Housing Matters

I was reading a report* the other day that is subtitled “Rethinking Solutions to the Home Care Challenge’. Unless this is your first time reading Housing Matters you know that I am an advocate for Aging in Place and that I help people remain in their homes by remodeling for safety and accessibility. The report I was reading points out, and anyone who has been through it can verify, there are many more pieces to the puzzle that must be assembled in order to successfully age in place. In order to safely and comfortably remain in their own homes, seniors (and people of any age who have a disability) must have a support system which includes connections to the outside world such as monitoring, home care, transportation, activities, etc as well as home adaptations and assistive technologies that make the home environment usable and safe for anyone regardless of ability or other limiting factors. The underlying idea is to create an infrastructure in the community that provides all of the services available in a retirement community at a lower cost and in the comfort of your own home. The senior benefits because over 80% of people over 45 surveyed said that they want to stay in their own homes as they age. The community also benefits when older remain people remain in their neighborhoods. I believe strongly that we lose a valuable source of wisdom and strength when our senior citizens are isolated in retirement communities. This integrated system of home design, monitoring, and comprehensive care services coordinated to provide care for seniors living at home is referred to in the report as Aging in Place 2.0. I expect you will be hearing more about this concept in the months and years to come. This is an idea whose time has come. I can envision clusters of houses; either newly built using Universal Design principles or existing homes remodeled to incorporate these principles. The houses would allow their residents to live independently and with dignity while a monitoring and care system would be available to help as needed with activities of daily living or emergencies. In many ways the idea harkens back to a simpler time when people simply took care of one another because it’s the right thing to do instead of waiting for some government program to come along and do it for them. Maybe putting these systems in place in our communities will be a step toward reducing the large amount of government intrusion in our lives. We’ve got to start somewhere. If you are interested in reading this report, send me an email to cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com. If you provide services to seniors and would be interested in being part of a network that makes this level of care available to our aging population here in Southwest Virginia, let me know. We need to make it easier for seniors to access the services they need to lead safe, comfortable, and fulfilling lives. If you are a senior and your home isn’t working for you as well as it used to and you would like to learn more about the services that Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. can provide in making your home a safer, more secure, and more comfortable place to live, please get in touch with me. I would be more than happy to come out and take a look. You can call me at (540) 384-2064 or write to me at Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc., 428 West Riverside Drive, Salem, VA 24153. * The MetLife Report on Aging in Place 2.0 © 2010 MetLife

I was recently reading a study,”Caregiving in the U.S”* which looked at the number and impact of people in this country who care for or help to care for another adult. With the aging population, more and more of us are involved in caregiving in one form or another. The study cited that 44 million Americans or 21% of the adult population is involved in caring for another adult. The vast majority (83%) of these are family members. The estimated value of these services, if they had to be paid for, is 257 billion dollars annually. One of the hardest parts of being a caregiver is finding resources to fill needs and finding answers to your questions about everything from transportation to medical issues to housing maintenance and adaptation to allow for changing needs. Where do you look for answers to these questions? One place people here in Southwestern Virginia can begin is right here in the Senior News. Each issue is jam packed with resources to help someone caring for a senior. If you don’t see it in these pages, call Gary Cooper who generally knows about anything related to seniors that’s happening in Central and Southwest Virginia. His contact information is located in the front of the magazine. If you use a computer, there’s a website that’s devoted to helping caregivers find resources and answers to their questions. It’s called www.caring.com and deals with every aspect of caregiving from housing to health. One of the features they offer is a panel of experts from a wide variety of fields. These experts provide free answers to questions in their area of expertise. I was recently honored to be chosen as an expert in the areas that I deal with in this column, Universal Design, Home Modifications, and Aging in Place. I believe that over the next few years we will see a dramatic shift in the way we care for our aging loved ones. One of the reasons I got into this line of work in the first place is that I believe that we suffer as a society when we isolate our older population in retirement communities. I think that when a community is well integrated and different generations interact with each other on a regular basis, everyone benefits. Some of the people whom I have done remodeling projects for, particularly some of the World War II veterans have enriched my life tremendously just by having a chance to meet them. If you are caring for a loved one, cherish every moment you have with them, even when you are worn out, because our time here on earth is over in the twinkling of an eye. So if you are a caregiver and need help, look through the resources available in the pages of this magazine or at www.caring.com. If you could use some help making your home more accessible please give me a call at (540) 384-2064, send me an email at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com or write to me at Solid Rock Enterprises, 428 W Riverside Dr, Salem, VA 24153. I would be happy to help. * “Caregiving in the U.S.” National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, April 2004 Funded by MetLife Foundation

