next project. Now we've got a super important conversation today that I think anybody that's living in a home or even renting a home should pay attention to because there's a massive.

[00:01:17] Eric Goranson: Trend out there that we're seeing, and that's people aging in place, trying to get a home that's going to last them for a number of years. And of course, even multi generational housing, which is really starting to become popular here in the United States. Oh, we've got some great people here. We got Wendy Glaser, interior designer.

[00:01:36] Eric Goranson: Thanks for coming on today. And of course, Jared Oakley from Toto. Thanks guys for coming on the show today. Thanks, Wendy. Let's talk about you first here and then we'll get to Jared. What's your background? Cause you're an expert in this field as well.

[00:01:51] Wendy Glaister: My practice is in Northern California. About an hour and a half East of San Francisco and South of Sacramento.

[00:01:58] Wendy Glaister: So it was in the bread basket [00:02:00] of California. A lot of farmers, entrepreneurs, self made people. I've been doing this work for 17 years and thankfully, very gratefully have not won a number of awards for the work. A lot of it has been ADA informed. Some aging in place informed, and I recently finished a project for a close friend who was hurt in a car accident.

[00:02:22] Wendy Glaister: So I really got up close and personal with some of those needs for aging in place or living in place with a disability. So it's been a steep but valuable learning curve that I really appreciate.

[00:02:33] Eric Goranson: Yeah, no kidding. Jarrett.

[00:02:35] Jarrett Oakley: Great to have you on here, man. Good to see you again. Thank you, Eric. It's great to see you as well.

[00:02:39] Jarrett Oakley: And Wendy, it's wonderful to see you and have this important conversation today. A little bit about me. I'm the director of marketing here for Toto North America. And so I lead a marketing department. And cross departmental efforts to grow brand awareness of Toto in many different facets in places here in the United States.

[00:02:58] Jarrett Oakley: And one of our [00:03:00] important elements is really getting out to everyone about the importance of living in place around utilizing the washlet, which is a wonderful electronic bidet seat attachment that makes your lives enriched with cleanliness and wellness. And so that is a, I'll be talking a little bit about that.

[00:03:17] Jarrett Oakley: And that's a big push that we have here in the U S market. Yeah,

[00:03:19] Eric Goranson: absolutely guys. This is such a huge thing. Wendy, I can address what you just went through with a friend in a car accident. I had a friend that was sitting in his living room on this little bar area watching a football game and had a medical emergency.

[00:03:33] Eric Goranson: He was okay from the medical emergency, but he broke his leg when he passed out and fell off the or so he ended up now he's been in changing his whole house in, in Southern California. For that very reason, he had no active guy, had no thought of being laid up for any amount of time until something happened really quickly.

[00:03:52] Eric Goranson: And all of a sudden all these things that we're going to talk about today made sense And he's in his 40s. So it's one of those things that snuck up on him quickly [00:04:00] So I think this is one of the very great reasons. This is an important conversation

[00:04:05] Wendy Glaister: Yeah, if you say your friend is a super active guy and loves to be independent, then any change in his lifestyle whatsoever would be really hard to tolerate.

[00:04:14] Wendy Glaister: I think that's the hardest thing is just, you don't know when it's going to happen. It may or may not, but you certainly don't want limits on your life. Nobody wants to feel trapped. So the more we can build in safeguards against that, the better it is for our clients.

[00:04:28] Eric Goranson: Absolutely. And Jared, you guys have helped a lot with this, and this is something, Wendy, I know you've seen out there as well, but to me as a big umbrella over this whole space, I think it's really cool.

[00:04:40] Eric Goranson: That we can now design spaces that don't look like 1980s, 1980s ADA hotel rooms, right? That have big toe kicks and bars and it just looks absolutely horrible. You can make a fully accessible place. But nobody can tell us fully accessible unless they know what they're looking [00:05:00] at.

[00:05:00] Jarrett Oakley: I agree and I think we could agree with this statement.

[00:05:03] Jarrett Oakley: I think that there's a misconception that living in place products can't be luxurious. They can't be beautiful They can't be technologically advanced and that just isn't true uh, and we believe that an individual sense of luxury evolves over time and With universally designed principles in place from our products and with others that you mentioned, that handrail is near seamless until you need to have it right.

[00:05:27] Jarrett Oakley: So that universal design principle is, you don't know it's there or you need it. And then it's there to support you. And we're seeing a growing end of universal design products like our total washlet. Uh, and our washlet plus this universal height, uh, going into homes earlier for people who are future proofing their home for living in place.

[00:05:47] Jarrett Oakley: And I just think that it's a really interesting time in society right now, whereby one of the largest. Most effective populations in the modern era is now retiring at the largest rate [00:06:00] in history that they are now bringing what it means to retire and to live in place. And it really is living dignity and respect.

[00:06:08] Jarrett Oakley: So

[00:06:09] Eric Goranson: yeah, Jared, I completely agree. It's one of those things that it's so beautiful out there. And I think back as a designer myself, I learned a lot of universal design stuff from Mary Jo Peterson back in the days who was really early on. And I think I was learning stuff from her in the. Like late nineties.

