Archive for Chris Moore

In this column I write about all the things we can do to our homes to make them easier and safer to live in. I emphasize the fact that Universal Design benefits everyone in making our homes more user friendly for all of us. I think it’s slowly starting to sink in. I am starting to see references to aging in place and Universal Design in more mainstream publications and websites. I was recently reading an article on the website of Builder magazine which pointed out that the first generation to grow up in the suburbs is now finding their homes no longer fit their needs. The villages movement which helps seniors band together to help meet each others needs is growing by leaps and bounds. More and more architects, builders, and homeowners are seeing the value of creating homes that will serve us throughout the course of our lives. As more and more people realize the value of Universal Design, I thought it would be helpful to reiterate some of the features and benefits of Universal Design. These are areas to keep in mind if you are considering building or remodeling anytime in the near future. No Step Entry  Make sure at least one entry to your home is accessible without any steps. If you are building a new home, the easiest way to accomplish this is to make the garage floor is level with the main floor. If you are building a two story house, create stacked closets with a removable floor to make it easier to add an elevator in the future. Wider Doors and Hallways If at all possible, use 3’ doors and 4’ halls through out the house. If you are remodeling, enlarge doors to 3’ wide wherever you can. If it doesn’t fit the budget, use swing clear hinges to widen existing doorways. For a person using a wheelchair or a walker, a few extra inches can make all the difference in the world. Accessible, Safe Bathrooms The bathroom is the room where the most falls occur, and falls are the leading cause of seniors being forced to move out of their homes. A non slip floor, plenty of grab bars, a curbless shower or walk in tub, and a comfort height commode can go a long way towards making the bathroom safer and easier to use. All Controls Simple to Use and Easy to Access The principles of Universal Design call this simple and intuitive use. Ever notice how the control panels and remote controls of the various gadgets seem to get more and more complicated? Look for appliances, thermostats, and other controls that simple and easy to use. Mount all switches and outlets between 24” and 48” from the floor to make them easy for everyone to reach. Good Lighting Bright, glare free lighting without shadows will make your home safer for everyone, but especially for anyone with diminished vision. Use bright, contrasting colors, particularly at the edges of work surfaces and stairs. Watch the Clutter Make sure walkways are clear and free of tripping hazards. Throw rugs and trailing extension cords are two prime suspects. Preventing falls is probably the best way to keep you or a loved one living at home. While this list is by no means comprehensive, it is a good starting point in creating a home that will work for us throughout our lives. For more information about Aging in Place or Universal Design please give me a call at (540) 384-2064 or visit my website at www.solidrockenterprises.com.

Fall is in the air. The leaves on the trees are changing color, the air is crisp, and most of us are starting to spend more time indoors. The sights and smells of autumn always include cooking or baking in the kitchen. If you enjoy spending time in your kitchen, it is important that you can move about the kitchen, and easily and safely use all of its features. A Universally Designed kitchen will be a delight to use and most of the special features will blend seamlessly into the kitchen and only be noticeable as they make the kitchen easier to use. I am going to expand on some of these features here, but remember, to get the most out of your kitchen; a customized consultation is your best bet. The first thing I recommend looking at is space. Make sure that there is enough room to get around. To have room to negotiate the space in a wheelchair if that ever becomes necessary, it is best to have a five foot radius turning circle and four foot wide corridors between cabinets. In many homes, this is difficult to do without adding on but can sometimes be accomplished by opening up the kitchen into other rooms of the house or reconfiguring the floor plan. In order to accommodate people of different heights as well as those who want or need to use the kitchen in a seated position, I recommend adjustable or varied height countertops. Having open knee space under the sink, cooktop, and open counter areas allows someone in a seated position to use these areas more easily. Appliances need to be easily accessed.  I generally raise the dishwasher 8-12” off the floor, install a wall oven adjacent to a countertop so that dishes can be slid out of the oven onto the countertop, and keep knobs, switches and controls near the front where they can be easily reached. In order to make cabinets easily accessible, I use a variety of rollout shelves in the lower cabinets and pull down shelves in the upper cabinets. There are also systems that mechanically lower the wall cabinets to countertop level at the push of a button! Lazy susans or pullout shelving units in the corner units makes access much simpler. Lighting is an important consideration for safety and ease of use. Most of the time our eyesight diminishes as we grow older, so bright, glare free lighting is very important. Having contrasting colors on the edges of countertops and other surfaces helps those with diminished eyesight work more safely in the kitchen. Installing non slip flooring is important to help prevent falls and installing grab bars in strategic places will go a long way to help promote safety. Just remember that you can retain your independence in your own home and enjoy your kitchen throughout your life. For more information or to see what we can do to transform your kitchen, give us a call at (540) 384-2064.

