My parents stopped going to church about the same time they quit driving after dark and going downstairs to the basement. It was about the same time Dad got earphones for the television so Mom could sew in peace without having to listen to John Madden shout explanations of NFL football plays.

My folks used to go to church every time the bell rang. When they became golden-agers, however, that became difficult. Potluck dinners served in the church basement were off limits because of the steep stairs. Children were too loud and the preacher too soft. The dim lighting of evening services made hymnal reading a trial and upped the chances of stumbling and falling. Eventually Mom and Dad just stayed home and watched church on television.

Many elderly people today experience the same problems my parents had with attending church. And as baby boomers, who are now in their 50s, approach retirement age, the crowd of stay-home worshipers can only increase.

Consider this: According to Edward Steinfeld, director of the Center for Inclusive Design & Environmental Access at State University of New York at Buffalo, by the year 2030, 25 percent of a congregation that is now building or remodeling will be age 65 or older. Wouldn't it make sense to plan construction so that it will help seniors stay active in church programs?

Welcome One and All
Churches have always tried to welcome individuals regardless of their disabilities. But about a decade ago when the Americans with Disabilities Act became law, we learned far more about barriers to accessibility than we could have imagined.

The stipulations of the ADA can be confusing. Many of the requirements don't even apply to churches. Some churches have thus adopted a wait-and-see attitude to barrier-free building, thereby passing over the needs of seniors and others with disabilities who are too embarrassed or reluctant to ask for special consideration.

Churches ought to do better. We must do better by:

Changing our attitude. We should be proactive about welcoming everyone who comes to church. Instead of thinking "accessible," we should think "universal." The difference is simple. While a design for an accessible building opens a building to people with handicaps, it often separates them from people without disabilities. A universal design welcomes one and all without differentiation.

For example, an accessible building might have a ramp at the side of stairs leading to one of three entrances to the church. People with disabilities can get into the building, but they are restricted to using only one entrance. A universal building wouldn't have stairs at any entrance. Anyone in the universe could enter any entrance of the building.

Designing for everyone. To go universal, a church must think far beyond wheelchair ramps and Braille signs. It must plan for the elderly as well as children; women with arthritic hands and men with walkers; people who cannot tolerate glare and those who have trouble seeing in low light; people with hearing impairments and people with oxygen tanks.

Taking care of the details. By welcoming everyone rather than a few people with disabilities, we will understand the need to attend to the smallest details. For example, even the style and shape of doorknobs matter to elderly people who have difficulty gripping and turning small round knobs.

What's more, we'll realize the importance of considering differences in strength, intellectual abilities, vision, and mobility of potential visitors and members when we plan for water faucets, towel dispensers, hall widths, door heights, light switches, seating options, sound systems, and lighting.

One Room at a Time
To design a church building for universal access, take it one room at a time. Some examples:

Restrooms. The stalls should be large enough for a wheelchair. Walls should include grab bars or hand rails. At the sink, faucet handles should turn easily, even by arthritic hands. Diaper-changing stations should be included in both women's and men's restrooms. Paper towels should be reachable from a wheelchair. Lighting should be bright but without glare.

Hallways. Some architects design churches with lots of open spaces connected by long halls, but people with breathing or walking problems can find such distances intimidating. Consider shortening those halls and adding handrails. Water fountains should be recessed to maintain clear access for wheelchairs, and positioned so they're not too difficult to reach by people with stiff joints. Signs to various parts of the church should be large and well lit.

Sanctuary. Various spaces should be provided throughout the worship area for wheelchairs. Provide a hearing-assistance system for people with hearing impairments, preferably one that doesn't force them to sit in a special section. Think visual aids, such as video projection, to allow close-ups of activities that people with failing vision might otherwise miss. Check the carpeting to make sure it doesn't trip up frail people.

Other Helps
Before talking to an architect about making your building more senior-friendly, you might check the Internet for information on people who specialize in such design. A few addresses I found:

* Marks, Thomas, and Associates in Baltimore, Maryland.

* Accessology.

* Evan Terry of Birmingham, Alabama (www.evanterry.com).

* State universities, such as State University of New York at Buffalo's Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access.

John Stahlman is pastor of Community Presbyterian Church in Rochester, Illinois.

This article originally appeared in Your Church magazine.