[00:06:25] Eric Goranson: I was taking classes from her and just opening my eyes up to it. Cause at that point, nobody was talking about it and she was really spearheading that effort. And it's so great to see how that's evolved over the years.

[00:06:37] Wendy Glaister: I think too, just things you don't need to have everything visible while you're remodeling a bathroom.

[00:06:44] Wendy Glaister: If you're doing a bathroom for someone in their forties, you don't want. The grab bar necessarily in the shower, even though it's beautiful cooler, makes some beautiful grab bars that look like towel bars, but you can't put the blocking and you can specify exactly where it is. So [00:07:00] if someone turns their ankle or if someone has to have a surgery, it's available and you don't have to tear your.

[00:07:07] Wendy Glaister: Beautiful 20, 000 shower apart so that you can get in and out. And I just little things, thoughtfulness on how people may need to live in their home going forward. It doesn't take a lot of extra money. It just takes a little extra thought and concern. Like putting

[00:07:24] Eric Goranson: that outlet behind the toilet, right?

[00:07:25] Eric Goranson: Jared, if you can do that for a washlet, you're

[00:07:30] Jarrett Oakley: 95%. Absolutely. And what we're seeing is if, um, You know, right now, if we all started a movement right now that we said, Hey, building code ordinances need to change. We have to have these outlets installed. We can then change the zeitgeist of thinking about, uh, a spa like sense of clean every day with a electronic bidet seat or total washlet, but also something that helps people with mobility, mobility challenges, those that are aging with community in respect with supporting of toileting.

[00:07:59] Jarrett Oakley: And [00:08:00] once that goes in and someone tries a total washlet. And understands the benefits that it brings to their lives from being able to toilet independently in their later years to waking up just every day, like myself and using it and feeling rejuvenated, refreshed and gives a pep in my step every day.

[00:08:18] Jarrett Oakley: A sense of wellness is created. So I feel like that 1 hurdle that you mentioned, Eric, if you get to that. Install of that outlet. You are really well on your way to a revolution in your bathroom.

[00:08:29] Eric Goranson: And I also think it helps people outside of just the aging in place. Think about all the people that we deal with today that have sensory issues, where that shock of a cold toilet seat is horrible.

[00:08:41] Eric Goranson: And this is just making their life more comfortable, whether or not they use that seat fully or not, these are all great things that happen as well as it makes a little bit taller as well, which means it's easier to get on and off that for anybody, whether you've got a sore knee that day, or you've got even a different mobility issues.

[00:08:59] Eric Goranson: [00:09:00] Absolutely.

[00:09:00] Wendy Glaister: Two for women, because most of my clients, if you look in through interior design, the industry itself, and who are our customers, Women are mostly interior designers and most of our clients are women. They're the ones who write the checks for what goes in your home. And as women get older and their estrogen levels drop, UTI infections go way high.

[00:09:24] Wendy Glaister: And the danger of UTI is it can go to your kidneys and then it goes to your heart. So when they say that women die of heart disease, it's not always the full picture. But if we can help stop the UTI problem. And the total washlet and bidet is extremely effective in that I had, I placed one in a client's home where her mother was aging and staying with her.

[00:09:48] Wendy Glaister: She actually runs a care givers service, quite a large caregiver service, but she just came for her own mother in her home and it was a constant battle with and [00:10:00] once we put the washlet in. And her visits to the hospital went almost completely away. So people who are into women's health and healthy aging for women all talk about, you've got to get rid of the UTIs.

[00:10:13] Wendy Glaister: And honestly, the big, the bidet toilet and the washlet seat is the best way to go about that.

[00:10:20] Jarrett Oakley: That's really nice to hear that, Wendy. And that's really what. All of our staff members and people who work on the total washlet, they really are driven by a sense of creating a better standard of living for the end user.

[00:10:33] Jarrett Oakley: Right. And that is a part of our ethos since our founding. And it's nice to hear that.

[00:10:38] Wendy Glaister: Yeah. Stay out of the hospital. Stay

[00:10:41] Jarrett Oakley: out

[00:10:42] Wendy Glaister: of the hospital. You can live to a ripe old age of whatever it is you'd like. Just don't end up there.

[00:10:49] Eric Goranson: Absolutely. And it's something too, that I think it's great. There's. Also misconception with these seats.

[00:10:55] Eric Goranson: And I think it's some of the new online purchases people are getting where there's this big [00:11:00] jumble of tubes and wires and nastiness on the side. They go, Oh, I want it to be a clean installation. Jerry, you guys have done a great job now with even just putting this on a Drake toilet where you've created things to hide that and put it away.

[00:11:14] Eric Goranson: So it's not this big jumble of what with the one 99 Amazon seats out there.

[00:11:19] Jarrett Oakley: Yeah, yeah. And this what's nice about this is we really have taken the Washlet electronic bidet seat. We introduced it in January and June of 1980. And since then, we've been working with folks like Wendy interior designers and having our ear to the ground on what is the best way to reach the apex of performance design and functionality all to create a comfortable experience.

[00:11:43] Jarrett Oakley: What you're talking about is our Washlet plus series. So this is a toilet that has a hole in it that hides all the very, only two or three cords that come in, but hides it seamlessly from a design. So it's sleek, it's clean, it [00:12:00] goes with a modern bathroom, uh, element, and then you can plug it into your, to your wall.

