Enjoying the Outdoors
With the summer weather, people are spending more time outdoors. When you are planning an outdoor space, whether it is a deck, a patio, a garden, or even a pool, use Universal Design principles to create outdoor spaces that can be enjoyed by everyone. Start with zero step entries from the inside to the outside. Lever handles on the locksets make the doors easy to open for everyone. Hard surface gently sloping walkways through the yard and garden make the outdoors accessible for everyone, including those with mobility issues. Those of us who enjoy gardening will appreciate raised bed planters with knee space underneath for gardening while seated. A covered, screened in area will keep the rain and the bugs out, extending the amount of time it can be enjoyed. This porch we are currently building features a stamped concrete floor, an Ultimate Underdeck ceiling to keep out water from the deck above, ceiling fans for a cooling breeze, wide arched openings overlooking the lake, and zero step entry doorways into the house. When the project is finished it will be screened in with pool and patio screen to create a relaxing insect free environment. With a porch like this, the outdoors can easily become your favorite room in the house. To gain access to your yard and garden you need to consider the topography of your lot. If you are putting in a ramp, the recommended maximum slope is one inch per foot. If you can, a slope of one inch per twenty inches will create a gently sloping walkway that is comfortable for almost everyone to negotiate. Level areas which are covered provide a spot to relax and spend time outdoors. Use your imagination to create accessible, inviting spaces outdoors that you can enjoy for years to come. For more information on creating an outdoor retreat at your home, give us a call at 540-384-2064. Happy Summer!
Stay on Your Feet
Housing Matters has always been about promoting independence. We talk about ways to safely and comfortably live independently in our homes throughout the course of our lives. One of the leading causes of losing ones independence is certainly falls. Oftentimes when an older adult falls it is the beginning of the end of living independently. What you may not realize is how prevalent falls are and the devastating effects of falls, both financially and personally. There are many steps that can be taken to prevent falls and fall related injuries. Over one third of adults over the age of 65 will fall each year, resulting in 2.4 million injuries. The result of an initial fall will often be fear and trepidation of falling again, which frequently results in actions contributing to another fall. However, falling does not necessarily have to be an inevitable part of the aging process. I suggest a multi faceted approach to staying on your feet. Work with your health care professionals. Sometimes certain medications can cause light headedness, lack of balance, or other conditions that may raise the risk of falling. Remaining physically active can help tremendously to reduce the risk of falling. There are a number of programs designed to help prevent falls by increasing strength and balance in those at risk of falling. Occupational therapists are an important resource to proactively keep people living independently. Reduce clutter. Go through you home and look for things that might be a fall hazard. Getting a friend or family member to do this with you can give you a fresh perspective by pointing out things you might not notice. Look for trailing extension cords, loose throw rugs, frayed carpets, and things piled in the walkway. If your home is cluttered, these simple steps can make a huge difference in reducing the risk of a fall. Light up your life. All of us experience diminished eyesight as we age. Increasing the level of light in our homes, particularly in the kitchen and bath can help tremendously to see where we are going. Contrasting colors on the tops and edges of surfaces such as countertops and stairs can help us see where the edges of these surfaces are which can help prevent falls. Hold on to what matters. Make sure you have something to hold onto. Installing railings, grab bars, and hand holds throughout your home so that you always have something sturdy to hold onto will go a long way to prevent falls. I often have people tell me that they do not need any of these products yet. That is exactly the right time to have them installed. If you have them installed before you need them, they may prevent a fall. If you have them installed after you need them, it is usually because you have already fallen. If you need help installing railings, grab bars, or hand holds, please call us. Prevent injury. While our primary goal is to prevent falls, we cannot prevent them all. By installing fall protection flooring in your home, you can prevent injury if you do fall. This special flooring, called Smart Cells, will absorb 90% of the impact of a fall if you do fall on it. Available in mats or fitted to the entire floor, it is available in different colors, and can be covered with sheet vinyl or carpet. For more information on fall prevention and protection, a home safety assessment, or help implementing these or other home modifications, please call Senior Remodeling Experts at 540-384-2064. Thank you for reading Housing Matters.
