Baldwin House Dining Area
Aging In Place On Your Own Terms
By designing flexibility into homes from the beginning, it is possible to reduce one’s frequent need to move and also to enable our elders to age in place.
Green Mountain Ranch Exterior - Night
User Friendly and Good Looking
"Seriously, cool and beautiful," writes Chazzy. She's talking about two universal design inspired homes featured in the New York Times. Both remodels show that accessible can be beautiful.
On The Drawing Board
The form of the Universal Toilet is similar enough to a standard toilet that people of all abilities feel comfortable using it.
What is Universal Design?
What makes a home "universal"? It's simple. Everyone can use universal design! It doesn't matter if you are young or old. You could be short or tall, healthy or ill. You might have a disability. Or you may be a prize-winning athlete. Because of universal design, people who are very different can all enjoy the same home. And that home will be there for all its inhabitants even when their needs change.
CRDA Universal Design Kitchen - Dining Area
A Closer Look: the CRDA Kitchen
This universal design kitchen features motorized and manually adjustable counter segments and several different fixed height counter top areas give work options for a variety of tasks to people of all heights, those with back trouble, people who are seated, and/or children.
Louis Tenenbaum, Certified Aging in Place Specialist
Other Ways to Fill the Gap
Guest Columnist: Louis Tenenbaum, Independent Living Strategist
I don’t want to give the impression I think homemods are the whole enchilada when it comes to Filling the Gap for Aging in Place. Home Modifications are one element of a multifaceted strategy. Tools, high tech and services fill out the mix.
Tools are a way to think of an expanded category of products called assistive technology. Think eyeglasses. If you wear them they fill the gap between what you can see on your own and what you need to see to be functional. Hearing aids are the same. How about a reacher? This simple tool fills the gap between what you can and need to reach.
Of course High Tech is changing and developing faster than we can grasp the potential. Some high tech will monitor changes in health and condition. Some will report incidents. Some will coordinate and manage. Some will record results. Some will enhance communication changing the very nature of physical isolation. CAST is the leading place to keep current.
Services run the gamut of traditional and novel agencies and business serving and involving older members of the community. Meals on Wheels has been around since World war II. Transportation is highly visible right now as we figure out how to deal with the impact of the suburbs on older folks and driving. Friendly visitors, in home rehabilitation, deliveries, home health, chore services and financial planning and others are part of the mix. The range of services is sometimes referred to as the continuum. Every community has an Area Agency on Aging. Variations abound. Aging services is one of the oldest networks recognized to work in communities around the country. A good way to track the history of modern services is from passage of the Older Americans Act on Lyndon Johnson’s watch. (more…)
Barrier free in-law has wide entry into multi-generational dining.
10 Design Trends for Aging in Place
Mary Jo Peterson, CKD, CBD, CAPS shares her top design requests from clients for aging in place.
6 North
Universally designed the 6 North Apartments feature accessible kitchens, bathrooms and entranceways.