More and more of us are caring for our parents. A MetLife Mature Market Institute study on caregiving costs to working caregivers found that while in 1994 3% of men and 9% of women over 50 were providing care to a parent, by 2008 that had risen to 17% and 28% respectively. The study found that more than one third of caregivers providing care to older adults either leave the workforce or reduce the hours they work. These 9.7 million caregivers lose an average of $303,880 in wages and retirement income over their lifetimes. Direct costs of providing care for our aging parents were estimated at $5,531 per year for each caregiver. The choices that we make allocating our time and resources when we are caring for aging parents or other loved ones can be quite difficult and heart wrenching. As you know if you have read Housing Matters before, I am a strong advocate for helping our seniors remain in their own homes for as long as possible. The physical, mental, and emotional benefits to remaining in a comfortable home environment where we have many fond memories is well documented. As an additional advantage, the costs of home care are considerably less. However, as this study points out the additional costs and strains on family members can take its toll. One way that this added responsibility can be eased is through remote activity monitoring. I have written about the Simply Home® system several times in Housing Matters, most recently in the July edition. Simply Home ® allows seniors to continue to live independently while still providing the peace of mind that comes from knowing a loved one or a trained responder at the call center will be notified immediately if there is any indication that something is amiss. Also by assessing the home environment and making modifications to improve safety and comfort, the probability of falls is greatly reduced. Studies show that in 2007 more than 18,000 older adults died from falls, and in 2009 2.2 million fall injuries were treated in emergency rooms, with 581,000 of these patients being hospitalized. An ongoing project is being conducted at Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia to develop a sensor that will be able to predict an increased chance of falling before it happens by measuring small changes in gait, posture, and mobility. As the age wave crests, (Approximately 10,000 of us will be turning 65 each day over the next 20 years) new and innovative solutions will continue to be developed. I will continue to espouse the benefits of Universal Design that will create homes that can be used by everyone to the greatest extent possible, without the need for specialized alteration and modification. In the meantime I will continue to make home modifications to make my clients home safer, more comfortable, and more accessible. Home modifications can be as simple as adding a grab bar or swing clear hinges, or as elaborate as adding an elevator or an overhead lift. If you or a loved one is struggling to remain in your home, please get in touch with us at Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. Our phone number is (540) 384-2064 and our website is solidrockenterprises.com. We would be delighted to help you age in the place you love….HOME.

