Aging in Place

What is it that makes Christmastime the most wonderful time of the year? Certainly, for those of us who are Christians, the celebration of the birth of our Savior is the most important part of this joyous season. A little research, however, will reveal that there is very little evidence that Jesus was born on December 25. It is considered likely that this particular date was borrowed from the pagan holiday Saturnalia. During the seventeenth century, both in England and parts of the American colonies, Christmas was banned by the church because it was believed to be connected to pagan rituals and not properly reverent. Other faiths and traditions also seem to celebrate at this time of year. Maybe we all need something to celebrate when it is cold outside and many living things seem to have retreated into the earth. At any rate, for most of us, the Christmas season is a time of sights and sounds and tastes and smells that we cherish and look forward to all year. It is a time when we are more likely to pause and consider what is important in life. A time when we take to the time to ponder how important our family and friends are to each of us. Life is short and none of us is guaranteed tomorrow. Make time to enjoy the season and spend time with those you love while you have the opportunity. When you gather at the homes of family and friends to enjoy the special fellowship of the Christmas season, please be mindful of safety and accessibility in the home. Most of us never consider fall prevention or access into and out of the home until we are forced to by a fall or the loss of mobility in ourselves or a loved one. At Christmastime, when we often have extended family visiting or we are visiting them is the perfect time to consider increasing the safety and accessibility of our homes. Some of these modifications can be quite simple, like removing throw rugs or trailing extension cords. Other modifications, such as adding a master suite addition for multigenerational living can involve a significant investment of time and money. Most modifications to improve safety and accessibility are somewhere between these two examples. Adding grab bars, railings, or other features to help prevent falls is often the first line of defense when creating a safer and more accessible home for people of all ages and abilities. I believe that we all benefit when we gather together with family and friends of differing ages and abilities. Young people glean the wisdom of their seniors and older folks enjoy the energy and enthusiasm of the young. As you make your plans for this holiday season, make sure you plan for safety and accessibility in your home and the homes of your loved ones. Whatever other plans you have for this festive time of the year, I hope you plan to spend time enjoying the company of those you hold most dear. Take time to consider those things in life that are most important to you. Please consider how great a gift the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ really is. Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year! Contact Chris to learn more at 540-384-2064 or by email at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com.

October is one of the most beautiful months in this part of the world. The mountainsides erupt in a blaze of color that is truly breathtaking. Bright and beautiful yellows, reds, and oranges take the place of the tranquil green that dominated the view all summer long. Those of us who have enjoyed this extravaganza all our lives can tend to take it for granted. There are, however, many places where the forests do not put on this annual show. In the American West, for example, the mountains are much taller, majestically reaching much higher, with many of them remaining covered with snow throughout the year. The towering conifer forests are impressive in stature yet remain green throughout the year. No blaze of color for them. The aspen groves that spring up so readily whenever the conifer forests are disturbed have leaves that turn color in the fall. Unlike our trees here in the Blue Ridge Mountains, all their leaves turn yellow. Nothing like the multicolored display that our forests here produce. I do believe that the fall colors around here are some of God’s finest handiwork. You may be wondering what any of this has to do with seniors or housing for that matter. It seems to me that if the leaves on the trees can put on such a show as they are nearing the end of their life, we can learn a lesson from them. The idea that at 65 or 70 years of age our productive years are behind us and we should just coast through the rest of our lives is ridiculous. With a lifetime of experience and wisdom behind you, you might be just getting started. Many people have their greatest successes late in life. Laura Ingalls Wilder of “Little House on the Prairie” fame didn’t write her first book until the age of 64. Benjamin Franklin was 70 years old when he signed the Declaration of Independence and 81 years of age when he signed the U.S. Constitution. Grandma Moses started painting at the age of 76. Over the next 25 years she painted every day, producing more than 1,000 paintings. Colonel Sanders started KFC after he turned 65. He traveled around the country trying to convince restaurant owners to use his recipe and pay him a small commission on every piece of chicken sold. Legend has it that he was turned down 1,009 times before the first person said yes. Most people would have given up! But not Colonel Sanders. Oh, and by the way, he sold the company nine years later for $2 million dollars. (Worth approximately $16.2 million dollars today.)  You are never too old to follow your dream. Whatever you would like to do, get out there and do it. If you have been reading Housing Matters and believe, as I do, that aging in place represents a rapidly growing opportunity and will provide a valuable service to many people over the coming years, you may want to consider becoming a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS). I will be teaching the three-day certification courses online again beginning in 2023. Follow your dream relentlessly. Remember, you are never too old to pursue your dream. You never can tell, you might be the next famous author, or artist or fried chicken aficionado. You will never know unless you try. As William Wallace said in Braveheart, “All men die. Not all men truly live.” Be one of those that truly live. Contact Chris to learn more at 540-384-2064 or by email at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com.