[00:12:05] Jarrett Oakley: That washlet plus is a really wonderful component of our product lineup. And we're seeing those really take hold in the United States where people want. A superior toilet that is award winning and also award winning washly experience. They're buying them both and putting them in, just like Wendy said, thinking ahead on their install and saying, I'm going to install and design this for the long term for my health now and in the future.

[00:12:31] Jarrett Oakley: So.

[00:12:32] Eric Goranson: Yeah,

[00:12:32] Jarrett Oakley: that makes

[00:12:33] Eric Goranson: sense. That makes sense. Wendy, what are you seeing with your clients out there? You've, you do this day in and day out of working with people and addressing their needs and everything else. What are some of the hottest trends that you're seeing these days? It's

[00:12:45] Wendy Glaister: a huge emphasis on Health and wellness.

[00:12:48] Wendy Glaister: And again, stay now the hospital. So we're dropping all the thresholds and all the showers. So it's a zero threshold shower. We use a lot of the Schluter drains the guys that I [00:13:00] love to work with the most on our teams. They like the Vario and the KERDI line of the Schluter offerings. And the Vario is new for Schluter.

[00:13:09] Wendy Glaister: You can cut to fit. For that linear drain. It doesn't have a tile in feature, but they have four different really pretty designs And it's a little bit easier to get out to clean so people like that a lot There's a big up surge in steam showers. We do a lot with Mr. Steam actually and That's been shown to lower your blood pressure help you with allergies and asthma And have you enjoy better sleep.

[00:13:36] Wendy Glaister: And those three things living in the Valley where I do and work with surrounded by agriculture, that's a huge deal. And, you know, everyday stress and trouble with sleep as you get older is something that a lot of us don't escape. So anything that helps that always is something that's a big plus. Heated floors are coming into play.

[00:13:54] Wendy Glaister: I think when you talked, Eric, about people's sensitivities, we're doing a lot more [00:14:00] heated floors and lighting. Especially as you're planning for a living in place, bathroom, or spa retreat. If you're 70, the amount of light that you're going to need to see clearly is double what it was when you were 25. So if we as designers can keep that in mind when we're doing the lighting plan for a living in place type of bathroom, you can put everything on a dimmer, but then later the client finds they really need to see clearly, just turn up the dimmer and you're fine.

[00:14:33] Wendy Glaister: Tuneable lighting also is very important because it has a lot to do with. Circadian rhythm and your quality of sleep. Some research shows that if you just have a constant with LED and it's a cooler light, it really messes up your circadian rhythm. So you want a tunable light where it, when it's on its highest value, it's a cool, clean light for 5, 000.

[00:14:53] Wendy Glaister: And as you dim it, it goes down to 27 and it's a warmer light. It's a lot easier as you're trying to kind of tone [00:15:00] down your day as you prepare to sleep, like a sleep hygiene program, the thing. So those things are pretty popular and we're seeing a lot of it. I really honestly incorporate, try to incorporate all of it into the work that I do now, because it makes such a big difference in people's quality of life.

[00:15:15] Eric Goranson: Yeah, that makes sense. I did a steam shower at my house here, boy, during one of my COVID projects. And I was like, all right, well, I'm stuck at home. So I might as well do my bathroom remodel. And I put in a, I didn't go Mr. Steam, but I did the thermosol system in there. So I have the video screen and the, The aromatherapy, chromotherapy, all that different stuff with it, and I did it all myself, which was totally fun, but you really have to pay attention on the health and wellness side of putting steam in because not only do you need it to be waterproof, it needs to be vapor proof, which a lot of systems don't work well with.

[00:15:47] Eric Goranson: Behind the tile or slab porcelain or whatever you're doing there. So there's some science in here. People have to pay attention to, especially if you're going to try to tackle it as a project. But hopefully your tile setter knows exactly what they're working with and what those [00:16:00] expectations are.

[00:16:01] Wendy Glaister: Yes. We have a great team and

[00:16:02] Eric Goranson: if

[00:16:04] Wendy Glaister: they aren't well acquainted with it and they don't have a familiarity, then they don't work on them.

[00:16:09] Wendy Glaister: We can use them in another tasteful haul. There we go.

[00:16:12] Eric Goranson: There we go. I love it. So I got a question for Jared here. What you guys are always coming out with, you just have always been, I've worked with you guys for over 20 years. You guys have always been 10 steps about beyond everybody else, especially when it comes to toilets and bidets and stuff, and they're always chasing behind you, where do you see technology going in the years ahead, because it just keeps getting better and better.

[00:16:38] Eric Goranson: And I go, what's next.

[00:16:40] Jarrett Oakley: So what we firmly believe are. Manufacturing process, our product development process is all rooted in the fact that we believe that there is a washlet for every home in America, right? So we will consistently make more feature rich, thinner, more elegantly designed or differently designed to match the consumer's [00:17:00] taste of the moment or anticipate the consumer's taste working with.

[00:17:04] Jarrett Oakley: Architects, designers, listening to our partners in the industry, Wendy, to know where our products are heading. So that's where our ethos of our product and manufacturing process lies. But also we want to make sure that universal design principles are upheld and they will since our founding until I guarantee the next products that we launch soon, we'll have those principles in place that no matter what age or dexterity or Mobility that you have, you'll be able to use our products with effectiveness that will be certainly in place.

