The True Meaning of Christmas
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!” These words from the 1822 poem titled A Visit from St. Nicholas but 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 the true spirit of Christmas can break out in the trenches of World War I then it can break out anywhere. Let’s all do our part to make this the most wonderful time of the year! 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 more about commercialism than about a time of goodwill and giving. I would encourage everyone to take the time this Christmas season to pause and view the world through the eyes of a child. Remember the wonder and the excitement you felt as a child at the most wonderful time of the year. 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 to 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.
Remember our Veterans
Since November is the month when both Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving occur, it is the perfect time to thank a veteran for their service to our country. Their service too often goes unappreciated or even disdained. The liberties that this nation was founded on are disappearing under our noses and those who fought and bled and died to preserve those liberties are not given the credit they deserve. I encourage everyone to take time this month to show a veteran how much you appreciate their service. One of the ways that we are honored to be able to show our appreciation to our veterans is by helping them continue to live comfortably and safely in their home through home modifications. If you or a loved one is a veteran who could benefit from these programs, I would be delighted to help point you in the right direction. There are three grants we participate with to modify homes for veterans, the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant, the Home Improvement and Structural Alteration (HISA) grant, and the Granting Freedom grant. I will give some of the requirements and details of each grant here. Feel free to get in touch with me if you have questions or need more information. The SAH grant is the largest of the three, the most comprehensive, and has the strictest requirements. In order to qualify for the SAH grant, a veteran must have a service connected disability that falls within the guidelines of the program. The grant is used to help the veteran live independently in a barrier free environment. The funds can be used to remodel an existing home to meet the requirements, build a new home that is compliant, or even pay down the principal on a home you already own that is accessible according to the VA standards. Bear in mind that the standards are quite stringent and the VA will generally stick to the letter of the law in meeting their accessibility requirements. For example, there must be two means of egress such as a ramp or lift, one of which must lead directly from the veteran’s bedroom. The current maximum amount of the grant is $67,555. The grant is administered through the VA Regional office, located in the Poff building. The HISA grant is available to veterans with both service connected and non service connected disabilities. A HISA grant will pay up to $6,800 to a veteran with a service connected disability and $2,000 to a veteran with a non service connected disability. This is the only one of the three grants that offers benefits to veterans with non service connected disabilities. The HISA grant will pay to modify an existing home to make it more accessible. Examples include installing a curbless shower or widening doorways. It cannot be used to alter the use of part of a home such as converting a bedroom into a bathroom. HISA grants are administered by the prosthetics department at the VA hospital. The Granting Freedom grant is paid with private funds and is administered by the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA). The requirements are similar to the HISA grant except that it is not available to veterans with non service connected disabilities. This grant pays up to $4,000. The application is sent to the VHDA in Richmond along with a quote from a contractor. We frequently do jobs for veterans combining two or even all three of these grants on the same project. There is also accessibility equipment available to veterans who need it outside of these grant programs. For more information, please call me at 540-556-0650.
Assisted Living v. Aging in Place
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Volunteers to host symposium on ‘Aging in Place’
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Aging in Place symposium helps seniors with decisions
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New name for Aging in Place
Louis Tenenbaum has done it again. With his experience and insight, Louis Tenenbaum has come up with a better name for aging in place. Many of us in the industry have thought we needed a new term for some time. No one likes the term Aging. People recoil from the term and don’t like to think of themselves as old. Old is always five years older than whatever age I happen to be. Additionally, in spite of a lot of media attention, most people still don’t have any idea what Aging in Place is. Louis has suggested that instead of Aging in Place we call it Long Term Care at Home. Most people understand what long term care is. What we are saying is that you can choose to receive long term care at home instead of in a facility. Not only CAN you choose it, but it is the BEST choice. Brilliant! Read the full article here: http://www.louistenenbaum.com/aging-in-place-is-the-best-long-term-care-strategy/
First Aging in Place National Planning Day
The first aging in place national planning day has been set for October 15. As part of aging in place week, the planning day is a day set aside for people to make a plan to remain safely and comfortably in their homes for the rest of their lives. Up until now, aging in place (or Long Term Care at Home, a better term coined by Louis Tenenbaum) has been the concept that by accessing resources including financial, healthcare, personal care, transportation, home modifications, etc. at home rather than in a facility. What has been missing in many if not most scenarios has been a plan to make that happen. That is the goal of the aging in place planning day. resources will be available from the National Aging in Place Council to help in the process. Look for local events all over the country to help people put together an aging in place plan. Stay tuned here for information on a local event here in the Roanoke Valley.
Home Modifications Questions and Answers
This month I will begin an occasional series in Housing Matters listing some of the questions that get asked about various subjects concerning home modifications and their answers. If you have questions you would like to see answered here, please send them to cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com or call 540-384-2064. I hope this information is helpful to you. How do I know if home modifications are necessary? Many times, particularly if an aging parent lives alone, the other family members may not be aware of the struggles their loved one is having. Make a point when visiting to observe how they get around the house. Input from their doctor and other health care professionals may give you insight on their abilities and areas of difficulty. If you have concerns, it is probably time to consider an assessment. Find a contractor who specializes in home modification and who will coordinate with their health care team. What are the most important home modifications to have done? I break home modifications down into three categories, safety, accessibility, and convenience. While there is certainly some overlap and most projects will have elements of each, we need to consider the priority of projects in this order. Anything that presents a fall or other safety hazard should be taken care of immediately. Those modifications which enhance accessibility should be done as soon as possible, and those which are primarily for convenience can be delayed if budgetary concerns warrant. My loved one is very unsteady and I am worried about falls. What can I do to help prevent falls? You are correct to be concerned about falls. About one third of adults over the age of 65 fall each year, and of those who fall, two thirds will fall again within six months. The first thing you should do is make sure that there are no trailing extension cords, loose throw rugs, or clutter that could present a tripping hazard. Then make sure you have railings or grab bars installed wherever practical as something to hold onto. Having hand holds in place before they are needed will get you in the habit of reaching for them, so that when you need them the habit is already ingrained. Please don’t wait until after a fall to take action! Consider replacing slippery flooring with a non slip alternative. Remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. What are the most important home modifications to have done? I break home modifications down into three categories, safety, accessibility, and convenience. While there is certainly some overlap and most projects will have elements of each, we need to consider the priority of projects in this order. Anything that presents a fall or other safety hazard should be taken care of immediately. Those modifications which enhance accessibility should be done as soon as possible, and those which are primarily for convenience can be delayed if budgetary concerns warrant. It is hard for me to get in and out of the bathtub and I am afraid of falling. What should I do? I would strongly recommend that you have some grab bars installed. Having a strong handhold is especially important in the bathroom where surfaces are slippery and falls are common. In addition, you might want to consider a tub cut that converts your existing bathtub into a step in shower or removing the tub and installing a curbless shower. Also, if the floor of the bathroom or the shower is slippery, consider applying a non slip coating or stick on treads for a better grip.