In recent years, more and more people are finding themselves combining households with their parents or adult children. According to a U.S. Census Bureau Report, nearly 4 million American families have three or more generations living together under one roof. This number represents an approximately 60% increase since 2000. There are many reasons for this trend. A poll conducted in January by Coldwell Banker® found that of families combining households, 39% cited financial concerns as the main reason behind the move, while 29% said health care issues played the largest role in their decision, and 6% said tight family bonds were the driving force. While many of these reasons are based upon need, there are often great benefits to be derived from this kind of living arrangement. Families grow closer together while the wisdom of the older generation is passed on the younger family members. Whatever the reasons leading to the decision, it’s clear that the incidence of several generations living together under one roof is on the rise. In a way, it’s a return to a bygone era when this arrangement was the norm and nobody thought anything of it. But for many people today, the idea can take some getting used to. To help address some of the issues that should be considered in deciding if this is the best way for your family, Home Instead Senior Care® has put together a program called “Too Close for Comfort?” that helps you walk through the decision making process. You can find out more about this resource by calling your local Home Instead Senior Care® at 540-966-3399 or logging on to www.makewayformom.com. If you have a multigenerational household now, or you are considering combining households in the near future, you might want to look at your home with new eyes. Whether you are converting an unfinished basement to a mother in law apartment or simply using a bedroom that has been empty for many years, it’s important to take into account some Universal Design principles. Ask yourself these questions: Is there a safe and accessible route to get in and out of the home? Is the entry covered and lighted with a place to put down packages? Are the bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen easily accessible? Are the hallways wide enough? Is the bathroom accessible and safe? Is the lighting bright and glare free? Are the controls, faucets, doorknobs, etc. easy to use? Are there any tripping hazards (throw rugs, extension cords, etc.)? Is the kitchen accessible and easy to use? If any of these issues seem like they would be a concern to you and you would like to get some help in assessing your home to make it as safe and comfortable as possible, please give me a call. I can bring my 20+ years of construction experience and my specialized training to your home to perform a Customized Home Assessment. In this assessment I consider the present and future needs of everyone in the household and recommend a prioritized action plan to modify the home if needed and make the home safe, convenient, and comfortable for the whole family. You might be surprised at what can be accomplished in making your home a home for all ages! You can reach me by phone at 540-384-2064 or by email at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com. You can also log onto my website at www.solidrockenterprises.com. Please get in touch with me soon. I’ll be happy to help you.

The kitchen has been called the heart of the home. Not only are meals prepared and eaten in the kitchen, but the kitchen often is the natural gathering place in a home. The kitchen table is a symbol of all things related to day to day life. It is important therefore to have a kitchen that accommodates our needs as we get older. Anyone who has been reading Housing Matters for any time knows that I am a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) and that I use Universal Design to create homes for people that can be used to the greatest degree possible by anyone regardless of ability or limitation without the need for modification or adaptation. In other words, your home should work for you regardless of your circumstance or situation. This is particularly true of the kitchen. In a Universally Designed kitchen, the greatest potential exists for people of widely varying abilities and limitations can make their way around the kitchen and make use of its features. I am going to touch on some of the features which are found in a Universally Designed kitchen. As you enter the kitchen, nothing jumps out at you as being different from any other nice kitchen. We have integrated the universal design principles seamlessly into the kitchen so that you become aware of them only as you use them. Many of these features make the kitchen easier to use for everyone, and you begin to wonder why all kitchens aren’t designed this way. Maybe someday they will be. As you enter the kitchen you notice there are no steps or barriers to entry. The floor plan has plenty of room to maneuver around the kitchen and reach all of the appliances and work areas. The storage areas are easy to reach from a standing or seated position. The wall cabinets swing down to countertop height, the lower cabinets have pull out shelves, and there is even a storage system with movable shelves so that supplies can come to you. The appliances are easy to use. The cooktop has controls in the front so that you don’t have to reach over hot pots and pans to control the heat. The refrigerator is a side by side model, so that it can be accessed from a seated or standing position. The wall oven is at a comfortable height and has an adjacent countertop so that food can be slid directly out of the oven onto the counter. The dishwasher is raised so that bending over is minimized and countertops are at varying heights or are adjustable to accommodate different users. The cabinet doors at the sink, cooktop, and work areas open and fold out of the way so that you can access these areas seated in a chair or a wheelchair. In addition to these items you find that the edges of the countertops and other surfaces have contrasting colors so that the edges are easy to see for someone with low vision. Lighting is bright, adjustable, and glare free. If you think this kitchen would make your life easier, give me a call and I will visit your home and do a free, no obligation Housing Needs Assessment. You have a world of possibilities awaiting you as you find that your home can be your castle – for the rest of your life! To reach me call (540) 384-2064, email me at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com, or just drop me a line at: Chris Moore, Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc., 428 West Riverside Drive, Salem, VA 24153.

