Welcome to the Home Evolutions' Blog, where you will regularly find updates, insight and professional analysis regarding independent living and the Age-In-Place movement.
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I love gadgets of all kinds.
If you haven’t seen it yet, check out the small sampling of products listed on the National Aging in Place Council Web site that can help you to Age-in-Place comfortably and independently.
The Council periodically updates its Top 10 Products page to keep us informed of the latest innovations being developed.
These are just simple, inexpensive gadgets that can help you or a loved one out around the house, like the VisiKey™ Wireless Keyboard. This is a computer keyboard that will help you reduce eye strain because the lettering is almost four times larger than a conventional keyboard.
Another innovative product is Great Grips, which are soft and comfortable, no-slip grips that can be applied to round faucets and round doorknobs. This product gives you the ability to grip and turn faucets effortlessly.
Tell us what gadgets or products you have come across recently that will help you to Age-in-Place. Are there any products that you wish were out there to make life simpler for you? Share some of your ideas with us.
When told recently about the possibilities of home modifications, people at a Seattle senior center expressed their amazement that they could actually remain living in their own homes for as long as possible.
It’s surprising that many seniors still are unaware that this possibility exists for them. One senior lamented that his city should get on board with this idea “instead of some of their other dumb ideas.”
The same senior at the Ballard Senior Center who was interviewed for the article asked, “…why don’t more of us know about this? What an idea to actually make things better for singles, the disabled, families and seniors too! Some people are really using their brains to help a lot of people. How affordable are these places?”
Maybe we as an industry aren’t doing the best possible job of promoting the benefits and affordability of home modifications. Success for many organizations depends on getting the word out about its services. We need to do a better job of informing the public about customized living solutions to help seniors and persons with disabilities remain living in their homes comfortably and independently.
That’s one of the reasons why I started this blog last month and continue to produce a quarterly newsletter. I hope to continue providing you with insightful information, valuable advice and helpful tips to help you Age-in-Place comfortably and independently.
But what else can we do to better inform and educate the public about Aging-in-Place and home modifications?
According to this recent article, most Americans want to remain living in their own homes for as long as possible. Over 80 percent have made some sort of home modification that improved safety and/or accessibility in order to continue living comfortably and independently.
Vince Butler, Remodeler’s Council Chairman of the National Association of Homebuilders, is quoted in the article as saying that too many homeowners don’t think about how advancing age can affect their home environments until it becomes a necessity.
“Most who remodel for accessibility only do so after their home becomes too difficult to navigate,” he said, then adding, “With a little foresight, homeowners can enjoy an independent lifestyle without undergoing a difficult and unexpected transition.”
The article then lists some of the top 10 changes made to homes that enable seniors to age-in-place. They include:
• Grab bars in the bathroom
• Movable shower heads
• Portable shower seats
• Levered faucets in both the bathroom and kitchen sinks
• Widening doorways
• Adding wheelchair ramps
• Replacing standard doorknobs with the levered variety
• Installation of a full bathroom, complete with shower
• Added bedroom on the first floor of multi-level homes
What kind of home modifications have you made to allow you or a loved one to age-in-place? If you haven’t made any yet, what types of home modifications do you think you may need someday?