Are you a planner or a procrastinator? Do you view making plans to live independently in your home for years to come as smart planning or as surrender to the ravages of aging? How you answer these questions will help determine whether your actions will lead to a greater possibility of living independently throughout the course of your life or finding yourself forced into a living arrangement you have not chosen due to accident or illness. It never ceases to amaze me that so many people I talk to are resistant to the idea of having home modifications done to make their homes safer and more accessible. Many people are more open to the idea of prepaying their funeral expenses than they are to making their home safer and more accessible. Some people justify this by stating that they know that they are going to die, but they do not know whether they will need home modifications. However, with falls being the cause of over half of all accidental deaths of adults over the age of 65 NOT modifying your home could lead to your premature death. Besides, you have automobile insurance and homeowner’s insurance, and you don’t know whether you will need these either. (Hopefully, you won’t) We plan for so many other aspects of retirement and I say that making sure our homes are ready for our retirement years is just as important as making sure that we have our financial house in order. For most of us, our homes represent the biggest single investment we will ever make. By making sure that it doesn’t kick us out when we need it most, we should take a look at our home to determine whether it meets basic accessibility guidelines. If we find ourselves with a temporary or permanent mobility impairment, would we be able to get in and out of our home and access the various areas of our home? The old adage that if you fail to plan you plan to fail certainly holds true in this case. When buying, building, or remodeling a home that will be functional throughout the course of your life, look for these features as the minimum requirements: At least one zero-step entry with a 36″ wide door. This door should have a flat threshold and would ideally be protected from the weather, have lighting triggered by a motion sensor, and have a package shelf and a levered handle. A bedroom on the main level with a 36″ wide door and room to maneuver. ( 5′ diameter open area in the floor for turning a wheelchair if necessary) At least one accessible bathroom on the main floor. The bathroom should have a 36″ wide door, a chair height commode, an accessible or adaptable sink, a curbless shower, grab bars at all these fixtures, and room to maneuver. A common area such as a living room that is accessible to all three areas already listed. This basic level of accessibility is a little more than visitability which would allow someone who uses a wheelchair (and anyone with most other mobility impairments) to come to your house for a visit. Visitability consists of the first two items on the list and doors with at least 32″ of net clear opening. Call Us to Get Started If we can help make your home a safer and more comfortable place to live please give us a call at 540-384-2064. Chris Moore is the owner of Solid Rock Enterprises and writes a regular Housing Matters column for Senior News.

I have been telling you about the Livable Homes Tax Credit for years in Housing Matters. The LHTC is the Virginia state income tax credit that allows homeowners or contractors to take up to $5,000 off their state income tax liability if they build an accessible home or make accessible home modifications to their existing homes. This tax credit has certainly been a benefit to many people in helping to offset the expenses of home modifications to enhance accessibility. Home modifications are extremely important in a world where 10,000 people a day are turning 65, almost everyone wants to stay in their home, and most of us live in Peter Pan housing (Housing built for people that never grow old). Against this backdrop, there has been an effort for many years to pass Federal legislation to provide a tax break for people modifying their homes to enhance accessibility. At the forefront of this effort is Louis Tenenbaum. Louis was a remodeling contractor, who was asked to remodel a bathroom to meet the needs of an individual with significant mobility impairments. Just like the first time I was asked to do something like that, he had no idea how to proceed. In the process of researching that project he came face to face with the reality that many people need modifications, but don’t know how to go about getting them. That was over 30 years ago, and since then, Louis has become a tireless advocate of aging in place and making it easier for people through home modifications. Louis founded the Homes Renewed Coalition. Their mission is to significantly increase the number of American homes prepared for residents to live throughout the modern lifespan by conducting research and educating consumers and legislators. Due to the efforts of Louis and other members of the coalition (I am proud to be a member), a tax bill is scheduled to be introduced in Congress that will make home modifications for accessibility tax deductible up to $60,000. The bill would allow homeowners to use funds from their IRAs, 401Ks, and other retirement plans without penalty. It has been estimated that, if enacted, this legislation would save homeowners an average of 20% on home improvement projects that increase the safety and accessibility of their homes. And while they are waiting for the Congressional Budget Office to score the bill, the Homes Renewed Coalition has a study called Making it Safe to Age in Place that makes the case that the lost tax revenue to the government would be more than offset by the savings from reduced falls and other injuries sustained by older Americans because they live in Peter Pan housing. The adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” certainly applies here. It has never made sense to me that Medicare will pay for a wheelchair but not a wheelchair ramp or that they will pay for treatment for a broken hip but not a grab bar to help prevent a broken hip. Just as tax incentives for solar energy or electric vehicles have incentivized people to utilize these technologies, this bill will incentivize more people to create safe and accessible homes for themselves and their loved ones. I am excited about the potential to help more people stay safely and comfortably in their homes as long as they choose to. This legislation has been a long time in the making and it is exciting to see it moving forward. For more information about this bill as it progresses, log in to Homes Renewed Coalition or email me at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com.