As if we weren’t all up to our ears already in dealing with taxes, I am going to talk about a state tax credit that will reimburse you for some of the costs incurred in making your home more accessible. Let me start out by saying I don’t believe that tax policy should be used by any government as a means of manipulating individual citizen’s behavior, and that we all pay entirely too much in taxes. That being said, I want to explain this tax credit because it will be helpful to many people in funding their home modifications. The stated purpose of the program is to improve accessibility and provide universal visitability. Visitability simply means that a home has an accessible route to one zero step entry, one accessible bathroom, and an eating area. The tax credit applies toward the purchase of a new home, or retrofitting an existing home. If you are purchasing a new home, the home must meet the criteria of visitability or include at least three accessibility features. If you are retrofitting an existing home, the work must include one accessibility feature or provide sensory modifications. Most modifications that make it easier to access or use your home will qualify. Some accessibility features are: Accessible route such as a ramp 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 Sensory modifications The credit is currently $500 up to 25% of the cost of the new home or the remodeling project, but is slated to increase to $2,000 and up to 50% of the cost for 2010. The application for 2010 must be submitted by February 28, 2011 to qualify for the credit. If you have any questions about the Livable Homes Tax Credit, Universal Design, Aging in Place or any other aspects of staying in your home for a lifetime, please give me a call at (540) 384-2064 or email me at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com. I would be happy to help you in any way that I can.

This month I’m going to highlight a bathroom renovation I recently completed. Like many of us my clients were having trouble with their bathroom. As I’ve talked about many times, the bathroom is one of the most challenging areas of the home as we get older. Getting in and out of the bathtub can become difficult, if not impossible. Frequently there are fall and tripping hazards everywhere. This project is an example of how you can transform a bathroom from a hazard to a space designed for aging in place. As you can see, the bathroom was difficult to get in and out of. There was a window in the tub area that been covered up in a previous remodel, so there was no natural light. The commode was standard height, so a raised seat was needed for comfort. As you can see from the black and white striped wallpaper, the walls were really wavy. Overall, it was a bathroom that was unsafe and unsightly. The first thing we did was remove everything but the vanity from the bathroom. We installed solid blocking in the walls for the grab bars we would be installing, reinstalled insulation in the exterior wall, and uncovered the window!  The natural light makes a huge difference! There are no barriers to getting into the shower area and the bathroom is fully wheelchair accessible if that ever becomes necessary. We re-plastered the walls, formed a walk in shower, and installed ceramic tile on the floor and walls. The shower has both a standard showerhead and a hand held showerhead, and the built in seat allows for seated showering. The new taller commode makes getting up and down easier and the grab bar between the commode and the shower folds down to facilitate getting up from the shower seat and also the commode. If you or a loved one could benefit from a similar transformation in your bathroom, please give me a call at 540-384-2064 or send me an email at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com. I can come to your home and perform a Housing Needs Assessment and then make recommendations about how we can transform your bathroom (or any other room in the house) like the one you see here.