All of us are getting older. There is no getting around that fact. While there are many who try to rephrase the fact or put into a fancy wrapper, it doesn’t change the reality. As we get older we often have more trouble doing the things we used to do without a second thought. A lot of people are re examining their assumptions about what kind of living arrangements to make for ourselves or our loved ones as we age. The traditional trajectory has been to move out of our homes into independent senior living, then into assisted living, and finally into a nursing home. That’s a lot of moving, which can be trying in the best of times, and downright traumatic when forced by a sudden change such as a fall. Not only is it disconcerting, but the costs continue to rise. The 2010 Met Life Market Survey of Long-Term Care Costs found the national average nursing home cost to $219 per day and the average assisted living cost to be $3293 per month. As the cost of these facilities continues to rise, there are several other factors that increase the challenges for those people who are reaching the stage of their life where living independently is becoming more and more difficult. First, there are a lot more people in this age group. On January 1 of this year, the first baby boomer turned 65. Over the next 20 years, baby boomers will be turning 65 at the rate of 10,000 per day. Studies show that even if the number of retirement facilities doubles over that time, there won’t be enough room for all of them. The second factor complicating things is that because of the housing bust, peoples’ homes are worth a lot less than they used to be. Our homes are most peoples’ largest asset, and selling their home is how many if not most people finance a move to an assisted living or other retirement facility. Thirdly, and perhaps most important, the vast majority of people would prefer to remain in their own homes if they can. Their homes represent more than a residence, they are a home. They frequently have decades of memories connected to their homes, and the thought of leaving them behind can be very distressing. Fortunately there are answers to this conundrum. We are increasingly hearing the term “Aging in Place” used in the conversation about options for our aging loved ones. Aging in Place refers to remaining in the home we are already living in throughout our lives. In fact, studies show that 70% of seniors will spend the rest of their lives in the home where they spent their 65th birthday. A four year study conducted at the University of Missouri’s Sinclair School of Nursing confirms what I have seen in my own business. Seniors who remain in their own homes as they age not only spend thousands less on care but have greatly improved mental and physical health outcomes. As a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) I specialize in helping seniors remain safely and comfortably in their homes as they age. At Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. we offer home modification services such as ramps, doorway widening, bathroom and kitchen renovations to improve access, grab bars, etc. We also provide assistive technology such as remote activity and wellness monitoring, overhead lifts, stair lifts, platform lifts, and elevators. We also serve our country’s brave veterans with HISA and SAH grants. To find out more about aging in place, visit www.solidrockenterprises.com or call 540-384-2064.

Those of you who read this column regularly may remember that in March of this year I wrote a column discussing electronic monitoring and how this technology can help our loved ones live independent lives in their own homes longer. I am excited to be able to report that Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. is now an authorized Referral Representative for the Simply Home system. Anyone who has an aging parent or other loved one they are concerned about (particularly one who lives alone) will breathe a sigh of relief to learn about the availability of this great system. The system works by installing a series of discreet wireless sensors throughout the home that measure the activity (or inactivity) of the individual. Each system is tailored to the specific needs of the particular situation. Once the system is in operation, it operates inconspicuously in the background. There is no need to push a button to call for help. (Although that option is available as well) Reports of daily activity are available on the Simply Home website. These reports can help detect any warning signs of potential health problems. With the optional Virtual Care Management, a health care professional will review these reports and look for any troublesome trends or signs of trouble. Alerts can be customized in many ways. For example, if you have the Simply Home system installed in your mother’s home and she doesn’t get up at her usual time or doesn’t take her medicine at the proper time, you can program the system to send an email, a text message, or a phone call to a family member a caregiver, or a call center staffed 24/7 by nurses and EMTs. The system also has the ability to track vital signs such as weight, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels. Each system is configured to meet the needs of the person using it. A sensor could be installed on a stove with the ability to turn it off if there is no activity in the room for a certain period of time. The system can be tied into the lighting, HVAC and other systems in the house, so that, for example, lights come on automatically when you get out of bed. A camera could be set up at the front door so you can see who is at the door without getting up. The possibilities are practically endless. The best part of the system is that it can allow people to safely remain in their own homes for far longer than they would otherwise be able to. The Simply Home system operates on built in cellular communication, is portable, easy to set up and operate, and is available for lease with no contract required. Another unique ability in the Simply Home system is what they call “sequential decision making”. In other words the system is able to analyze a series, or combination of events to determine if an alert needs to go out. For example, getting out of bed at 2:30 am may be normal, but the front door opening, followed by no motion in the house would signal an alert. The system is completely customizable and can be reconfigured or adjusted at any time. Simply Home can be purchased or leased and systems can be leased for as little as $129 a month. Please give us a call at 540-384-2064 to schedule your free, no obligation in home assessment. As always, thank you for reading Housing Matters and remember, with Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc., you can age in the place you love…..HOME.