Sandwich Generation
In the last week and a half I have attended two caregiver conferences. Both of these conferences were presented primarily for family caregivers. The statistics are staggering. There are over one million family caregivers in Virginia, providing over one billion hours of unpaid care per year. Many of these caregivers are in what has been described as the sandwich generation, caring for aging parents while still caring for their own minor children. The number of people who need care will continue to increase, even while the younger people who provide the care declines. In 2010, the family caregiver ratio was 8.5 potential caregivers aged 45-64 for every person in the high risk years of 80-plus. By 2030 this ratio is projected to be 4.2 to 1, and by 2050 is expected to reach 2.8 to 1. If you are one of these family caregivers, you understand how difficult it can be. Most caregivers are happy to care for their loved one, but it can all get extremely overwhelming, particularly when your loved one is suffering from a progressive disease such as Alzheimer’s. Don’t try to go it alone! It is important to assemble a care team to help you care for your loved one. Recruit the help of family and friends as well as medical professionals and other service providers to provide the care that your loved one needs. Make a list of tasks that would help take some of the load off of you and when someone asks if there is anything they can do, ask them to help with a specific task. On the top of the home page of my website at www.solidrockenterprises.com there is an aging in place planning guide that you can download. By working through this planning guide, you can develop a plan to help your loved one successfully age in place. The local chapter of the aging in place council can be reached by phone at (540) 339-7891 or by email at westernandcentralva@ageinplace.org. At Senior Remodeling Experts, we provide a plethora of services that can make your job as a caregiver much easier. If your loved one has mobility issues, we can provide ramps, wider doorways, levered handles, and accessible bathrooms and kitchens. If they are at risk for a fall, we provide grab bars, handrails, non slip flooring, and fall protection flooring that will absorb 90% of the impact in the event of a fall and prevent broken bones. We provide electronic remote activity monitoring systems that will increase safety as well as independence for your loved one by monitoring their activity and sending an alert if the system is triggered by an event such as wandering, leaving the stove on, not eating or taking medication, or leaving the water running. I believe that technology will play an increasing role in the years to come in helping us care for our loved ones. Remember, if you are a caregiver, you don’t have to do it all alone. Get some help; take a break before you wear yourself out. There are resources available from a variety of sources. Download the planning guide at www.solidrockenterprises.com. If you need help modifying your home, call Senior Remodeling Experts at (540) 384-2064 or email us at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com. If you need help in other areas, or you are not sure where to start, call the Western and Central Virginia Council for Aging in Place at the number listed above. I hope and pray that you will find some valuable resources to help you care for your loved one and thank you for being a caregiver!
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.