[00:17:37] Jarrett Oakley: But I also see that just like the microprocess ship, things are getting faster and faster towards the most technologically advanced possible. And I'm confident that Toto will continue to be at the vanguard of that. But offering technologies at every product line step,

[00:17:55] Wendy Glaister: Eric, if I could speak to that too, because I got to meet with Jared and Lenore and some [00:18:00] of the team at total when I saw them at cave is I'm sorry, I miss you.

[00:18:03] Wendy Glaister: But they did you see that incredible bathtub? Oh my

[00:18:07] Intro: gosh,

[00:18:07] Wendy Glaister: the total just weather. I have a lot of clients that are on their feet all day. If they're in the medical profession, if they're in retail, If they're leading a team, you're up a lot. And by the end of the day, you're pretty tired. Wouldn't it be fantastic if you got into an ergonomically engineered bathtub that's zero gravity.

[00:18:31] Wendy Glaister: So all of your pain evaporates into the water and goes down the drain. It was so fun because I took a huge tour of interior design society designers by the total booth to see the washlet and explain how using clients homes all the time. And we saw this And all of us just oogled and gathered around and tried to touch the water and figure out how it all worked.

[00:18:53] Wendy Glaister: But that was pretty impressive, as was that ComfortWave technology that they have in their shower heads. [00:19:00] It's, because especially in California, we have a lot of water wise regulations and things like that, so it's not always the coziest shower experience. But that ComfortWave technology, where they infuse the air particulates into the water drops, makes it feel like a bigger water droplet, so it doesn't just pound on you.

[00:19:20] Wendy Glaister: It's pretty impressive as well.

[00:19:21] Eric Goranson: Yeah. That tub Jarrett was stunning. And I'm happy you guys had that center stage in there because I walked in the booth and it was like, Oh,

[00:19:31] Jarrett Oakley: pleaser. It is, it is what everyone is just looks at and says, man, I would love to have that in my house, myself included. That is something I would love to be able to give my wife one day.

[00:19:41] Jarrett Oakley: Cause she just loves a bath at the end of the day. I think many people across the country would agree with that. So. The Eric, you meant you made me think about something. So technologies around helping keep the products cleaner and longer. That is a trend that we see [00:20:00] continue. We are seeing that we also are seeing the wall hung units come to prominence.

[00:20:06] Jarrett Oakley: We're seeing those become more. Acceptable what's nice about those is you can set the height to your needs when you're installing them in the wall. And we'd like, as you guys know, at Davis this year, we launched the W X 2, which is our newest near arrest line. And it's the only wall hung that we have in the lineup.

[00:20:24] Jarrett Oakley: So it features. Act like technology that when enacted a UV light with electrolyzed water and our proprietary glaze keeps the bowl cleaner longer. That types of technology will continue.

[00:20:36] Eric Goranson: Yeah. I think nobody will ever complain about a self cleaning toilet.

[00:20:41] Wendy Glaister: Oh, no. Ever.

[00:20:42] Jarrett Oakley: And you know what? Every time I talk with our colleagues overseas and they're saying, how is that technology going?

[00:20:48] Jarrett Oakley: What is the, what's the, the feeling from architects and designers like you all and the community will just keep it coming. A hundred

[00:20:56] Eric Goranson: percent. And that's, what's cool. And I wanted to talk about this because [00:21:00] it's something that I think so many people across the country are dealing with. We mentioned earlier about that baby boomer generation that is now retired or retiring.

[00:21:09] Eric Goranson: And now we've got a lot of people that are discussing about, okay, what happens when, right? It's that what happens when they hit this point where their parents parent or whatever relative needs help. And that generation didn't have a lot of, and to this day, most people don't have a lot of that long term care insurance.

[00:21:32] Eric Goranson: Where they're covered. It's not in your typical health plan. And people have not signed up for that because it's pretty expensive. So you look at that and people start to price out, what would it cost to put somebody in a care facility? One is we talked about earlier, the lifespan isn't good. Second of all, geez, that can be five to 15, 000 a month.

[00:21:54] Eric Goranson: Depending on the situation, you can remodel a bathroom pretty inexpensively compared to [00:22:00] that, to buy some time till they get to that next step.

[00:22:03] Wendy Glaister: I think, yeah, we talked about that a little bit, Eric, before we started on air, and I mentioned Dan Butner lived 100 years, the Netflix special, and all of that, and his studies on centenarian culture, and they do not put people into homes.

[00:22:18] Wendy Glaister: And in fact, Some of the research that we're seeing, especially coming from AARP, says if you place someone in a home, their lifespan decreases by 70%. They'll be gone in 3 years or less because there is nothing that feels like Life, your garden isn't there, your neighbors aren't there, your church isn't there, your art supplies aren't where you want them.

[00:22:46] Wendy Glaister: You don't have the freedom to make choices on your own when you want to sleep, when you want to eat, where you're going to go, who you're going to see, who you're going to call, whether or not you get to have fresh flowers in your room. There is nothing that [00:23:00] we can do. I think take for granted when we're healthy as just life and lovely and fun, and this is how we live.

