A brand new University of Illinois (UI) residence facility named Nugent Hall is marking a milestone for a college that is already a leader in disability services.

In a recent article by Jodi S. Cohen for the Chicago Tribune, this state-of-the-art dormitory is highlighted, as are the special needs students for whom the facility was created.

Cohen interviews Kelsey Rozema, who has needed her parents’ help with most daily tasks like getting out of bed, showering, putting on a coat, and even opening a water bottle-because she has very limited use of her arms and legs.

In 18 years, they’ve been apart for only six nights, so moving into a college dorm this week and being away from the reliance on her family is even more of a milestone for Rozema than for most of the thousands of other wide-eyed freshmen arriving this week at UI.

It helped that she moved into UI’s first new residence hall in 44 years and the most user-friendly dorm in the country for students with severe physical disabilities. Cohen described that as Rozema wheeled into her single room for the first time, a disability advocate showed off some of the dorm’s advanced features like: a wireless pager that will call for help 24 hours a day and a remote-controlled ceiling lift system to transport her from her bed to the in-room bathroom.

Although UI is already recognized as a front-runner in disability services for students, Nugent Hall will allow students with even the most severe disabilities (all use motorized wheelchairs or scooters) to get the personalized care they need while being integrated with typical students.

The students with disabilities will live on the first floor, with about 150 other students on the floors above them. That number that will expand to 500 when the dorm is completed in the next two years.

Down the hall from Rozema lives Ben Fultz, a 21-year-old transfer student who has cerebral palsy. His mother, Ellen, was overwhelmed by the features-remarking how even the window blinds can be closed with a button. “It is truly better than what we have at home,” she said.

In addition, the sinks, thermostats, and light switches are at an accessible height.

Other accessible aspects include:

• Dorm room doors open by waving a wireless card.
• Faucets are sensor-activated.
• The roll-in showers come with chairs.

But according to Cohen, perhaps the most unique aspects of the building are the dorm’s personal assistants (PAs)-most are UI students who live in the building to help the students with disabilities shower, use the bathroom, and even hook backpacks on their wheelchairs before leaving for class. After the Rozemas accidentally hit a pager while putting away books, a PA arrived in under two minutes and asked, “Did you buzz?” Residents will also learn how to hire, schedule, and manage their PAs-and students get five hours of PA help a day and can schedule the hours around their classes and social lives.

In all, 17 students with severe physical disabilities will live this year on the first floor of the new hall, named for Tim Nugent, who in 1948 founded UI’s division of disability services-the first higher education program of its kind in the world.

“It is a remarkable statement about the commitment of this campus to ensure that those who are most marginalized in their access, if they have the desire and the capacity and the willingness to pursue a degree-Illinois is committed to making that a reality,” said Brad Hedrick, director of UI’s disability services. The opening of the dorm continues UI’s legacy of making college accessible. In fact, UI was the first college to introduce curb cuts, offer bus routes equipped with wheelchair lifts, and have a wheelchair sports program.

Rozema said she will rotate between about a half-dozen personal assistants who she scheduled to help with bathroom breaks, showering, and getting in and out of bed. The eventual goal is for students to learn independent living skills and transition to more mainstream housing, whether on a higher floor, in a different dorm, or to an apartment.

After focusing all morning on arranging Rozema’s books, clothes, makeup, and room posters, her mother unexpectedly became overwhelmed with emotion as she looked to her daughter and said, “This is what I always dreamed of, for you to one day go to college. I am so proud of you.”

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We’re very happy to announce the release of the summer edition of The Forever Home, our quarterly e-newsletter which provides insightful information, valuable advice and helpful tips to assist you in Aging-in-Place comfortably and independently.

In this latest issue, you can read about the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and how Enable America (EA) is empowering people with disabilities to achieve independence through employment. Through its research and outreach across the country, EA has discovered that millions of Americans with disabilities who have employable skills, want to work, but often face additional barriers to finding jobs.

Another article discusses The Stanford Center on Longevity’s newly published review of aging and demographic statistics in the United States. Entitled New Realities for an Older America: Challenges, Changes and Questions-this document captures the nation’s major aging trends in a single report, summarizes what is already known about aging realities, and also poses twelve important aging-related questions about how America is going to deal with them.

