The True Meaning of Christmas
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!” These words from the 1822 poem known by most as The Night before Christmas bring to mind memories of good food, fellowship and family gatherings with bright eyed children. Although people have many different Christmas traditions, there is something magical about this time of year. The music, the lights, the food, and the anticipation bring out the kid in all of us. If there is a time of year when people are inspired to be generous and kind, it is without a doubt the Christmas season. Perhaps one of the most poignant examples of the power of goodwill at Christmas time is the spontaneous truce which erupted on Christmas Eve and carried through Christmas Day in the trenches during World War I in 1914. The war was barely four months old but already hundreds of thousands lay dead. But that Christmas Eve something happened. Candle lit Christmas trees poked out of trenches and soon Christmas carols, notably Silent Night, were being sung by soldiers in English and German. In the midst of war, the Prince of Peace was making his presence felt. The hostilities ceased and both sides helped each other bury their dead. For a brief moment in time the true spirit of Christmas prevailed. If you are like me, you dislike the fact that Christmas, which is supposed to be a celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has become an excuse to increase the revenues of the country’s retailers. Don’t get me wrong. Being a business owner myself, I understand the difficulties that the last few years have brought to all of our pocketbooks. But opening stores on Thanksgiving Day and calling it “Gray Thursday”? I think we need to gain some perspective on what Christmas is really about. Let’s all take some time this Christmas season to cut through the hype and the commercialism (and the politically correct “Happy Holidays”) and remember the true meaning of Christmas. Just as the soldiers in the trenches in 1914 experienced the power of Christmas, I believe there are miracles just waiting to be discovered around any corner. Keep your eyes open and you just might experience one. Look for opportunities to reach out others and bring a little joy into someone’s life. As you decorate your house think of what makes a house a home. I generally write about things you can do to your house to make it safer and more accessible. What I am talking about now is how to make it a home. It is the spirit and atmosphere within the house that makes it a home. The true spirit of Christmas is that sense of thankfulness for the gifts we have been given and the willingness to reach out and share them with others. I want to thank my readers for all of the kind comments I have received and wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! If you have questions about Housing Matters or have topics you would like to see discussed, you can reach me at (540) 384-2064 or email me at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com.
Thank a Veteran
On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month back in 1918, an agreement was reached to suspend hostilities in World War I which was called at the time, “The War to End all Wars”. As we all know, it was not the war to end all wars, as millions of brave American men and women have served to defend our freedom in the decades since then. November 11 was celebrated as Armistice Day until 1954 when the name was changed to Veteran’s Day. It is a day to honor our veterans and thank them for all they have done to preserve and defend the American way of life. In so many ways our freedoms are being eroded from within and many people do not treasure the freedoms which remain. If you are a veteran, I and my family thank you for your service from the bottom of my heart. Please take some time this month and throughout the year to thank a veteran for their service. I am taking this detour from my usual topic because I believe it is critical to our country that we remember where we have come from and thank those who have helped us to defend freedom. In my work I have the privilege of performing home modifications for veterans to help them get around in their homes more easily. I am always struck by the strength and stability of these veterans. Although many of them returned from war with grievous injuries, most of them do not expect or want any attention on themselves. They believe they were just doing their job. Particularly among veterans of World War II, there is a common belief that everyone just did what was necessary to save our country. We could sure use some of that kind of thinking today! There are around 23 million veterans living in the United States and over 9 million of them are over 65. Along with the population at large, these veterans are aging and facing the challenges associated with growing older. Let’s all look for ways to make these veteran’s lives a little easier. Just taking the time to thank them for their service and let them know that some of us really appreciate all they have done really makes their day! If you are a veteran and need help paying for needed home modifications there are a number of grants available to offset the cost of these modifications. They include the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant, the Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant, and the Granting Freedom grant. While the bulk of these grants are available to veterans who need modifications due to service connected disabilities, there are some programs available for all veterans. Any amounts not covered by these grants may also be eligible for the Livable Homes Tax Credit which I wrote about in Housing Matters last month. To learn more about these programs please feel free to give me a call at (540) 384-2064. Once again I would like to thank all those who have served our country and defended our freedoms. God bless you!
Could You Use $5,000?