[00:23:07] Wendy Glaister: Once you go into a facility like that, you don't have those options. And I think that's why it's so meaningful, especially, and it sounds funny to talk about a toilet this way, but if it means you get to stay in your home with your friends, with the people that you love near you, with your pets, With your habits with your hobbies and the things that you love and make life worth living.

[00:23:32] Wendy Glaister: That's a great choice and I'm seeing people do that more and more because people just don't want to be trapped No one likes that and not in a jail cell not in a home not by Not preparing. It's important to think ahead and you can do it in such a beautiful way too. That really makes sense. So

[00:23:54] Jarrett Oakley: I love that.

[00:23:55] Jarrett Oakley: Mindy about, so it's, I think it's a seismic movement that [00:24:00] needs to occur with conversations like what we're having now, where we turn going old in America or aging in America to be something that's less taboo and more of a triumph. The idea that we talk about something as though this is planning for, uh, a luxurious and enriching point of my life, not something that we dread or we put on the back burner and look at it every once in a while.

[00:24:25] Jarrett Oakley: And with fear and not having understanding. And at the same token, we're seeing a society that's witnessing an unprecedented time where people are living far longer and healthier in their life, right? And they're productive. We're, I think the term golden years is an archaic term. I think, I think that people are choosing not to retire.

[00:24:48] Jarrett Oakley: And they want to live healthy, happier lives and products like our total washlet and wash the plus models. Help them do that because they live with, like Wendy said, dignity and respect and [00:25:00] independence in the home that, that their community is in. Family and friends are in, that they built memories in their home.

[00:25:06] Jarrett Oakley: They raised a family in. And so I think is that we need to remove the stigma of talking about aging gracefully in America and make it. Something of a triumph and all of us, Eric, thank you for hosting us to talk about this, Wendy, to continue to champion future proofing and living in place and manufacturers like us to say, Hey, we hear you, we see this need.

[00:25:31] Jarrett Oakley: And we are going to produce products that not only are great for a young person who just moves in their first home, but for that person that wants to, to live in that home far later in their years with dignity, respect, and independence. And I feel like that is a luxury. Great. We should all attain.

[00:25:47] Eric Goranson: Amen.

[00:25:48] Eric Goranson: Agree. Yeah. To compound on that, you think about it of, let's pick a number like 9, 000 a month, which is fairly average for a lot of hired. You need [00:26:00] places for people to be. If you could put in a toilet and a few other little things in the house, one, they're going to stay 70 percent longer lifespan staying in their own home.

[00:26:11] Eric Goranson: That's a solid number. And you're not paying that out. Yeah. This becomes just such an automatic yes for many people that even if you had to do a big bathroom remodel After six months to a year, guess what? You're well ahead of the game now. And you've got extra lifespan and your home where you're comfortable, where your friends come and visit.

[00:26:34] Eric Goranson: And like you said, Wendy, the flowers can be where they want to. You don't have all these rules in a box that you're dealing with. And it's funnel. You can change these things out with making an announcement of who we're making a hospital bathroom. No,

[00:26:48] Wendy Glaister: yes. I think we've done. I've seen six of these in the past two years, and no, I can assure you that none of them look like a hospital.

[00:26:59] Wendy Glaister: They're [00:27:00] all lovely and distinct for each client's personality. There's one that's bright turquoise blue, and there's one that's all purple. Like a bisque color and very quiet. And there's one that's blue and white and gold and more bold and brave, but it's each client investing and showing their personality through their design choices, but also.

[00:27:23] Wendy Glaister: Like you said, Jarrett, future proofing their home so that they can enjoy it forever. And it's funny because a lot of my clients have kids weigh in and offer their opinion, adult children will say, and it's really funny because They do not really want to hear their adult children's perspective, nor, I'm sure, would they like their adult children to make choices for them as they get a little older in years, and so they're really protecting themselves from unwanted input for decades to come, which As [00:28:00] a mother of a semi adult child, I can tell you, this is very attractive to me.

[00:28:05] Jarrett Oakley: Same. Wendy, you got me thinking, and Eric, there's financial costs, and then there's emotional costs. Yes. And we're talking about emotional costs of oops, mom or dad gets hurt or injured or falls, and all of a sudden, The thing that it was taboo that you're not focusing on is now suddenly thrusted upon you.

[00:28:24] Jarrett Oakley: And that is a terrifying prospect. So future proofing and thinking about these things from a design perspective, construction perspective from a bathroom perspective is really. Our way of planning for something like, right. And I know financial services are doing something and other sectors of society.

[00:28:44] Jarrett Oakley: But there's also something, the financial aspect, Eric, about putting someone in a home versus renovating. We, we also fail to think about the fam, the caregiver, the family caregiver, caring for the loved one. And there's about 40 million [00:29:00] individuals that provide unpaired care in the United States. And these are adult members, typically, or a friend.

[00:29:05] Jarrett Oakley: And nearly eight out of the 10 of those caregivers of a recent report showed that they had out of pocket expenses themselves taking care of their loved one around 7, 200 a year. Just so not only is it expensive for the elder to age in America, but caregivers are feeling the burden too. That's on top of also probably raising a family and trying to keep a big job.