Did you know that every seven seconds, another Baby Boomer turns 64 years old and that the nearly 77 million Baby Boomers represent the largest age group in America today? Our next story describes how as Baby Boomers continue to age-they also continue to shape and transform new technological innovations and look for convenience, connections, and caring as they Age-in-Place. The article discusses a recent CNBC report that noted “while the parents of the Boomers were content to simply live longer, the new generation gap is about expectations: to live longer and to live better.”

Also in this issue, we offer some tips and advice for healthy Aging-in-Place.

We hope that you enjoy this issue. Please feel free to forward our newsletter to your friends and families.  Home Evolutions invites you to email us at hburns@homeevolutions.com with your comments, suggestions, and any story ideas that would help The Forever Home better meet your specific needs.

RV4TheCure is a program, a national initiative, designed to educate professional advisors in several disciplines (CPAs, attorneys, financial planners, insurance consultants) on how they can better advise clients whose families have been impacted by chronic illnesses.

According to Marty, although there  are often simple modifications that can be made to investment plans, insurance arrangements, powers of attorney and other common steps that can make the planning and documents more protective for, and tailored to, those living with chronic illness.

The couple, because traveling had become so difficult for Patti, purchased an RV to accommodate the many health issues more typical travel made so difficult. The Shenkmans now travel from one seminar location to another  with their Airstream trailer.

Ken Eisner, of Eisner Law, PC, along with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Team Fox, and the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps are teaming up to host his free seminar presented by Martin entitled “Estate and Financial Planning for Clients Living with Chronic Illness” on August 31, 2010 at the Rivers Club, Oxford Center, 301 Grant Street, Suite 411, Pittsburgh, PA  15219.

Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. and the seminar will be held from 8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.  Professional advisors will be entitled to one hour CPE, CFP, or CLE credit.  There will be no solicitation at this event. If you are interested or know of other professional advisors that would like to better serve and advise their clients living with chronic illness, then please register by either calling Ken Eisner at (724) 940-7500 or e-mailing keisner@eisnerlawfirm.com.  Seating is limited.

Despite his hectic schedule, Martin was kind enough to do a brief Q&A with us to tell us more about the program.

What drives you and how do you maintain this drive to continue doing rv4thecure? Our 4-year journey with chronic illness has repeatedly demonstrated how many living with health issues are treated insensitively, unfairly and are often taken advantage of….. Creating awareness will address that. Helping professionals better understand the issues and giving them planning tools will help that. Through the rv4thecure mission we will have an impact in both these areas. By reaching out to professional advisers, each of whom may have hundreds or thousands of clients, we are able to greatly leverage the impact of our efforts to help more people living with chronic illness.

What advice do you have for those who are struggling with chronic illness to help change the way they think? With respect to estate, tax and financial planning, those living with chronic illness must be forthright and really explain to their advisers (CPA, attorney, financial planner) what their illness is, what its likely disease course is and then work pro-actively with advisers to plan. Too often people with health issues don’t really disclose their status, or sufficient detail, to enable their advisers to help.

What plans do you have for rv4thecure in the short and long term? Where do you hope it will take you? In time, all over the U.S. We’re doing a trip through the Midwest in August/September. We’re planning a trip down the east coast in early spring 2011 and later that year to the south to Texas.

What can professional advisors expect to learn from Estate and Financial Planning for Clients Living with Chronic Illness? First, we’ll build awareness as to the common nature of chronic illness. 120 million Americans are affected yet most advisers would guess a very small percentage of their clients are living with chronic illness. Second, by making relatively modest (in terms of professional time and effort) changes to general planning techniques, advisers can make a tremendous positive impact on clients living with chronic illness. This also presents a great business opportunity. With an aging population the techniques and planning ideas we teach about will be useful to all advisers trying to build their practices.

Do you have any other tips or advice you’d like to share with our readers? Show empathy. The next time someone is pushing the grocery cart slower than you would like, or reacts a bit less quickly than you would at a traffic light, first consider that they might have a tough health issue they’re struggling with and being abrasive will hurt them, stress them, and do little to change the speed at which they can react. Given the statistics, it will likely be you or someone you love in the same situation at some point, so treat them appropriately.

RV4TheCure has just launched its own Facebook page. Just search for RV4TheCure and follow them!