If you could have your home modified to make it easier to come and go, access the bathroom or kitchen, or get up and down the stairs and receive up to a $5,000 rebate in the process, would you be interested? If so, now is the time to act! The Livable Homes Tax Credit is not a rebate, but a tax credit offered by the Commonwealth of Virginia for up to $5,000 for the purchase or construction of a new home with accessible features, or half the cost of remodeling an existing home to incorporate accessible features up to $5,000. The credit applies to State income tax, and if it exceeds your tax liability, you can carry the credit forward up to seven years. Here’s how it works. In order to get the tax credit for 2012, you need to purchase or build an eligible new home or complete the eligible remodeling work before the end of the year. In order to be eligible, a remodeling project must include at least one accessibility feature. Some common accessibility features include: Accessible route Zero step entrance Doors with at least 32” of clear width Hallways and passages with at least 36” of clear width Accessible light switches, electrical outlets, and environmental controls Accessible bathroom Accessible and usable kitchen facilities Lifts Elevators Ramps Sensory Modifications In short, any Home Modification that makes it easier to get in and out of your home and access the amenities will qualify for the credit. Once again the credit for remodeling is half the cost of the project up to $5,000. Simply complete the project by December 31, 2012 and send in the application by February 28, 2013. For Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. customers, we will provide you the application and help you get it filled out and sent in. If a new home is more to your liking and you would like receive the credit for 2012 you would need to purchase or build a new home before the end of the year that contains the three features of Universal Visitability or at least three accessibility features and meet the requirements of an existing standard. The three features of Universal Accessibility are: At least one zero-step entrance allowing access into the residence An accessible bathroom on the same floor as the zero step entrance Doors with at least 32” of clear width and hallways/passageways with at least 36” clear width to the accessible bathroom and an eating area If all three of these features are not included in the home, you must have at least three accessible features and meet the requirements of an existing standard. What the requirements of an existing standard are is somewhat open to interpretation since there is no single recognized standard for accessibility in private homes. However, the standards mentioned in the application are adaptability features prescribed by the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, the specifications of the American National Standards Institute, the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standard, and the Fair Housing Guidelines. If you have purchased or built a home this year and are not sure if it qualifies, get in touch with me and I’ll try to help. If you have been considering a remodeling project, now is the time to move forward so you can reap the benefits of the tax credit. Please give me a call at (540) 384-2064 or email me at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com. I will show you how you can improve your home and lower your tax burden at the same time!
Custom Curbless Showers
I have been installing custom curbless showers for some time and they are starting to catch on. With the floor, walls, and sometimes the ceiling made of tile, the shower can be any size, color, and texture to match any style or budget. We can install various types of seats, handheld showerheads, shower controls, and showerheads. Here are examples of curbless showers to give you some ideas. As you can see, the possibilities are enormous. Not only do curbless showers allow full and unfettered access by people of all abilities, they are very stylish and offer unlimited variations. The first question most people ask is, “With no curb, how does the water stay in?” The floor of the curbless shower is sloped toward the drain so that water runs into and down the drain. We use a level entry shower floor system that can be installed in a wood or concrete floor. This system creates a pre sloped, completely waterproof base for the shower floor that can then be tiled over with your choice of tile. We also can install a secondary trench drain around the perimeter of the shower as shown in the shower with the blue curtain. The curtains we use are weighted at the bottom to prevent any water from escaping under the curtain. Of course you may also choose to install a glass door or screen on your curbless shower. People often ask me if removing the tub will lower the resale value of their home. On the contrary, these luxurious, spa like showers will create an atmosphere that anyone would love to have in their home. If you like, we can install steam, multiple showerheads, body sprays or any other features that you would install on a high end luxury shower. Seats can be either stationary or designed to fold up against the wall when not in use. Grab bars in a myriad of sizes, colors, styles, and textures can be installed in and around the shower for safety and convenience. For more information on curbless showers and other home modifications to make your home safer and more convenient, call us at Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. at (540) 384-2064. Thank you for reading Housing Matters and please let me know if you have any questions or have topics you would like to see addressed here.