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/
Medical Resources and Solutions
Housing Matters is excited to announce a collaborative effort with Medical Resources and Solutions. Our new showroom is now open at 2067 Electric Rd. (OakGrovePlaza next door to McDonalds). Medical Resources and Solutions is a specialty DME dealer owned by Mark Seidel. They specialize in wound care and offer specialty durable medical equipment that is not available from other DME dealers in the area. Through the combined resources and experience of Medical Resources and Solutions and Senior Remodeling Experts (a division of Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc.) we will be able to provide solutions for people with nearly any medical or aging related need in their homes. Mark and I share a belief that providing solutions to people’s problems is our primary vocation. In a world where customer service is an increasingly rare commodity, we are pleased to bring you a showroom where you will find solutions to a myriad of conditions that many of us are struggling with. Here are some of the products and services you will find represented at the new showroom: Lifts Stair lifts, Chair lifts, platform lifts, portable seat lifts, and ceiling lifts for temporary or permanent use can help those with limited mobility and their caregivers get through their days a little easier. Ramps Aluminum, steel and wooden temporary wheelchair ramps as well as permanent ramps to blend in with the style of any home or business. Elevators Commercial and residential elevators for any use Specialized Medical Equipment If there is any type of specialized medical equipment you need, come see us, we can probably help. Renovation If any area inside or outside of your home isn’t meeting your needs, we have the experience and expertise to renovate it to meet your needs for a lifetime. Remote monitoring We offer the Simply Home system which monitors the activities of anyone who needs it and can send an alert in the event of any trouble or concern. Also available are automated medication dispensers, telehealth wellness tools, and a GPS medical alert that works whether you are home or away. Safeway Steps A tub cut with or without a tub door allows your existing bathtub to be converted into a step in shower quickly and inexpensively. Often combined with gab bars, tub seats, and handheld showers to make showering easier for those with mobility issues. Kitchen and bathroom remodeling The kitchen and bathroom are two of the areas that can be most difficult to negotiate for someone with mobility issues. We have years of experience creating accessible solutions. Solutions for Wound Care Including supplies and the ability to bill the insurance carriers for the service. Adaptive devices for ADL- Activities of daily living Handy items to help with the daily activities associated with care. Special Air Flow Mattresses to combat Bed sores ( decubitus) Special equipment that adapts to the home like they use at the hospital or the nursing home. For more information give us a call at 540-384-2064 or 540-989-0823 or come by and see us at 2067 Electric Rd next to McDonalds. Thank you for reading Housing Matters!
Be Thankful
Do you ever get discouraged? Of course, we all do. Things don’t go our way, we suffer aches and pains or serious health problems or people let us down. There are certainly lots of things going on the country to get discouraged about. With Thanksgiving coming up this month, how do we get ourselves in a thankful mood? I am reminded of the old hymn “Count your Blessings” written by Johnson Oatman, Jr. in 1897. Part of the song goes like this: When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. If we take the time to look we will soon find that we have more to be thankful for than to be discouraged about. One thing I am thankful for is our nation%
Happy Father’s Day!
I recently had a question on www.caring.com where I serve on the panel of experts. The question was from someone who was struggling with the decision of how to care for an aging father who desperately wanted to continue living independently but was suffering from memory loss and wasn’t taking care of himself. Friends and neighbors were helping but it wasn’t enough. Anyone who has watched a loved one losing their cognitive abilities and the ability to live independently knows the difficulty of making the decisions necessary to help their loved one cope. If you still have your father, be thankful and wish him a Happy Father’s Day. Father’s Day never seems to get the attention of Mother’s Day and fathers have a tendency to be on the independent side and are uncomfortable asking for or accepting help even when they need it. One suggestion for a father or other loved one who is living alone and needs some help is a remote activity monitoring system called SimplyHome. With this system we install a series of sensors in the home to keep track of activity and inactivity. Based on an initial interview we conduct with the client and their family and any other caregivers we determine areas of concern that we can then monitor with the system and send out customized alerts. For example if your loved one is always up and about by 8:00 am you can program the system to send out an email, text or phone call to whomever you designate if they are still in the bed at 8:30. You could program the system to turn on the lights if they get up during the night or turn off the stove if it’s left on with no movement in the kitchen for a period of time. There is even a medication dispenser that you load with pills and each section opens at the proper time. If the pills aren’t taken, someone gets an alert. If wandering is a concern, there is a GPS watch that can be used to pinpoint their location. The technology utilized in the SimplyHome system is a truly fantastic way to help people continue to live independently. If you would like more information on SimplyHome and the other products and services we offer here at Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. please call (540) 384-2064.
Are You Eligible for the Livable Home Tax Credit?
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 2012 and the new home or the remodeling involved accessibility features you could be eligible for a tax credit of up to $5,000 on your Virginia income taxes. If you qualify for the credit, don’t miss the deadline of February 28. If you purchased a new home in 2012 (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 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 $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, 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 seven years, and if the amount of eligible credits exceeds one million dollars, each approved taxpayer will receive a pro rated 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. 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.
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.