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New Realities for an Older America: Challenges, Changes and Questions captures the nation’s major aging trends in a single report. Authored by Adele M. Hayutin, Miranda Dietz, and Lillian Mitchell, the report summarizes what is already known about aging realities, but it also poses important questions about how we are going to deal with them as a country.

The Stanford report begins by highlighting several facts that it believes will drive the debate over how America deals with an aging society, including:

• One in every five Americans will be at least 65 years old in 2030, up from 13% today and only 8% in 1950.
• Older people are living much longer and retirements are lasting 20 to 30 years instead of 10 or 15.
• The numbers of households with older Americans has soared to about 22.5 million and nearly half of them represent older Americans living alone.

In addition, the report lists twelve aging-related questions that it says the United States needs to address including these samples:

• How should we change our senior-age support programs (Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security), and other age-related polices, so that we as a society and as individuals, can realize the benefits of increased longevity without being overwhelmed by the costs?
• What incentives would lead individuals and communities to make realistic provisions for their long-term care needs and living arrangements, without adding to the already substantial budgetary pressures governments face because of aging populations?
• What home-based services available in traditional communities would allow people to remain independent longer?
• What are the characteristics of age-friendly communities and what are the critical indicators of success?
• Will mortality rates for dementia continue to rise? What medical breakthroughs might reduce the prevalence, age of onset, or speed of progression?
• How will rising health care spending threaten personal and national financial security as the population ages?

Asking the right questions, having excellent resources like The Stanford Center on Longevity, and utilizing the expertise of companies like Home Evolutions, can help seniors age-in-place comfortably, safely, and independently.

Read more about this story in the next and upcoming issue of The Forever Home!

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The ADA represents the world’s first comprehensive declaration of equality for people with disabilities. On July 26, 1990, President George W. Bush noted, “With today’s signing of the landmark Americans for Disabilities Act, every man, woman, and child with a disability can now pass through once-closed doors into a bright new era of equality, independence, and freedom.”

Established in 2002, EA is a non-profit organization devoted to empowering people with disabilities to achieve independence through employment. The organization’s Community Connections, Business Connections, and VetConnect programs unite members of the disability community and business community to raise awareness and increase employment opportunities for the 54 million Americans with disabilities—including our nation’s wounded soldiers.

Through its research and outreach across the country, EA discovered millions of Americans with disabilities with employable skills, who want to work, but often face additional barriers to finding jobs. EA’s founder and CEO, Richard Salem, explained, “People with disabilities want what all of us want, an opportunity to pursue the American Dream.” Through employment advocacy, EA believes it is also strengthening the economy by adding to the diversity of skills and talents that people with disabilities bring to the workforce.

Salem personally understands that challenge because he lost his sight when he was a teenager. “The ADA represents an historic civil rights achievement, and we have much to be proud of as we look back at what we have accomplished over the past two decades.” He concludes, “At the same time, we must not rest on the past, when so much work remains. This anniversary is a time for celebration, as well as an inspiration for all of us to recommit our efforts to the work at hand.”

Advocacy groups like Enable America, groundbreaking legislation like the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and CAPS designated remodeling companies like Home Evolutions are all working diligently to provide people with disabilities more productive, safer, and independent lives.

Read more about this story in the next and upcoming issue of The Forever Home!

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“With an aging demographic, growing elder caregiving responsibilities and emerging technology awareness of service providers means that more people seek and find solutions that help older family members,” said Orlov. “This is a catalyst for both new entrepreneurs like AFrameDigital and BeClose as well as new business opportunities for existing companies like Philips.”

The industry projections are part of the updated market overview report, 2010 Technology Market Overview from Aging in Place Technology Watch. The document updates about technologies to enable aging in place, including categories for communication and engagement, safety and security, health and wellness, and learning and contribution. The report explains how these tighten the connections between families, caregivers, service providers such as home care agencies and care recipients.

“Mary Furlong, founder of SeniorNet and author of “Turning Silver into Gold” commented: “A research veteran like Laurie choosing this space is an indication of the talent being brought to bear in this industry - analysts size the market, showcase the business opportunities, and shape the market space. The venture and business community are catching up with the need.”