Monitoring for More than Senior Moments
I just watched a webinar called Monitoring for More than Senior Moments. One of the participants was Jason Ray, the Vice President of Business Development at Simply Home. If you are a regular reader of Housing Matters you will recognize Simply Home as the electronic remote activity monitoring system which allows a loved one or caregiver to be notified in the event of an emergency. It differs from the well known medical alert systems in that the monitoring takes place automatically without the need to push a button or otherwise call for help. The system has the ability to monitor medication through a special medication dispenser as well as monitor cooking and send an alert or even automatically turn off the stove if it is left on! The ability of a system like Simply Home to automatically call for help when needed is a great benefit and it would be an amazing product if that is all it could do. The ability to help prevent emergencies from happening in the first place can be a potentially much larger benefit. The power of a system like Simply Home to prevent the occurrence of serious injuries or illness among seniors living alone is incredible. I recently read that the annual cost of missed or incorrectly taken medication is $290 billion. We often hear stories of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease wandering out the door and getting lost, often with tragic results. The Simply Home system features a GPS watch that can pinpoint the location of the wearer remotely from anywhere with an internet connection. The medication dispenser will notify a loved one or caregiver if medication is missed. A sensor on a refrigerator or cabinet can keep track of whether meals are being missed. A sensor can automatically turn on the lights when you get out of bed during the night. The sensor which turns the stove off it is left on with no motion in the kitchen can prevent a fatal house fire. All of the information collected by the sensors is stored so that trends which may point to an imminent or progressing condition can lead to preventative measures. There is even a service available called Virtual Care Management which will assess the data for you and alert you to potential problems. The combination of ways the system can be set up is virtually limitless. In short, rather than simply calling for help after there is a problem, Simply Home can help prevent problems from happening in the first place. If you or a loved one desires to remain in your home, but you have concerns about being able to do so safely, please get in touch with me to arrange for a home monitoring assessment. There is no charge for the assessment, and there is the potential to maintain your independence for many years longer than would otherwise be possible. Each system is configured for your individual needs and the system can be modified as needed if your needs change. Please don’t wait until after a traumatic event occurs to ask for help. The old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” is truer today than it has ever been. Take a few minutes to find out how Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. and Simply Home can help you maintain your independence in your own home safely and comfortably for years to come. Please give me a call at (540) 384-2064 or email me at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com. I welcome the opportunity to help you maintain your independence.
Would a Ramp Increase your Independence?
Would a ramp help you live a more independent life by making it easier for you to get in and out of the house? This month we celebrate Independence Day when our nation declared its independence from Great Britain. For many of us, the idea of independence becomes an extremely personal matter as our mobility diminishes with age. Whether we experience a sudden loss of mobility or a more gradual reduction in our mobility, the steps we typically have leading to our homes can be a major obstacle. A good solution for many people is a ramp. People are often hesitant to install a ramp because they think it will be ugly and stigmatize their home. I am going to show you how you can have a ramp that vastly improves access to your home and fits in well with your home’s style and appearance. When I am looking at installing a ramp there are several things I look for. The proper slope for a ramp is 12” of length for every 1” of height. Sometimes it makes more sense to put a ramp at the back or the side of the house. I also will design a ramp to fit well with the style of the house. Notice how the railings on this ramp matchthe railings on the porch. It is also important to make sure that any landings are large enough to allow turning. 5’ by 5’ is a good starting point. You also may want to accommodate those who may not need or want to use the ramp. This ramp allows people to continue to use the sidewalk and the stairs or to access the house via the ramp. Notice that both of these ramps are on the front of the house but blend in well. Additional shrubbery or other landscaping can also be used to soften the appearance of the ramp. If you have an attached garage or a carport on your home, this is often the best place to incorporate a ramp. In fact if you are building a new home, simply construct the garage or carport floor at the same height as the main floor level and you will never have to worry about access. This is a simple ramp built in a carport to provide access to the house. For more information on ramps or any of the other services we provide at Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. please give us a call at (540) 384-2064. Happy Independence Day!
