Innovative Building and Remodeling Solutions
for Independent Living

A Tampa-based builder was so inspired by the sight of veterans coming home from the war with disabilities that he started building sustainable homes to allow veterans to age-in-place in an energy-efficient home. This article in the St. Petersburg Times talks about one of these homes, dubbed the Freedom Home, near Busch Gardens.

The home, like others that are built or modified to allow seniors and people with disabilities age-in-place, are equipped with a host of features to make life easier as the owners age. The house is affordably priced, starting at $131,900 for a 1,200-square-foot home.

The managing partner of this company says that most homes that have been remodeled to accommodate people with disabilities “make them more disabled instead of enhancing their lives. Your home should give you freedom instead of disabling you more.”

For instance, some doorways remain too narrow to accommodate a wheelchair, carpeting or vinyl flooring quickly develops wheel ruts, bathrooms are hard to negotiate in a wheelchair, kitchen counters are too high, ranges and sinks that can’t be used from a sitting position, etc. Home modification is more than just installing blocking for grab bars in the shower.

The Freedom Home uses engineered wood floors, which are easy to roll on and attractive. A structural support is added into the ceiling of the master bedroom so an overhead lift can be added if needed to assist a person with a disability or someone who breaks a hip.

In addition to the standard aging-in-place features, this home also incorporates energy-smart, low-maintenance, money-saving features, including Icynene foam insulation in the attic; double-glazed, low-E windows; a heat pump that exceeds code minimum; and a programmable thermostat. All the appliances are Energy Star-rated to use less electricity than is standard.

Reducing utility expenses is another concern for people as they age-in-place. While they want to continue living at home, sometimes the costs may be too much to bear. However, an energy-efficient or sustainable home helps to significantly reduce costs for the homeowner. When you’re modifying your home so you can continue living independently, be sure to discuss with your contractor some energy-efficient features.

What are some ways you can reduce your energy costs?

We’re 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 to Age-in-Place comfortably and independently.

In this latest issue, you’ll read about the latest trend in Aging-in-Place: hiring health care managers to help seniors and persons with disabilities age-in-place by assisting them with their current and future health care and personal needs. Much like the residential modifications offered by Home Evolutions, these qualified care specialists also allow people to live comfortably and safely in their own homes with as much independence as possible.

Another recent trend, according to the National Kitchen & Bath Association, is that more baby boomers are remodeling their kitchens and baths to make them more usable for those with limited mobility who wish to maintain their independence. A well-designed or renovated bathroom or kitchen can make it safer for you or a loved one to get around.

Also, read about Monique Reid, a recent architectural graduate of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, MI, who won first place in a national, universal design competition sponsored by AARP and the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS). Her architectural drawing was chosen from among 25 other entries that illustrated single-family home concepts incorporating universal design elements.

Finally, a recent USATODAY/ABC News/Gallup Poll indicated that 41 percent of baby boomers who have living parents are taking care of them through personal help, financial assistance, or both. Are you prepared to take care of your loved ones?

We hope that you enjoy this issue.  Please feel free to forward our newsletter to your friends and families.  We invite 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.

As a result of the growing trend of seniors and persons with disabilities deciding to age-in-place, a new faction of professional health care specialists is also expanding to meet the needs of those who wish to remain living comfortably and safely in their own homes.

These care managers are known by many names:  Certified Care Managers, Geriatric Care Managers, Health Care Managers, and Professional Geriatric Care Managers—to name a few.

The Health Care Manager (HCM) is generally a nurse or social worker who is qualified to provide personal care and recommend services that can make seniors’ or persons’ with disabilities lives easier as they age-in-place. The objective of HCMs is to determine what is needed in order to maintain and improve their clients’ quality of life at home.

Care management includes duties such as the comprehensive assessment of an individual’s needs, communication with families and physicians, as well as post-hospital and rehab planning.

HCMs will assess the current, life-circumstances of seniors and persons with disabilities and recommend or provide the services needed to make living independently at home enjoyable, healthy, more possible, prolonged, and safe. This includes developing a personalized care plan, arranging and implementing care services, as well as continually reassessing and modifying their clients’ care requirements and needs as they change.

In addition to health-related services, HCMs can also provide general living assistance to their clients by being a source of information, locating community and social resources, managing finances, providing crisis intervention, reviewing legal issues, and giving referrals to other health care specialists. HCMs are often extremely accessible—offering services and care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The following organizations and their Web sites offer additional, specialized information on HCMs:

•    National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers (NAPGCM)
•    National Academy of Certified Care Managers (NACCM)

What current or future care challenges do you think you may face while aging-in-place?

How might a Health Care Manager help you deal with these challenges and allow you to remain living comfortably, safely, and independently in your own home?

Check out the upcoming issue of Home Evolutions’ e-newsletter, The Forever Home, for more on HCMs.

With more and more home modification options that companies like Home Evolutions provide, there is a growing number of seniors and persons with disabilities now deciding to age-in-place. As a result, there is another related, subsequent lifestyle movement that is spreading across the country.

Aging-in-place communities have begun to form and help those who choose to remain living independently in their own homes by providing personalized assistance services and amenities.

These generally, nonprofit organizations exist for the sole purpose of helping seniors and persons with disabilities with various challenges that they may face related to healthcare issues, personal mobility, residential/home maintenance and repairs, general day to day needs, and even social/cultural interactions. Most of them usually have minimal membership fees or dues.

The following examples are truly some innovative models for the aging-in-place community movement:

Avenidas Village in Palo Alto, California has nearly 350 members (over the age of 50) who help one another with home repairs, transportation, and social interaction.

Beacon Hill Village in Boston, Massachusetts is the prototype for many aging-in-place communities.

Capitol Hill Village in Washington, D.C. has no age minimum and is completely staffed by volunteers.

The Center for Aging in Place Support in Westchester County, New York facilitates the development of aging-in-place communities and maintains a list of existing communities.

Community Without Walls in Princeton, New Jersey offers low membership fees and focuses on social interaction.

Sunset Neighborhood in New Hartford, New York offers ‘a la carte’ and package deals to seniors who are looking for assistance with transportation, home maintenance, and personal care.

These ‘one-stop’ resource centers help those who choose to age-in-place live healthier lives with even more security, convenience, and personal enjoyment. They offer personalized assistance for anything that can help seniors and persons with disabilities stay better connected to their communities and friends while living confidently in their own homes.

Some examples of provided services include: bill paying, cleaning, educational and exercise programs, errands, healthcare management, laundry, lawn/garden maintenance, meals/grocery delivery, medication reminders, personal care (grooming and hygiene), personal scheduling, shopping, snow removal, transportation, and technology support.

Many of these services are provided through the use of volunteers and vendors/service providers that are contracted at special or discounted rates.

Home Evolutions’ maintenance services also provide similar follow-up care options after home construction and remodeling work has been completed.

What specific things do you think you would need help with in order to age-in-place comfortably and safely?