I recently had a display at a trade show targeted at seniors. As part of my display I had about a dozen grab bars with different colors, finishes, textures displayed along the front of my table. Throughout the course of the show, I heard people say over and over, “I’m not ready for that yet!”  It struck me as curious that people would view grab bars and other home accessories and modifications designed to promote safety as something that would only be useful or applicable to the very old or infirm. My point in exhibiting so many different types of grab bars was to demonstrate the many attractive options that are on the market today. I really want to stress the importance of foresight and planning ahead as we think about our lives in the coming years. Universal design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. As a firm proponent of Universal Design, I encourage people to live in an environment that will be supportive in all circumstances. In other words, anybody might slip in the bathroom, regardless of age, health, or mobility. Anyone could break a bone or suffer some other injury. In many ways the younger and more active you are, the more likely you are to sustain an injury. If all houses were built with grab bars in appropriate places, wider doors and hallways, and zero step entries, no one would think anything was unusual about these features. Then, if there was a need for these features, on a temporary or permanent basis, they would be there. One of the greatest goals in my work is to increase the daily use of universal design features in every day use in people’s lives. It makes so much more sense to incorporate grab bars and other safety features in our homes before we need them rather than wait until we really need them, because then it is often too late. The trouble with waiting until we need safety features to get them is we often discover that we need them only when we fall. Falls are the leading cause of injuries to older adults in the U.S. It would be great to have grab bars installed long before we need them and to have developed the habit of holding on to them as we get in and out of the tub or shower for example. Then we would be much more likely to reach for them instinctively if we felt ourselves falling. Two thirds of those who fall will likely fall again within six months and one third of falls are due to environmental hazards within the home. So, please take the time to look around your home and assess the fall hazards within your home and take steps to mitigate the danger of falling. If you need help, please give me a call. I would be more than happy to perform an assessment and make whatever modifications you decide to do. Keep in mind that sixty percent of injury related deaths are due to falls. Also remember that many falls result in broken bones that can be very difficult to heal in older adults. The old adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is very fitting to this subject. Oftentimes something as simple as a loose throw rug or a dangling extension cord can lead to a life altering fall. Please be careful and call me if I can be of assistance. I can be reached at 540-384-2064 or by email at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com.

While I usually highlight issues inside the home, this month I’m going to talk about getting in the door. While most of us never give it a second thought until we have trouble negotiating them, most homes have at least two or three steps from ground level to the front door. Most attached garages have at least one step up to the main floor level. Sometimes this obstacle becomes an issue after an injury. You or a loved one is ready to come home from the hospital after a broken bone and you realize you can’t get in the house! I’m going to discuss some immediate fixes to get you in the house, but I’m also going to suggest some design ideas so that if you’re building or remodeling you can avoid having the problem come up at all. The first solution that occurs to most of us is a ramp. For an immediate solution, they’re hard to beat. We have modular aluminum ramps available for sale or rent and we can have them installed within a couple of days. Ramps do have their drawbacks, however. Many people do not like the idea of a wheelchair ramp sticking out of the front of their house. Depending on the topography, you might be able to put it in the back or in the garage. The other drawback of a ramp is the space they take up. A properly installed ramp should slope no more than one inch of rise for every one foot of run. Suppose you have three steps on the front of your house. The typical step is about seven inches tall, so your ramp would have to be at least 21 feet long. Even in a garage where your ramp might be only 7 to 8 feet long, you may be taking up parking space you can’t afford to lose. Another option to consider is a platform lift or a chair lift. A platform lift will accommodate a wheelchair or a standing person and raises straight up and down. A chair lift is a seat that mounts on the stairs and goes up and down the stairs on an incline. Both of these types of lifts get around the space required by a long ramp, but the cost can be quite high. If you have the luxury of planning ahead, I would recommend building a zero step entry into every house that is built. Often, the easiest way to do this is to simply build the garage floor level with the main house floor. While building codes used to prohibit this practice, it has been accepted for almost ten years now. Unfortunately most builders continue to build with the step down. Another way to accomplish a zero step entry is to build up earth into a berm leading to the vicinity of the door and constructing a level “bridge” to the door. This prevents the problems associated with backfilling against the wood floor framing of the house which can lead to rot and termite problems. A gently sloping sidewalk is installed leading from the end of the “bridge” to the street or driveway. And don’t forget to install a door with a low threshold that won’t be an obstacle to anyone with mobility issues. It’s also a good idea to provide a roof over the entry to help prevent water from coming under the door as well as to protect you from the weather as you are entering the house. If you need advice about your specific situation, please give me a call at 540-384-2064.