A Safer Bathroom
One of the most common concerns I hear from people who are trying to stay in their home is that they have trouble raising their knees high enough to get into the tub. This is also one of the most common places where people fall and injure themselves. Falls are the leading cause of injuries to older adults in the U.S. and 60% of injury-related deaths are due to falls. Preventing falls and making bathrooms safer and easier to use for older adults is one of the main reasons I do so much work in bathrooms. Many times I will remove the tub and replace it with a curbless shower. I also do a lot of complete remodels. Today I am going to talk about an alternative that will convert your existing bathtub into a step in shower in less than a day and for a fraction of the cost of more extensive remodeling. I am talking about the Safeway Step®. This innovative product allows the existing tub to remain in place. We cut out and remove a section of the tub wall. We then insert the Safeway Step® in place, creating a two foot by eight inch pass through in the tub wall. This makes stepping into the tub much easier for anyone with arthritic knees or mobility issues. We often install them in conjunction with a seat and grab bars to make showering even safer and easier. For those people who want to continue to take a tub bath, we offer the Safeway Tub Door® which incorporates a door that closes to create a water tight seal so that you can still take a tub bath if you like. Both products can be installed in any standard bathtub. It doesn’t matter whether it is fiberglass, acrylic, steel, or cast iron. The installation takes less than a day and you have your bathroom back quickly. People all over the country are enjoying the safety and convenience of the Safeway Step™ and Safeway Tub Door™. Won’t you join them? Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. is a Safeway Step Independent Installer and has the experience and expertise to integrate the Safeway Step with any other home modifications you may need. Call today for a no obligation evaluation of your bathroom to determine how we might best serve you in helping you Age in the Place you Love….Home! Just give us a call at (540) 384-2064 or send us an email at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com. We look forward to hearing from you.
Living Independently
Most people want to live independently for as long as possible, but family members and other loved ones are often concerned for their safety. It is important to most of us to be able to take care of ourselves and not be a burden to others. The sense of independence and self determination is vital to our well being. The most common barriers to maintaining this independence as we age are an inability to physically or mentally accomplish the activities of daily living. Many times we find people unable to safely get around in their homes or they become forgetful or have signs of dementia. Family members become concerned that their loved one is a danger to themselves and often apply pressure to move out of the home where they have lived for many years. Alternatively, the senior’s struggles to live independently go unnoticed until a traumatic event occurs. The key is to enable the senior to live independently while providing a safety net to notify a care giver or family member of warning signs that there might be a looming hazard. Many older people have a personal emergency response system so that they can push a button and call for help in an emergency, but wouldn’t it be better to be proactive than to wait for an emergency? The SimplyHome System™ is a proactive remote activity monitoring system designed to help people live independently by enabling the patient and the caregiver to prevent problems before they occur. For example, the system can be programmed to turn on the bedroom lights automatically when someone gets out of bed during the night and send out a notification if they are not back in bed within a certain amount of time. It also would keep track of how many times a night they are getting up which might point to pending health concerns. If forgetfulness is a concern, the system could be programmed to automatically dispense medication at the correct times and send out a notification if it is not taken. Another application would be to turn off the stove if it is on and there is no motion in the kitchen for a certain amount of time. There is even a GPS watch available so that a wandering dementia patient could be located immediately. The options are virtually unlimited and the system can be reconfigured as needs change. Some people may have privacy concerns, but with the SimplyHome System™ you have complete control over what data is available to view and who has access to it. With the aging of the baby boomers and people living longer the need for systems to enable people to live independently in their homes will continue to grow exponentially. If you are a senior having trouble living independently or you have a loved one you are concerns about, there are options to remain at home. The cost is much less than assisted living or other living arrangements. The combination of having the elderly person living in the home they love and feel comfortable in and their loved ones having the peace of mind knowing that there is a way to keep informed and send for help if needed is a great comfort to everyone involved. To learn more about Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. and the SimplyHome System™ which has been featured twice on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and is a finalist in the best new product category for the 2012 Edison Awards call me at (540) 384-2064 or visit my website at www.solidrockenterprises.com. I look forward to helping you or your loved one live independently for many years to come.