If you followed my advice last year and took steps to make your home safer and more accessible you may qualify for a tax credit. The Livable Homes Tax Credit is a Virginia income tax credit for building or buying a home with certain accessibility features or for remodeling to incorporate these features into your existing home. You may qualify for up to a $5,000 tax credit and you can carry the credit forward for up to seven years. If you qualify for the tax credit for 2021 you have until January 31 to submit the application. If you purchased a new home in 2021 (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 $5,000 credit. The three features of Universal Visitability are: at least one zero step entry into the house an accessible bathroom on the same level as the zero step entry 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 $5,000 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, 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 seven years, and if the amount of eligible credits exceeds one million dollars, each approved taxpayer will receive a prorated 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. Call Us to Get Started I hope this information is helpful. If you have questions please call me at (540) 384-2064 or email me at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com. You can download a copy of the guidelines and application at www.dhcd.virginia.gov/LHTC. Chris Moore is the owner of Solid Rock Enterprises and writes a regular Housing Matters column for Senior News.

As the weather gets cooler, we will be likely to spend more time indoors. It is a good time to look at our homes for safety and fall prevention. As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Let’s take time to look at our home as if it were the first time we saw it. Sometimes a fresh perspective will show us things we never saw before. A Safe Home Starts at the Front Door and Entryway Start with the front door. Is there a clear, slip resistant, hard surface walkway to reach it? Is there plenty of bright lighting, preferably on a motion detector? Is the entryway protected from the weather? Is there a package shelf where you can place items while opening the door? Are there full-length sidelights or multiple peep sights so that everyone in the household can see who is at the door before opening it? Is there a zero-step entryway so that people of various abilities can enter easily? If you answered no to any of these questions, you might want to consider making some changes to your entryway. Fall Prevention Inside the Home Once inside the door look for lack of lighting and fall hazards as well as other safety issues as you move throughout the home. One of the most common tripping hazards found in homes is loose throw rugs. Loose flooring, particularly at transitions between different flooring types can be another cause for concern. Make sure that there are not trailing extension cords or clutter in walkways that could present a fall hazard. Handrails, grab bars, or other handholds throughout the house can be helpful in preventing falls. Bright, glare free lighting in the home, particular in circulation areas such as hallways and stairs can help prevent falls. Battery powered; motion activated lights are a low-cost way to bring light to dimly lit areas. Most of these hazards can be remedied at little to no cost just by taking the time to address them. If you have a loved one who would benefit from these measures, help them to see the importance of preventative measures. Fall Prevention Tips for Bathrooms As always, the bathroom is a prime area of concern when it comes to safety and fall prevention. There are many safety concerns in the typical bathroom. The room is too small, the floors are too slippery, the door is too narrow, the lighting is too dim, the controls are too difficult to operate, the tub or shower is difficult to enter, and there are no grab bars or other fall prevention. Think safety first, accessibility second, and convenience third. Grab bars should be included in every bathroom, regardless of the age of the residents. Safety and fall prevention are for everyone. If the flooring is slippery, changing the flooring or adding a slip-resistant coating should be a high priority. Widening the door and changing the bathtub to a curbless shower will allow the bathroom to be more accessible to all. Adding lever controls to the doorknob, faucets, shower valve, and other controls will allow those with limited hand strength to access the controls. Adding better lighting will improve safety by making it easier to see. Changing the faucets and shower valves to pressure balancing, positemp controls or lowering the water temperature can help prevent burns, particularly among those with limited feeling in their extremities. Call Us to Get Started I hope these suggestions will help you look at your home with new eyes. If you need help implementing any of these ideas, or any of our other remodeling services, please give us a call at 540-384-2064 or visit our website at www.solidrockenterprises.com. Chris Moore is the owner of Solid Rock Enterprises and writes a regular Housing Matters column for Senior News.