Spring is right around the corner, and I think we will all be glad to see it. We’ve had more than our share of snow, ice, and cold weather this winter and everyone (with the possible exception of skiers) has had enough. As we look forward to spring, many people think about home repairs or renovations that they need or want. Snow building up on the eaves of your house can result in ice dams which can lead to leaks and water damage. Freezing and thawing can lead to cracks in sidewalks, driveways, and even foundations. You may want to improve access to your home, or maybe you just want to update your kitchen or bath. Or maybe you have an aging parent who lives in another state who needs some work done. The question is, “How do you know who you can trust to do a good job and treat you fairly and professionally?” It seems like hardly a week goes by that you don’t hear about some new scam to try to defraud or cheat someone, and seniors are a common target. After working hard all your life to put something back “for a rainy day” the last thing you want is to be taken advantage of. So how do you find a good, honest professional to work on your home or provide other services you need? Probably the best way to check someone out is through word of mouth. Ask around. Talk to other people in the community who have gotten work done and ask them about their experiences. People will generally tell you if they have had a good experience working with a contractor, and they will almost always tell you if they have had a bad experience. Ask about what kind of work the contractor did, how attentive they were to details, how careful they were, and how long it took to complete the work. Most remodeling projects will cause some disruption to your life, but a good contractor will do everything possible to mitigate these disruptions. There are also a lot of websites that are helpful in finding contractors as well as other services that seniors use. Senior Navigator (www.seniornavigator.com) provides lists of resources to help seniors with many aspects of their lives, including finding contractors or other providers. Gilbert Guide (www.gilbertguide.com) and Caring.com (www.caring.com) are companion site that both focus on helping caregivers find resources to help aging seniors live the fullest and longest lives possible. All of the contractors in their database are Certified Aging in Place Specialists, a designation offered by the National Association of Home Builders that requires specialized training in meeting the needs of those who wish to remain in their own homes as they age. It also requires compliance with a Code of Ethics. The Senior List (www.theseniorlist.com) contains listings of services of interest to seniors and lets clients rate their experiences with these providers. Finally, before you agree to have any work done on your home, take the time to get to know the contractor. Talk with them and people they have worked for. Look at some of the other projects they have done. Talk to several different contractors and compare them. Make sure you feel comfortable with them, they are licensed and insured, and get everything in writing. I am always available to look at your building or remodeling projects, or to answer any questions you may have about your home or any other housing matters. Just call me at (540) 556-0650 or email me at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com. Thank you for reading Housing Matters and have a great spring!

What is Aging in Place? The first myth I want to dispel is that Aging in Place is only for old people. We are all aging every day and even young, healthy people have accidents that render them temporarily or permanently incapacitated to one degree or another. The idea of aging in place is to secure the necessary support services in response to changing personal needs and allowing an individual to remain in their current home. What are the benefits of aging in place? First and foremost most people want to remain in their own homes as they age if at all possible. People have friends, family, memories, comfort, and familiarity in the homes that they have often lived in for many years or even decades. The cost of moving to a retirement community is often prohibitive and the community loses the benefit of years of wisdom when its seasoned citizens are shuffled off into retirement communities. In short, everyone benefits from aging in place. One of the main factors driving the surge in interest in aging in place is the “age wave”. The first baby boomers turn 65 in 2011. The number of people in the United States 65 and older in 2000 was 35 million. By 2030 that number is expected to rise to 71.5 million. More than twice as many! Those over 65 are projected to comprise 20% of the population by that time. So the number and percentage of older residences is increasing dramatically but what about the homes they live in. The vast majority of housing that we now have is what has been described as “Peter Pan Housing”, housing for people who never grow old. Historically, there has been very little thought given in home design to anyone ever having any mobility challenges, much less sight or hearing concerns. So now that we know what the problem is, what can we do about it? The number one goal that I have is to raise awareness about aging in place. If we can get people to anticipate aging in place needs it will be much easier to address when the need arises. Universal Design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. The more new construction that is built using these principles, the less there will be a need for home modifications in the future. Many of these design changes add little or nothing to the cost of a new home. When there is a need to adapt or modify someone’s home for aging in place, it is very important to properly assess the present and future needs and make the changes which will have the greatest impact in raising the comfort and functionality of the resident. I use an assessment tool called CASPAR which is the Comprehensive Assessment and Solution Process for Aging Residents. This assessment tool is unique in that it measures the individual’s current and anticipated abilities and limitations and then uses these as benchmarks to assess the functionality of the home. In other words, it measures whether the home is a good fit for the person rather than simply comparing the home to a predetermined checklist. In conclusion, there are many exciting advancements in the field of aging in place. A paradigm shift is occurring which will open up many options and choices for millions of people who love their homes, but whose homes just don’t work for them any more. After all, there’s no place like home.