The Silver Tsunami
In the three years that I have been writing Housing Matters, the beginning of an age wave has reached our shores. The first baby boomer turned 65 on January 1, 2011. The 78 million of us born between 1946 and 1964 will be turning 65 at the rate of 10,000 a day for the next 20 years. This age wave, or “Silver Tsunami” as it has been termed by some, will result in the 65 and older population doubling from 2000 levels by 2030. The chart shows the numbers for the population of Virginia. Our population aged 65 and up will more than double during this same period. This shift in the demographics of our population will change the dynamics of our housing needs dramatically. (Not to mention nearly every other area of our lives!) Seniors in overwhelming numbers indicate that they would prefer to remain in their own homes as they age. However, most of the homes we live in are what have been called “Peter Pan” housing (for people who never grow old). There are too many steps, the doors and hallways are too narrow, the bathrooms are too small and inaccessible to anyone with mobility issues. These are just a few of the common obstacles we face when trying to age in place in our current homes. Clearly something needs to be done! Home modification to increase accessibility and ease of use can make a huge difference in the life of any aging resident struggling to stay in the home they love. By calling on the services of a licensed contractor who is CAPS certified and has experience in Universal Design home modifications, you or a loved one can age in place safely and comfortably for years to come. The senior remodeling experts at Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. have been helping seniors remain in their homes in Central and Southwest Virginia for over ten years now. If you or a loved one is struggling to remain in your home, the time has come to pick up the phone and make your life easier by modifying your home. We have the expertise and experience to transform your home from a Peter Pan house into a home for a lifetime. Why suffer in a dangerous, outdated, and inaccessible house when we can transform your home into a warm, inviting, and universally accessible home? If you think you or a loved one would benefit from having your home modified to more easily age in place, do yourself a favor and drop me a note by mail or email or take a moment of your time and give me a call. I would appreciate knowing if you or a loved one have need of our services and if there are specific areas regarding housing and aging in place you would like to know more about. I am looking forward to three more years of writing Housing Matters by which time 11 million MORE Americans will have turned 65! Thank you so much for your help and thanks for reading Housing Matters! You can reach me at: Chris Moore Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. 428 W Riverside Dr Salem, VA 24153 cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com (540) 384-2064
Universal Design Goes Outside
Since this column is called Housing Matters I usually talk about things that are going on inside the house. This month, since spring is right around the corner, I think I will open the door to the outside and talk about Universal Design outside the home. Many people enjoy spending time outdoors when the weather is nice and the principles of Universal Design apply just as much to these outdoor living spaces as those on the inside. Whether you are thinking of adding a deck, screen porch or patio or you would rather spend time in a vegetable or flower garden, there are some things to keep in mind as you plan your outdoor living space. Just as you would in any home modification, consider easy access to your outdoor living space. Zero step entries are just as important when leaving the house as when entering. If you are building a deck or a patio with a zero step entry (particularly if facing the prevailing wind) it is important to provide for positive drainage at the threshold or better yet, provide a roof over the entry. Screen porches are popular since they allow you to enjoy the outdoors while protecting you from the sun and the insects. Make sure you allow for adequate maneuvering room for someone who uses a wheelchair or a walker. One of the most versatile systems to allow outdoor living is a large opening glass wall system. These systems are like sliding or folding glass doors that open completely out of the way. With a flush track or no floor track at all, they bring the outdoors in when open, but shut out the elements when closed. If your plans include a grill or other elements of an outdoor kitchen, keep in mind ease of use. Lever handles, different height countertops, as well as knee space underneath can make our outdoor kitchen easier and more enjoyable to use. Contrasting colors on tops and edges of countertops can improve visibility, and bright glare free lighting is essential for any areas you are likely to use after dark. Walks and pathways through your yard and garden should be at least four feet wide, have a hard non slip surface, and have slope of no more than 1” in 20’. If it is not possible to match this slope on your lot, you should consider adding handrails and in any event, keep the slope less than 1” in 12’. Many people love gardening but the idea of getting down on hands and knees to tend to the garden is out of the question. To create plots for growing flowers, vegetables, or herbs that are easily accessible by all, consider building raised beds that are at least 18” – 24” off the ground for easy access. Make the beds no more than 3’ wide with access from all sides. An alternative is a table top height bed with knee space underneath. The beds can be built from stone or block or a rot resistant wood such as pressure treated southern pine or old railroad ties. Make sure to provide adequate drainage and use good quality soil and you will have years of enjoyment from your Universally Designed garden! If you would like more information on how to make your own home (inside or out) a home for a lifetime, please get in touch with us at Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. To get answers to your questions or suggest a topic for a future column, call us at (540) 384-2064 or email us at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com.