As I work on helping seniors to remain in their homes and try to educate people on the choices they have as they age, I realize more and more how important it is to be able to stay in touch. I have written many things in this column about different products and services that help seniors who are aging in place and their caregivers and loved ones stay connected. I am continually looking for new ideas and approaches to make this process simpler. One of the simplest ideas is the idea of banding together to form villages to facilitate people helping each other. (The first village in our region is Lynchburg Area Villages. They are holding a Seniors Forum at the Oakwood Country Club on March 8. For more information visit www.lynchburgareavillages.org or call 434-851-6530) I am also researching the plethora of electronic communication and monitoring systems that are appearing on the market. There are many platforms and setups on the market and more are appearing every day it seems like. Rather than get into specifics and individual systems, I’m going to talk about some of the different approaches and features that are available. I intend to begin offering some of these monitoring systems in the near future, so if you’re interested, I would very much like to know what features are important to you. First of all, there are two broad categories of information we might want to monitor. These are “remote vital signs monitoring” and “remote passive activity/safety monitoring”. In other words vital signs monitoring gives a caregiver the ability to check things like blood pressure and heart rate while activity/safety monitoring allows a caregiver to make sure that everything is OK. All of these systems rely on sensors of various kinds. There are motion detectors, sensors that can tell when a door or window is opened, or a stove is turned on, or a toilet flushed. Many of these systems will “learn” a person’s patterns and alert a caregiver if something is out of the ordinary. For example a pressure sensor in the bed registers that your loved one usually gets up between 8:00 and 8:30. If there is no movement by 9:00 it triggers an alert. Because of privacy concerns, some systems eschew the use of cameras while others use them only in common areas or at ankle height. Most systems are highly customizable to adapt the installation to the individual’s needs. Motion detectors can sense movement and turn on the lights. Another distinction is whether or not there is a central monitoring service available. While many systems require family members or other caregivers to receive the alerts and respond accordingly, at least one system offers a centralized switchboard of tele-caregivers. Options are available for constant surveillance, scheduled check ins, or on call only. This kind of support is great for people who don’t have family to take an active role in monitoring their loved one. Another neat feature I found is a video screen than can be set up to display the patients schedule, weather, news, and other information of interest to them. Family members can even send pictures or videos whenever they want. Also the system can be set up with a video chat feature so you can see and talk to a family member even if they are on the other side of the world! There are many more features and more every day. I’ll be writing more about this subject in the months ahead so let me know if you have questions. You can reach me at 540-556-0650.