[00:29:31] Jarrett Oakley: And so it's definitely something that we need to approach as a subject. And I would say like any product, like a handrail that doesn't look like a handrail or universal height washlet pluses with a, with an award winning washlet. It helps you toilet every day. These things matter. And these things help the caregiver.

[00:29:51] Jarrett Oakley: We have research from Washington University in St. Louis. We did that shows that caregiver satisfaction raises. When they're helping the individual that they love with toileting [00:30:00] support, they age with grace and dignity. And now this time in their lives become filled with good memories. And so there is so much to unpack with these, this, uh, topic, but the first step is talking about it.

[00:30:15] Jarrett Oakley: The first step is designing for it. And I think that's critically important for us moving forward.

[00:30:21] Wendy Glaister: I ran into that, Jarrett, with my very close friends, mom and dad. It was the first EADA project that I did and She suffered from Alzheimer's and it was the Alzheimer's that makes you angry, especially on

[00:30:38] Jarrett Oakley: downers.

[00:30:40] Jarrett Oakley: If you

[00:30:40] Wendy Glaister: feel that someone's trying to limit you in any way, or if you feel that someone can tell that you're suffering or you're not up to snuff, then they become very combative and upset. And so we. Took out two closets and completely expanded the bathroom, but we took your new rest in the [00:31:00] wall and put it in that bathroom because it was so sleek and beautiful.

[00:31:03] Wendy Glaister: And she thought she was at the Westin and it made her so happy. And we had this huge shower, roll in shower with a great wand and a heat lamp and heated floors and the bench. So the caregiver, namely her daughter, my good friend, after working a long days at pediatrician could go in and take care of her mom.

[00:31:21] Wendy Glaister: And she But we even like making that bathroom wide enough because she would forget to drink water as part of the Alzheimer's, so she would get in to take a nice hot shower and pass out. But she was a heavier lady, and so there was this very large, difficult contraption, almost like a sling, that the family would have to go in because otherwise they had to call the ambulance all the time.

[00:31:45] Wendy Glaister: So we had to make sure all the clearances were right for that. So to toilet her, it was wide enough to accommodate that piece of equipment, showering as well. So sometimes people think, Oh, if I can stick a little grooming chair in there, it'll be worth, it'll be enough. [00:32:00] You're never really sure. So if you can make that 48 inch clearance happen, it's nice to have.

[00:32:05] Wendy Glaister: But that's the thing I think just. Making something work doesn't mean it can't be beautiful. And I feel like that's something that we have lost as a society in a way. Things that are utilitarian are just utilitarian. They're not beautiful, but it adds so much to your quality of life. If it's beautiful, it raises your spirits.

[00:32:27] Wendy Glaister: It changes your perspective. And especially when you're going through something that stressful, it's nice to have something really beautiful. We put extra windows in, we put in some more greenery and plant life and got a piece of stone that reminded her dad of the Montana mountains where his favorite cabin was.

[00:32:44] Wendy Glaister: So he can see it every day. But things like that are really important, and Just understanding the changes that can happen in your mind. I think when Jarrett was talking about that, that you don't know how someone might experience an illness like [00:33:00] that. And it's just nice if you can, again, think ahead, just be a little more thoughtful and careful and kind about it and just make sure it's there if you need it.

[00:33:08] Eric Goranson: Exactly. Wendy, I want to mention about this cause I think it's a big deal and I think it's a shift that we need to think of in building and remodeling. And that is why can't we just start making standards like, Hey, when we go put new doors in, or we're designing a home, let's put 36 inch doors in everywhere.

[00:33:26] Eric Goranson: So we don't have these little two foot something doors where people can't get in with a wheelchair or bang everything up with a Walker. Why can't we work on floor transitions and lightings and stuff that seems like common sense. But now we're having to remodel homes to add these to them where we should just be doing that from stage one, whether it's your first home at 25, and you're not even thinking about it right now.

[00:33:51] Eric Goranson: I wish we could do something better with these standards to make it that much easier. So we're not having to remodel so many places and just make it part of the conversation.

[00:33:59] Wendy Glaister: I [00:34:00] think a lot of people are just scared to have that talk, and a lot of, just like everything in life, right, you don't know that you don't know.

[00:34:08] Wendy Glaister: And, if you are a new designer, and you haven't worked with a lot of people yet, and you're just getting your feet wet, you don't think about, Um, 10 years down the road, how they're going to feel in that bathroom because you haven't been doing this work for 10 years. It doesn't mean that experience means you're better or more talented.

[00:34:26] Wendy Glaister: It just means you don't know until you don't know. And then you're stuck and you think, Oh my gosh, I can't believe. And so that's really the conversation I have with clients on the initial consultation. I'm going to tell you everything I see and have learned. And you can pick and choose what's important to you, but I don't want you five years down the road when you're done with this beautiful bathroom renovation to say, how come when he didn't tell me this, that, and the other, and I could have done it then and save thousands of dollars.

