Quote of the Month

"I wrote no books until I was a good 50, and I'm jolly glad because I didn't know what I thought before then. "

Mary Midgley, Philosopher, published first book at age 56

Ian Hardy reports for the BBC on the rise of the smart, connected home and how more and more appliances, vehicles and other electronic are connecting to the internet. Are we going to outsmart ourselves?

Appliances that talk to you and each other. Click here to watch the report

More than 350 National Kitchen & Bath Association member designers took part in the 2012 NKBA Design Trends Survey to cite the materials, product types, and styles that they’ve incorporated into their kitchen and bath designs over the final three months of 2011. The following are 10 overall trends for kitchens and baths across the United States and Canada.

Kitchen

1. Cherry wood use in decline but no other wood really dominates. The use of oak and bamboo is on the rise.

2. Move to Darker finishes for cabinetry, distressed finishes are making a comeback and white is still the popular choice for painted cabinetry.

3. Glass backsplashes have been used by more than half of kitchen designers surveyed and have become almost as popular as natural stone. The use of ceramic tile continues to decline from 78% one year ago and 88% two years ago.

4. LED lighting is the choice for energy efficient lighting.

5. Pull out faucets that integrate two functions: 14 of out every 15 designers who designed a kitchen over the final three months of 2011 incorporated a pull-out faucet. These versatile models might also be mitigating the need for pot-filler faucets, which have been recently specified by just 28% of designers, down from 41% two years ago.

Bathrooms

6. Medicine cabinets are coming back as homeowners look for more efficient use of space and designers seek an effective way to gain additional storage without changing the foot print of the room.

Kitchens & Bathrooms

7. Transitional design is now the most popular style of design. Transitional is a blend of traditional and contemporary, typified by lines that are simpler than traditional but more elaborate then contemporary in order to create a modern classic look.

8. Solid surfaces a year ago their use was a key trend in the kitchen this year it's even stronger. Granite and quartz continue to be the clear first and second choices.

9. Gray and its many shades are the popular choice followed by whites and off-whites.

10. Polished chrome is over taking brushed metals. In the bathroom use increased from 46% to 65% over the previous year. And in the kitchen 52% of designers specified polished chrome compared to only 34% last year.

A comprehensive new study from the MetLife Mature Market Institute shows the age of those seeking Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM), popularly known as reverse mortgages, has plummeted in the four years since the collapse of the housing market in the U.S. It also reports that these mortgages, special types of home loans that allow people to draw on home equity without monthly mortgage repayments, have evolved into a way for many older Baby Boomers to help manage urgent financial needs. Boomers age 62–64 currently represent one-in-five prospective borrowers of the product, which was once associated with a much older age group.

The Study, produced in conjunction with the National Council on Aging (NCOA), reports that the average age of those who have gone through reverse mortgage counseling has declined and is now 71.5 years of age.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reports a similar decline in the average age of borrowers to age 73. Forty-six percent of homeowners considering a reverse mortgage are under age 70. The percentage of 62- to 64-year-olds who are prospective borrowers has increased 15 percentage points since 1999, despite the fact that younger applicants have had lower available loan limits.

The study concludes that older homeowners will need assistance and consumer education to ensure that they make wise decisions about the most appropriate use of their “nest egg” of home equity. A consumer guide - The Essentials: Reverse Mortgages is available for free. It is aimed at helping potential borrowers learn more about the product and its implications for their finances.

We invite you to join our campaign to help people find the ideas, products, services and other resources that will help them successfully live independently and age in place.

The ability to live independently while managing a chronic condition from home has enormous benefits. In addition to the necessary medical equipment needed, it's important to know what types of home construction, furniture and furnishings available to make lives as functional and comfortable as possible. And that is what this campaign is all about and we welcome your support.

 

Sponsored in part by:
	BraunAbility	Lifeline Coordinating Services, Inc.	Midstate Independent Living Consultants	Roll-A-Ramp

did you know...

The second son of Japan's Emperor Akhito has suggested that emperors should be permitted to retire, a drastic break with the tradition of a lifelong ruler.

Reader Linda Hunt suggests instead of aging in place the term should be: "My Home for a Lifetime" or "Lifetime Living at Home"

What do you think?

Your rants, raves, suggestions and stories are always welcome! Tell us what we can do to help you age-in-place, in your home, your way.

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