The deadline to apply for the Livable Homes Tax Credit is February 28. If you purchased a new home or remodeled an existing home in 2010 and the new home or the remodeling involved accessibility features you could be eligible for a tax credit of up to $2,000 on your Virginia income taxes. I talked about this program in the May 2010 edition of Housing Matters.  I hope to clarify the requirements and remind people not to miss the deadline of February 28. If you purchased a new home in 2010 (either newly built or converted from a non residential use) and it meets the three features of Universal Visitability or incorporates three accessibility features and meets the requirements of an existing standard, you are eligible to take the $2,000 credit. The three features of Universal Visitability are 1) at least one zero step entry into the house, 2) an accessible bathroom on the same level as the zero step entry, and 3) doorways with at least 32” clear width and hallways and passageways with at least 36” clear width leading from the zero step entry to the bathroom and an eating area. If all of these three features are present, there are no further requirements. If you do not have all three of these, the home must incorporate three accessibility features and meet the requirements of an existing standard. Some examples of accessibility features are: Accessible route such as a ramp Zero step entry Lifts Elevators Zero step entrance 32” clear width doorways 36” clear width hallways Accessible switches, outlets, and controls Accessible bathrooms Accessible and usable kitchen facilities Grab bars Lever handles on doors and fixtures Sensory modifications The requirement that you meet an existing standard is a little murkier because there are several different standards that exist that could be referenced. I have found that the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG), while not technically applicable to single family homes, will cover you if you are in compliance. If you have specific questions, get in touch with me and I’ll do my best to answer them for you. If you retrofitted or remodeled an existing home, the project must include at least one accessibility feature and meet the requirements of an existing standard. If sensory modifications have been provided, they must be structurally integrated into the home. Sensory modifications are anything that would assist sensory disabled people such as a doorbell that activated a strobe light for a person with hearing loss. Any device must be permanently attached to the home to qualify. The credit for retrofitting an existing home is also $2,000 but is limited to 50% of the cost of the project actually incurred by the taxpayer. Please note that any costs paid through Granting Freedom, the VA, VHDA, Department of Rehabilitative Services, or any other organization would not be eligible for the credit. For either new or existing homes, if the credit exceeds your tax liability, you may carry the credit forward for up to five years, and if the amount of  eligible credits exceeds one million dollars, each approved taxpayer will receive a pro rata amount of credit. Once you have submitted your application you will receive a tax credit certificate from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development by April 1. I hope this information is helpful and not too confusing. If you have questions or need a copy of the application, please call me at (540) 384-2064 or email me at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com.

For some time now, I have been espousing the value and benefit of helping people remain in their own homes as they age as long as they wish. I have cited studies that show that the vast majority of people want to remain in their own homes for the rest of their lives. I have talked about different home modifications that make our homes safer and more comfortable as we age. I have talked about the principles of Universal Design which seeks to create living spaces that can be used by all people without regard to disability or limitation. During the last three or four years I have worked tirelessly to educate people on the fact that this idea of remaining in your own home as you age is called aging in place. This term (most often seen in quotes) refers to a mindset and an attitude as well as specific actions that refute the notion that it goes without saying that we have to give up our homes and our independence at some point in our lives as we age. Many directories of products and services do not contain a category for Home Modifications to enable aging in place, but they are full of retirement homes you can move into after you give up your home. This idea that you have to move out of your home is one that I, for one am working hard to eliminate. Mostly because its just not true. Month after month in this column I explain techniques and tactics that make aging in place not only possible but preferable. Against this background, imagine my surprise when I read an article the other day about the opening of a new assisted living. The article says that the facility offers “age in place living”! Now, as I’ve described aging in place refers to remaining in your own home as you age. By definition moving into a retirement community or assisted living facility is not aging in place. Let me be clear that I believe that seniors and their loved ones who are caring for them should have as many options as possible, and for some people, these facilities offer an ideal living arrangement. But it is definitely not aging in place. Besides the advantages of remaining in familiar surroundings and remaining close to family and friends, aging in place usually offers financial incentives as well. In a recent article by Patrick Egan from The New Old Age Blog entitled “When the Assisted Living Bill Baloons”, Mr. Egan describes how assisted living costs climbed 5.2% from 2009 to 2010 to a national monthly average of $3,293. In addition sometimes minor changes in ability can trigger a new level of care (and large price increases). Clearly aging in place has its challenges as well. See the December Senior News for a discussion of senior villages, a small but growing movement of seniors banding together in local communities to facilitate easier access to products and services needed to age in place. I am constantly looking for new ideas, products, and solutions to aging in America a less daunting and more rewarding journey. If you have questions about aging in place, Universal Design, or Home Modification or would like to see something addressed in this column, please get in touch with me. You can write to me at Chris Moore, Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc., 428 West Riverside Drive, Salem, VA 24153, email me at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com, or give me a call at (540) 556-0650. Remember my goal is to provide solutions to aging residents. In closing I wish each and every one of you a blessed and healthy New Year.