Added Ken Dychtwald, Founder of AgeWave and author of “The Power Years,”: “Long-time Forrester and tech industry veteran Laurie M. Orlov is one of the most formidable - and knowledgeable - industry analysts describing the technology trends in the aging in place market. Her well-informed insights and innovative ideas are consistently spot-on.”

Headquartered in Port St. Lucie, Florida, Aging in Place Technology Watch provides thought leadership, analysis and guidance about technologies and related services that enable boomers and seniors to remain longer in their home of choice. In addition to her technology background and years as a technology industry analyst, founder Laurie M. Orlov is a certified geriatric care manager is a member of the Philips Think Tank on Health & Well-Being.

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According to their most recent survey, 74 percent of the remodelers surveyed reported higher numbers of universal design home modifications, a significant increase from the 60 percent reported just over three years ago.

In this article, NAHB Remodelers Chairman Greg Miedema said in that “Homeowners are asking for remodeling improvements to make their homes more comfortable as they age because they don’t want to move or lose their independence. These modifications can make a home more stylish and convenient for the aging population.”

What’s at the top of the list for most requested home modification? Not surprisingly, bathroom upgrades are number one.

78% of homeowners want grab bars added to their showers as part of an upgrade to an existing home. 71% want to have higher toilets installed. While 60% desire an upgrade to curbless showers.

Other requested changes include:

• Widening doorways (57 percent)
• Constructing ramps or lowering thresholds (45 percent)
• Enhanced lighting (45 percent)

The NAHB survey also found an increase in aging-in place options among the surveyed consumers, with remodelers saying that 84 percent of homeowners have at least some knowledge of universal design solutions.

74% percent of remodelers also noted an increase in requests for these types of features.

According to the article, “most remodelers stated that the bulk of requests for aging-in-place modifications come from clients above age-55, but a growing number of younger consumers are requesting changes for other family members.”

Usually the improvements address the age-related disabilities of visiting older relatives or modifications to make it easier for parents to share living space with their grown children.

70% of homeowners started remodeling projects for aging-in-place criteria because they were planning ahead for future needs.

To learn more, visit www.nahb.org.

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Since most people are running their fans more and their air conditioning lower and longer (especially perhaps seniors who are aging-in-place in their own homes), it is also wisely frugal and economically important to keep an eye on how much you are spending on energy through these hot days.

A recent article offers some tips on how seniors can lower their energy costs and save money during the summer. One way to do this is to reduce the amount of energy used every month. Here are a few ideas for ways that seniors can cut back and things they can change to help reduce monthly energy expenses.

In General

• Turn it off if you’re not using it! You could save 2% on your electric bill.
• Unplug appliances that aren’t in use—they still draw electricity.
• Replace air conditioning filters once a month.
• When re-charging cell phones (or other re-chargeable devices), only leave them plugged in as long as it takes to charge them.
• Install a whole house fan and save up to 5% on electricity.
• Install window shades or film to keep the house cooler. Shade trees also can help.
• Have your cooling ducts checked for leaks and sealed—this could save up to 20%!
• Make sure to adjust outdoor lighting timers to save money since it is daylight longer.
• Check and re-install weather stripping, seals, and caulk.
• Set your thermostat to 78 when you’re home and 85 when you’re away.
• Use ceiling fans to keep rooms cooler.
• Keep the blinds drawn to cool down your house.

In the Kitchen

• Cooking with your microwave uses 1/3 less energy than your stove.
• Use the dishwasher instead of washing by hand—it uses less water.
• Save 1% of your electric bill by air drying your dishes if you use a dishwasher.
• If you have a range hood, use it frequently to vent heat from cooking.
• Grill out to keep cooking costs down.

When Doing Laundry

• Do as much of your laundry in cold (or warm if need be) water. Always rinse in cold water.
• Dry your clothes on the line and save money on your energy bill (up to 5%).
• Always run full loads in the dryer when you use it.
• Clean your dryer filters for efficiency.

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According to a recent review, the Snapfōn ez ONE is a new contender in the senior cell phone market and was specifically designed for elderly people who need an easy-to-read (and use) cell phone. It is simple to operate and has a large text display (equivalent to 28 point font) for easy reading. The Snapfōn ez ONE also has extra large keys, an emergency S.O.S. button, back-lit keypad, and it fits in one’s hand very nicely.
In addition, this phone has one feature that makes it particularly interesting—it will ‘say’ the numbers as they are dialed (called the “speaking keypad”). This would be particularly helpful to those with diminished sight. The review notes that it has not come across another senior cell phone in the market that has this feature.