It is the most wonderful time of the year! That familiar verse from the old Christmas song recalls memories of sights and smells from my childhood. I think that Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year. Just like George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life it is a time to reflect and really appreciate the blessings we have received. We get so busy in our day to day lives that it is easy to forget that we have a Lord and Savior who was born in a manger in Bethlehem so many years ago. Let’s all try to open our eyes and our hearts this Christmas season and think about how blessed we are and what we have to be thankful for. For starters, this great nation of ours was founded on trust in God and individual liberty. Please don’t take these things for granted and do what you can to prevent the erosion of our freedoms. This sense of liberty and individual freedom is one of the main reasons I believe so strongly in aging in place. The Greatest Generation is Aging The generation which began turning 75 this year are the recipients of the freedom that their parents fought and bled and died for in World War II. That liberty and independence is our birthright as Americans, and we must continue to fight for it so we don’t lose it. We begin to lose some of that independence when through age or disability; we can no longer get around our homes or come and go as we please. Because this independence is precious to us as Americans, we fight to keep it. It is my honor and privilege to be able to make a difference in people’s lives by helping them remain in their own homes and retain their independence. I appreciate the opportunity to help so many people by modifying their homes to make them safe and comfortable as they age. Gift a Home Modification to an Aging Family Member At this time of year, our hearts also turn to family. All of us have loved ones that we have lost, and we miss them even more at this time of year. We long for just a few minutes with those who have gone on ahead of us. Make every effort to spend time with the family members you still have. We have no guarantees in this life, so let us make the most of every moment we have. If you have loved ones who are struggling to remain in their homes and could use some assistance, consider giving them a gift of Home Modification. Here at Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. we can improve the safety, comfort, and accessibility of their home and make a difference not just at Christmas but for the rest of their lives. Just get in touch with me to discuss the possibilities. Of course, let’s never forget that Jesus is the reason for the season. In this increasingly politically correct society, it has become increasingly prevalent to take the Christ out of Christmas. I for one will stand by Jesus who has done so much for me in my life. At this time of year, if you have an opportunity to reach out to someone with the love of Christ, I encourage you to do so. There are opportunities all around us to make a difference in someone’s life. Call Us to Learn About Home Modifications If we can make a difference in your life or a loved one’s life by modifying your home, please call us at (540) 384-2064 or send us an email at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com. I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a joyous and prosperous New Year! Chris Moore is the owner of Solid Rock Enterprises and writes a regular Housing Matters column for Senior News.

Fall and summer nights sitting on front porches make me think of a time when the pace of life was slower, a time when we knew our neighbors and we had more time to enjoy life. Somehow a front porch can reawaken nostalgia for simpler times. Thinking about how our houses can affect the quality of our lives I have thought about how we can modify our homes to make them more comfortable and accessible while retaining their charm and the parts we really enjoy. The front porch is a good example of this. Most porches in this area have stairs, but by adding a ramp, we can make it wheelchair accessible. If you drive around town you will see houses where people have added a wheelchair ramp to the front of their house to enable them to access their home. Oftentimes the ramp has a tendency to detract from the appearance of the house and that is one reason why people are often hesitant to install them. So how do you put in a ramp that not only enables you to access your home but also fits in with your home’s style and appearance? A Ramp Can Compliment the Style of Your House There are many ways to build a ramp in such a way that it complements the style of the house. As part of our housing needs assessment, Solid Rock Enterprises will look at your home and design a ramp or other modification that complements and adds to your home’s appearance as well as functionality. We will use our years of experience to look at your unique situation and suggest solutions that fit your needs, your taste, and your budget. Every home is different, and every homeowner is unique. We assess each situation individually to discover the best solution for each client. After all, satisfied clients are our final product. When building a new home using Universal Design principles, we would situate the house so that there would be a barrier-free entry at ground level, and on an existing house we would look at the possibility of creating this kind of entry through grading and the use of walkways that would eliminate the need for a ramp altogether. Another technique is to build a ramp in line with the existing porch to soften its visual impact. We always use materials and railing styles that match the existing house as much as possible. Another way to make the ramp blend in is with the use of landscaping such as shrubbery plantings to take the focus off of the ramp. In some cases, a vertical platform lift will be a better option than a ramp. Sometimes a ramp can be installed in the back of the house. If you or a loved one is experiencing limited mobility, don’t let it limit your life. There are many resources and options available to you today to improve the quality of your life. You should have the chance to sit out on your front porch and enjoy a summer evening. If we can help you in assessing your housing needs and presenting options to enhance your life and allow you to stay in your home longer, please call Chris Moore at 540-384-2064 or email me at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com. Remember, that front porch is waiting. Chris Moore is the owner of Solid Rock Enterprises and writes a regular Housing Matters column for Senior News.