As I am writing this I am looking forward to Christmas, all the sights and sounds and smells and tastes of the season when we take time to celebrate the birth of our Lord and to take stock of the important things in life. By the time you read these words, however it will be the beginning of a New Year, the time when many of us think in terms of turning over a new leaf and setting goals and targets of things we would like to get done. If one of your goals in the New Year is to make some improvements in your housing situation, either by remodeling or moving into a different home, I have a great place to start. On January 8-10 the Greater Roanoke Home and Garden Show will be at the Roanoke Civic Center. I will be teaching several seminars during this show on Aging in Place, Universal Design, and Home Modifications. I don’t know the exact times yet, but I have been told they will be on Friday afternoon. Please call me or check the show schedule for more information. I will cover aspects of housing that relates to the ability to safely and comfortably remain in our homes for as long as we choose to. I will be exploring some of the tools and technologies that are available to help seniors live safely and comfortably in their own homes. I will spend some time talking about Universal Design principles for building homes that don’t need adaptation and also how to adapt those homes that weren’t built with those principles. Also early in the New Year, I will have finished my CAPS (Certified Aging in Place Specialist) certification and my Executive Certificate in Home Modifications from the Andrus Gerontology Center at the University of Southern California. I have been learning a great deal as I have been pursuing this training to better prepare myself to serve the housing needs of the aging population of the Roanoke Valley and beyond. I know the word aging often has negative connotations, but really we’re all aging every day and hopefully getting wiser as well. My goal is to help make our homes more conducive to the aging process. One of the projects I hope to launch in the New Year is to build some small clusters of Universal Design and accessible homes throughout the area. If you or someone you know would be interested in more information on these homes that would feature one floor living, fully accessible floor plans, and a sense of community, please call for more information. I also plan on doing lots of Housing Needs Assessments in the New Year and improving the lives of many people who are having difficulty getting around in their homes. One of the things that I have learned about Aging in Place is how few people are aware of their options. Through venues like this column and shows and events throughout the coming year, I intend to do my best to help raise awareness of the options we have to live out our lives in our own homes in the way we choose, in safety and comfort. Thank you all for taking the time to read this column in 2009, and please let me know if you have questions or topics you’d like to see covered in Housing Matters in 2010.You can reach me (540) 384-2064, by Email at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com or by mail at 428 W Riverside Dr Salem VA 24153. I wish each and every one of you a Happy and Productive New Year.

This is my favorite time of year. The sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of Christmas bring with them such warm thoughts and memories as we celebrate the birth of our Lord. We gather in our friends and families’ home to celebrate the season and enjoy each other’s company. But what if someone can’t get in? Most of us live in what has been referred to as “Peter Pan” housing. (For people who never get old!) If you or a loved one has had an injury or an illness that has affected your mobility, or if you are simply feeling the effects of getting older, you may find that there are now obstacles to simply getting into your or a loved one’s home. Or you may have difficulty getting into or using the bathroom when you do get into the house. I have spent much of the past week in CAPS (Certified Aging in Place Specialist) training. This certification, offered by the National Association of Home Builders is the only nationally recognized certification for building professionals who perform aging in place home modifications. These modifications allow people to stay in their homes when their abilities and limitations are changing. We spoke a lot about Universal Design which is the type of design that allows anyone regardless of ability or limitation to use the space without special adaptation or modification. We also talked about visitability. Visitability is the minimum level of accessibility that would allow a person with a disability the ability to visit the house. In general terms, this means an entryway that can be used by a person who uses a wheelchair or has other mobility impairments. It also means that there is at least one accessible bathroom on the main floor of the house. I think in the future we will see more houses built with these and other accessible features built in. After all, the added cost of many accessible or universal design features is very low when they are incorporated into the design when a new home is being constructed. These same features can involve much more time and expense when they are added later to an existing house. The difference in cost between a 2’-4” door with a standard handle and a 3’-0” door with a lever handle might be less than $20 when you are building the house, but it could be hundreds to replace the smaller door in an existing house. That door could make the difference between you or someone else using that room or getting into your house. I am working to increase awareness in the coming year of how our homes can work for us or against us. I am available to do Housing Needs Assessments and can often make a huge difference in safety and quality of life or just enable everyone to make it to your holiday feast for less than you might think. I am also available to speak to your church or civic group about home safety, home modification, aging in place, or any related subjects. Just call me at 540-384-2064, email me at cmoore@solidrockenterprises.com or drop me a line at Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. 428 W Riverside Dr Salem VA 24153. I wish every one of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I have enjoyed writing this column and I welcome questions or suggestions about topics you’d like to see covered here in Housing Matters.