[00:34:54] Wendy Glaister: That means I'm not a very kind or responsible professional, and I do not ever want [00:35:00] someone to have that feeling. So, once you start to have a harder conversation, and you get more used to having those hard conversations. They're not hard anymore because you frame it like number one. I want to make sure that you don't have to pay for this twice Number two, I want you to live your very best life here forever and ever no matter what happens Number three that requires a few things that we talked about that may or may not be uncomfortable But it's to aid in your joy and experience living in this space and that's when you washlet the Lowering the threshold, making sure you block for grab bars later, making sure there's always a wand in the shower.

[00:35:41] Wendy Glaister: And it's because I'm caring for you, not because I'm lecturing you or trying to sell you a bill of goods. It's just really about how you frame.

[00:35:48] Jarrett Oakley: I think that's well put Wendy. And these things start small, right? You have one conversation that builds on another, that builds on another, that. All of a sudden you feel comfortable talking about these things.

[00:35:58] Jarrett Oakley: And you were talking a little bit [00:36:00] about in your recent people are getting more like savvier around I'm designing now. And if I'm going to spend the money, I'm going to design things that I can, it will last. For a much longer, right? And we've, we look at tons of data around market forecasting and economic health indicators and, and mortgage rates.

[00:36:25] Jarrett Oakley: So, so here's another thing. I'm interesting that we have been monitoring, right? There's a whole host for reasons why people want to stay at home. The emotional one. About right, but also financially with interest rates being rather high, stubbornly high of right now, it's it's seen somewhat more of a risk to to move.

[00:36:48] Jarrett Oakley: Then to stay put, right? And so then they're seeing these things know that they need to renovate. And we're actually seeing the renovation of to future proof move younger. So [00:37:00] 45 year olds are saying, or 50 year olds are saying this. I'm going to stay in my house because of where things are. And I know I renovate.

[00:37:07] Jarrett Oakley: I'm going to renovate for the future. I'm going to buy a plus. I'm going to make sure that this is luxury. I can use now. And when I need it. It's going to be a different form of luxury, which I can live in place. So it's just interesting, the time and place that we're living in is informing our design and the product aesthetics.

[00:37:26] Jarrett Oakley: It's very unique. I'd love to hear what you're seeing on the street as well, Wendy.

[00:37:30] Wendy Glaister: I think it's just a beautiful bathroom. It's a beautiful bathroom, sleek. Clean. I don't have to get in there and scrub that toilet and I have four little boys at home. I love it. Get them in the shower and hose them off with that wand when they're done in the pool with their friends.

[00:37:45] Wendy Glaister: There you

[00:37:45] Intro: go.

[00:37:46] Wendy Glaister: Ease is ease throughout the generations. It's just a matter of, are you an easy person to talk to? Are you a safe person to talk to? Can you set that stage and make people feel comfortable to [00:38:00] share what their daily routine is like so that you can say, we need to put a outlet behind the toilet.

[00:38:06] Wendy Glaister: We need to drop that threshold. It's just, When you look at really beautiful high end design, it does have all of those principles built in with what we're seeing now, especially in larger design competitions with ASID or the Interior Design Society, you don't see clunky old bathrooms with five steps up to a.

[00:38:27] Wendy Glaister: Tub with pillars around it and purple mood lighting that is Anymore so it's just a natural progression of things. It's cleaner easier more sustainable

[00:38:42] Eric Goranson: Yeah, that's really smart. That's really smart. And I think it's the put a bow around all this I think what's beautiful this is that this is not Expensive to do these kind of things, right?

[00:38:53] Eric Goranson: It's very affordable To jump in. This is not some high end luxury dream thing to turn around and [00:39:00] put a washlet in. So mom and dad can be home for another five to 10 years. These are not huge, expensive jumps for people to do, and they can make the choices on the features they want and what they want to spend, which I think is beautiful with any of these projects.

[00:39:16] Eric Goranson: Do you want to put in the cheapest hospital looking towel bar? That's a. Hand holding bar as well. Or do you want to put in something that looks like a beautiful piece of art on the wall that does both?

[00:39:29] Wendy Glaister: Jewelry. That's what I like to call it. Yes. You make it beautiful with the faucet and all the lighting and all the sparkly things.

[00:39:36] Wendy Glaister: Isn't that lovely? And it's so convenient. And it is, it is like jewelry. What girl doesn't like the jewelry? Really?

[00:39:44] Jarrett Oakley: That is a great way to describe it. And I'm gonna, I'm gonna float that to other friends too. It'd be like, I talked to Wendy and she said, it's like jewelry in the bathroom, like that is cool.

[00:39:52] Jarrett Oakley: My parents are jewelers. That's how I grew up.

[00:39:55] Wendy Glaister: I know pretty sparkly things when I see

[00:39:57] Jarrett Oakley: them. Yeah. What's beautiful about this [00:40:00] too, Eric's right. And Wendy, you're right too. That the, so putting somebody in a home. Detrimental. We all know this. It's expensive or find your home for future proofing. If you get to choose it, you design it with a designer.

[00:40:15] Jarrett Oakley: It is your oasis now and in the future. And, and these are ranging on tiers, right? A washlet is a few hundred dollars. Compared to the 20, 000 a month on average, you could potentially have for 24 7 care. So

[00:40:32] Wendy Glaister: multiple trips to the ER with the

[00:40:34] Jarrett Oakley: for UTIs and things that are statistically shown that are the indicators for you to then go downhill into needing care.

