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We are pleased to announce the release of the winter edition of The Forever Home, our quarterly e-newsletter which provides insightful information, valuable advice, and helpful tips about aging-in-place.

In this newest issue, you can read about the latest trend in the Aging-in-Place movement:  How home remodelers can partner with healthcare professionals like occupational therapists to help facilitate communication with seniors and people with disabilities in order to better understand their specific needs. As a result, home modification specialists can provide clients with the best products and services possible that will help them achieve their specific aging-in-place goals.

Another recent trend, according to the National Alliance for Caregiving and NBC News, is that more and more children are having increased involvement with directly caring for their aging parents. With such growing responsibilities come additional financial and emotional burdens, which are giving baby boomers added stress in their already hectic lives. Learn about what others are feeling and experiencing as they care for loved ones through the personal stories of people like Betty Seckinger and Brian Williams. Also, see what healthcare experts have to say about this trend.

Then, read about Sherry Schwab from the National Association of Home Builders, who spent nearly a month in Europe studying how people overseas view and approach aging-in-place. Learn about what other countries are doing to help their seniors and people with disabilities continue to live in their homes comfortably, safely, and independently. The article also discusses how the United States is positioned to set the world standard for the Aging-in-Place movement.

Finally, check out our summary of a recent AARP survey, which indicates that baby boomers generally plan on remaining in their current homes. This trend, of course, will require the assistance and services of companies like Home Evolutions, since many seniors are now making house modifications so that they can continue living independently. The survey shows that nearly one-third of Americans age 45 and over are making changes to their homes so that they can stay in them longer.

We truly hope that you enjoy this issue. As always, please feel free to forward our newsletter to your friends and families. We also invite you to email us at hburns@homeevolutions.com with your comments, suggestions, and any story ideas that would help The Forever Home address your interests and better meet your specific needs.

All of us here at Home Evolutions wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving! May you continue to spend this wonderful family holiday at home with your loved ones for many years to come.

Panelists at a recent remodeling show in Baltimore, Maryland, suggested that builders should consider teaming up with occupational therapists (OTs) in order to better understand the needs of seniors and people with disabilities who choose to age-in-place.

OTs are healthcare professionals who help improve their clients’ abilities to perform functional tasks in their daily lives. As a result of age or disability, the clients of OTs often need assistance to retain their personal levels of functionality. Through assessments and interventions designed to achieve positive outcomes, OTs help their clients develop, recover, or maintain their normal living skills. This allows many seniors and people with disabilities to continue to live in their own homes safely and independently.

On the home modification side of aging-in-place, OTs can help contractors determine what should be modified in a house by evaluating the client’s physical or emotional strengths and limitations, as well as any medical conditions that may have an impact on how they function. Michael O’Neal, an urban sociologist with AARP, agreed that contractors should always consider that seniors or people with disabilities may not fully understand what is being explained to them during a home evaluation.

Carla Chase, a representative of The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc., further noted, “There can be much more that remodelers need to know about prospective clients who are older [or have special needs], and occupational therapists can play an essential role in this process.”

Seniors and people with disabilities often require guidance, encouragement, and support when it comes to overcoming the natural hesitation that is associated with accepting one’s need for personal adaptations and home modifications. These are exactly the types of productive discussions that can be successfully facilitated by personal care professionals like OTs.

In addition to their recommendation about consulting with OTs, the panelists at the aforementioned Baltimore remodeling show also highly recommended contracting remodelers who have Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) training from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). This is precisely one of the specialized certifications held by Harry Burns, Founder of Home Evolutions.

Have you or a loved one ever utilized the services of an Occupational Therapist? What other kinds of healthcare or service professionals can help you to age-in-place?

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

CaraVita Home Care has announced the grand opening of its “Smart House” in Roswell, Georgia. The “Smart House” is an older home retrofitted with technology and assistive devices to help seniors and people with disabilities stay in their homes longer, live there more safely, and improve the quality of life as they age-in-place.

Technology is paving the way to making this possible.

Beth Cayce, CEO of CaraVita Senior Care and creator of the “Smart House,” explains that for families living far away from aging parents, a phone call may be the only consistent contact and “they worry if their parents are taking their medication, eating well, or fretting if mom is really safe.”

Through the continuous monitoring inside a “Smart House,” everyone can feel more secure.  “Families need access to education, technology, and equipment so they can do a safer and better job of care giving or providing watchful oversight,” she says.

With this idea in mind, CaraVita transformed an older home in Roswell, GA, into a “Smart House” where technology aids seniors and their families in providing care.

The house even has an extensive library to support such courses as, How can I live in my home for as long as possible?, or So, I have Alzheimer’s- Now how can I plan to live?, or How to avoid straining your back but help mom out.

The renovated house is equipped with Quiet Care™, a behavioral monitoring system that will memorize a person’s daily routine and tell you if they are varying from a normal routine.

How does this help?

According to Beth, it can be very useful to know if a loved one tries to get up at night, wanders around a lot inside, or tries to go outside, especially if they have memory loss.

“It is also helpful to know if a parent’s normal pattern is to wake up at 8 am and have breakfast but, over time, she is not getting up until noon,” she says. “This could be a sign of illness or depression and, if the caregiver lives far away, it is good to know these things before they procure a trip to the hospital. The system can be set up to give alerts or, in the instance of going outside at night, a call may be immediately directed to a caregiver or family member.”

The Roswell home also has adaptive bathroom and bedroom equipment that can be used as teaching tools and resources for caregivers. The team at the “Smart House” has a list of what is reimbursed by Medicare and the out-of-pocket costs of those things that are not reimbursed. Within the “Smart House” is a Truconnect™ video phone system which provides a hands-free link among seniors, their families, and caregivers. It’s simple to use and provides a precious link for health, safety, and reassurance.

What do you think about technology that helps seniors and persons with disabilities remain living in their homes comfortably and independently? Does it really help or is too intrusive?

Today’s turbulent economy is making it more difficult for seniors and people with disabilities to afford quality in-home care or to make the necessary home modifications which would allow them to Age-in-Place. However, for some people, reverse mortgages may be a way to obtain the funds you need to make this possible.

Reverse mortgages are a tax-free way for people ages 62 and older to tap into their home’s equity. You can borrow against your home’s value without having to repay the loan during your lifetime. However, the amount borrowed, including accrued interest, can’t exceed the value of your home and you must continue to pay property taxes and homeowner’s insurance.

The main advantage of reverse mortgages is that they are an extremely flexible financial planning product with very few restrictions on how you receive and use the money.

Other advantages of reverse mortgages include:

• They are not based on income or credit scores, so there is no need to qualify. This is especially helpful for those with a history of bad credit.
• Lenders include life expectancy when calculating loan payments, so seniors are eligible to receive more money.
• You can choose to stop making monthly mortgage payments, receive a flat monthly payout, or receive a lump sum.

Disadvantages of reverse mortgages include:

• Closing costs are usually higher than traditional mortgages.
• Your house must be appraised and in today’s economy, home values are dropping.
• You may be using a large part of your home’s equity, thus reducing inheritance to your family as well as decreasing funds that may be needed for future care.

Since this option is not for everyone, please first consult with your financial advisor or trusted family members before making any decisions!

So what do you think? Is a reverse mortgage a good or bad idea? Is it something that could work for you?