Another attractive aspect of the Snapfōn ez ONE is its relatively low price. At $99.99, it is much more affordable than many other senior-friendly cell phones. Currently, these phones are being sold “unlocked” and without phone service. This means you can buy the Snapfōn ez ONE and take it to a GSM provider network, such as AT&T or T-Mobile (to name a few) and use it with one of their cell phone plans.

The Snapfōn ez ONE was created to fill a growing niche of users that want a phone just to make calls. This group includes many seniors who are aging-in-place. Plus, the Snapfōn ez ONE is far from lacking features. Snapfōn president, Phil Sieg, explained,

“We have incorporated a few unique features into our Snapfōn ez ONE product such as an S.O.S. button that calls up to four (4) emergency contacts and keeps calling in rotation until you get an answer, a high intensity LED flashlight, and even an FM radio—all of which are present for safety and convenience reasons.” He added that the company is seeing a greater focus on safety as our population ages, and a growing desire for emergency response devices.

Snapfōn ez ONE Features
•    Speaking keypad
•    Easy to see and dial buttons
•    Large and bright display
•    FM Radio
•    Vibrating ringer
•    Flashlight
•    Emergency S.O.S. button
•    Speakerphone with good volume
•    Light and easy to hold
•    Phonebook memory—200 records
•    Call record—last 10
•    6 ringtones
•    6 alarm tones
•    5 SMS tones
•    High intensity LED flashlight
•    Built-in FM radio with headset

Snapfōn ez ONE Dimensions and Details
•    Dimensions: 2″ x 4″ x 0.5″ (10.4 cm x 4.9 cm x 1.5 cm)
•    Screen: 1.6 inch amber LCD 128×48
•    Battery: 3-5 hours of talk time and up to 120 hours of standby time

Remember, technology can greatly help to complement your aging-in-place goals. Be sure to do your research and find the best technological products that can enhance your independence and also fit your individual needs and economic circumstances.

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Would you like to see some of the PGA’s upcoming stars compete for their spot on the PGA tour? Are you looking for an opportunity to entertain friends or clients and would like to help a good cause at the same time?

From August 30 -September 5, 2010, the Mylan Classic presented by CONSOL Energy will partner with the PGA Tour to bring the Nationwide Tour to Washington County, a neighbor to Pittsburgh. The Mylan Classic is providing non-profit organizations with the opportunity to sell tournament tickets and receive 100% of the proceeds through their “Tickets Fore Charity” program, and the Airlift Research Foundation will be participating.

Additionally, funds from a $25,000 bonus pool provided by ANSYS, Inc. will be distributed based on each charity’s percentage of total ticket revenue. Tickets range from $25-$50 and may be purchased in packs of ten ($200-$400) as well. To participate in this great event and support the Airlift Research Foundation by purchasing tickets, please visit www.airliftrf.org. The Mylan Classic will be played at Southpointe Golf Club in Canonsburg, PA. For more information on the Classic, please visit www.MylanClassic.com.

About the Airlift Research Foundation: The Airlift Research Foundation exists to breathe hope into the lives of those who have suffered life changing orthopaedic trauma, on the battlefield and at home. We rarely think of trauma as a growing epidemic. Yet the fact is that trauma is —by far— the most common cause of impairment and death in young people all over the world. And the greatest targets of trauma are the legs we stand on and the arms with which we embrace. Partnering with The Aircast Foundation, an internationally recognized leader in translating donor dollars to real scientific progress, the Airlift Research Foundation is looking for members of the public to support critically-needed innovative research that returns injured troops and civilians to maximal function — empowering those who have lost limbs or limb function, so we can say “yes” you can be all you once were, and more. By investing public funds into the careers of the world’s best and brightest clinician scientists, the Airlift Research Foundation sets a course for the future. Just as the history-making invention of sterile surgical technique came out of the Civil War, our current military conflicts will drive quantum advances in orthopaedic trauma medicine, benefiting countless people in war and peacetime alike.

Please keep us posted on any other worthwhile events and fundraisers!

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