[00:40:43] Wendy Glaister: So

[00:40:44] Jarrett Oakley: that's why I say that there's a wash up for every home in America and at every stage in your life. And this particular population that we're discussing is one that is going to redefine what it means to be aging gracefully in America. And I think our [00:41:00] products are uniquely positioned because from our founders, we had universal design principles in place.

[00:41:07] Jarrett Oakley: And it's just now at the time when the largest, greatest generation is starting to retire that they see the benefit of it just in a different way. And I think that's a testament to universal design. I think it's a testament to our company and to this product, but I do think that we're at an exciting inflection point in our society, and I'm hoping that.

[00:41:27] Jarrett Oakley: Conversations like what we're having and designers and manufacturers are coming together to help solve these problems.

[00:41:32] Eric Goranson: Yeah. What's ironic is that the, this is the least cost option, right? Adding luxury is the best for life and the best for the pocketbook, which that always doesn't work out that way, which is cool.

[00:41:45] Eric Goranson: It does.

[00:41:46] Jarrett Oakley: We had at CABIS, we had for the flow site was fun. We had three washlet plus models out and we wanted to ask people just Coming to the exhibit hall, how fast do you think you can install one? And we had [00:42:00] someone install it in two minutes in, I think, 30 seconds with, with just a, all you need is a Phillips head screwdriver.

[00:42:07] Jarrett Oakley: So, so they're easy to install there. They provide a world of comfort in instantly and in a sense of clean. And, and they also help with this age demographic that we're discussing that wants to. Not be statistic. Yeah, makes sense. Hey

[00:42:26] Eric Goranson: guys, we are running outta time and I wanted to ask Wendy here, I'm gonna ask each one of you guys, is there something we haven't talked about today that you're like, Ooh, I just gotta get this in?

[00:42:35] Wendy Glaister: I think just through our lifetime we want to exercise agency and anything that allows us to continue to operate and exercise our own agency and preserve that agency is worthwhile. And to me that means a bathroom that can keep you really healthy and safe. And it's a no brainer, really, when you look at all the different parts of your life, [00:43:00] financial, emotional, in some ways, spiritual, because you can wind up in a horrible pit if you're sick all the time.

[00:43:07] Wendy Glaister: And it's very hard to lift people out of that kind of thing. And it's just, it makes sense. I don't know.

[00:43:15] Jarrett Oakley: Once you

[00:43:15] Wendy Glaister: approach it that way, I think it's a lot easier

[00:43:17] Jarrett Oakley: for me. And I agree. That's a beautiful way to put it. And I guess for me, what I would say is. As society changes, so should manufacturers, we are, we are committed to, to doing that as, as total.

[00:43:30] Jarrett Oakley: We want to make sure that we provide the best products, superior products for technology, functionality, and a sense of cleanliness and luxury. We believe that there's a Washington electronic for every home in America, like I mentioned before, and it is my goal. We'll have 1 in every home in America.

[00:43:49] Jarrett Oakley: Because everyone deserves that sense of independence, no matter what age you are, the sense of clean and a sense of feeling of dignity and respect no [00:44:00] matter what age you are or dexterity or ability. And I think that We as designers, manufacturers, installers, pros all play a role in trying to reduce this sense of taboo around aging gracefully in America.

[00:44:17] Jarrett Oakley: And I'm excited to do that with you all. And I'm excited to see other people talk about it.

[00:44:21] Eric Goranson: Thanks, Jarrett. That's awesome. Wendy, how do people track you down since we have a radio station in your neck of the woods there? I want to make sure there's people listening that they can find you as well, since this will be going out in the air there as well.

[00:44:34] Wendy Glaister: Oh, thank you. So Wendy g glader interiors.com, and it's G-L-A-I-S-T-E-R. Interiors, plural. I mess that up sometimes. And then also you can see most of what I'm doing on a day-to-Day basis on Instagram. Also, Wendy Glaser Interiors. Thank you for asking. I appreciate it. No

[00:44:53] Eric Goranson: problem, Wendy. And of course, jar, we all know where they can find you, but go ahead and give that information out since that website's like [00:45:00] always up on my computer.

[00:45:02] Jarrett Oakley: So todousa. com, you can find our latest and greatest products, plumbing products, and our newest washlets. The S7A that we recently launched this year, this is the latest in the product lineup. It has every bell and whistle, as well as our C5, which is our wire cutter New York Times pick. For many years running now and our bestseller.

[00:45:22] Jarrett Oakley: So visit us there and our beautiful, uh, zero dimension tub, quotation tub, but also follow us on social media, on Instagram and Facebook and Twitter, where you can see some of our new stories. We're posting content around. Architects and designers that feature some of our products and really want to the community further.

[00:45:42] Jarrett Oakley: So we'll see you there too.

[00:45:43] Eric Goranson: Sounds good. Wendy Jarrett, thank you so much for making this an absolutely incredible conversation today. I really appreciate it.

[00:45:51] Wendy Glaister: Thanks for having us. I really appreciate you.

[00:45:53] Eric Goranson: Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. I will see you both at the next kbiz. All right, [00:46:00] everybody. I'm eric g and you've been listening to around the hous