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Earlier this month, a Silvers Summit was held as part of the 2009 International Computer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The hot topic was how technology can help in the aging-in-place movement.

Speakers discussed the latest information on technological advances for seniors and people with disabilities. Additionally, displays were available on a variety of technologies such as digital devices for texting children in college, caring for elderly parents, traveling, or reinventing their careers in a home office.
In an interview conducted by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer with Michael Takemura, director of the Accessibility and Aging Program Office for Hewlett Packard, Takemura talked about the technological needs for baby boomers as they grow older.

According to Takemura, “for baby boomers (50 to early 60s) who are technology savvy and have grown up with technology, it’s important that they have products that address some of the ‘age-related limitations’ that they face (vision, manual dexterity), and allow them to access the technology and information that they’re so dependent on.”

What’s important for older seniors, many of whom have never used technology, is that “they want a sense of community and their children want them to be engaged with family and friends. Technologies that allow them to stay connected, communicate with others, share their life experiences, and/or help them with their cognitive abilities are important.”

Some of the aging-in-place products seen at the event include Halo Monitoring’s MyHalo, a strap which is worn across the sternum and sends data on heart rate, temperature and other vital health functions to a wireless router that caregivers can access over the Web. If for some reason, the user would fall, calls for help automatically go out.

Also seen was the Clarity C900, making life easier for those seniors who are hard of hearing. Through its research, Clarity discovered that its customers want louder earpieces, bigger displays and fewer buttons. So this new cell phone only has four buttons on the front — for answering or calling, hanging up and scrolling through contacts — and a slide-out keypad. No text messaging or Web browser involved. The phone also includes a flashlight and an emergency button that alerts pre-determined contacts.

My hometown was represented at the conference as well. The Quality of Life Technology Center, a joint venture between Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, have been developing products that adapt to their users, including software that senses when a computer user is leaning closer to the screen so it can make the text bigger and navigation systems that learn their users’ driving needs, habits and capabilities.

The tech center also showcased a “backup brain system” to help jog memory when the user can’t remember the name that goes with a face.

The Summit also revealed some of the latest trends and statistics from various research organizations. Some of the interesting statistics:

• Baby boomers have $2 trillion in income and own 70% of US financial assets
• Only 11% of boomers will retire at age 62
• 1 in 4 boomers are empty-nesters
• 23 million are single
• The average baby boomer participates in 10 extra-curricular activities (various exercise, cultural, community, etc.)
• 5 million are responsible for primary care of an elder
• 7 million have game devices in their homes
• 62% of boomers have broadband at home
• The majority of PC users are age 50+

What many attendees and reporters learned from the conference is something we already knew and have been discussing for some time now—that, in addition to home modification, seniors and people with disabilities have embraced technology to enhance their quality of life.

What other products or devices did you hear about or see at the Summit that you want to learn more about?

Every week, this blog’s goal is to provide useful information about the Aging-in-Place Movement. This includes covering stories related to home remodeling, technology, medical news, legal information, social issues, and human interest. In addition, when Home Evolutions learns of independent organizations that can help seniors and people with disabilities remain living in their own houses, we like to profile them and share some of their services with you.

The National Aging In Place Council (NAIPC) is a membership organization that was founded on the belief that an overwhelming majority of older Americans want to remain in their homes for as long as possible. The NAIPC believes that there is a lack of awareness about home and community-based services that make independent living possible. The council has created a national forum for individuals from the aging, healthcare, financial services, legal, design, and building sectors to work together in order to help meet the needs of our growing aging population. Through this forum, the NAIPC hopes to encourage and allow more and more seniors and people with disabilities to continue to live in the housing of their choice.

The NAIPC is comprised of an elite group of professionals dedicated to increasing seniors’ standards of living by providing them with information and ideas that they can use to remain independent throughout retirement. It is the only council of its kind for professionals from a wide range of disciplines who work together to promote aging-in-place. The NAIPC is also the sponsor of National Aging In Place Week, an annual event that presents a variety of community-based activities encouraging senior independence.

The primary mission of the NAIPC is to establish an ongoing forum between individual professionals (from the private, public, and non-profit sectors) and corporations while facilitating them to work together and promote aging-in-place. Secondly, the council hopes to encourage senior citizens, recent retirees, and Baby Boomers to be more proactive in planning for their future housing and care needs. Through its memberships, special events, newsletters, and website, the NAIPC provides many ideas and a diverse base of information to help aging-in-place advocates remain living at home safely and independently.

The NAIPC achieves its mission through the following services:

• Establishing local Aging-in-Place Councils among businesses, public agencies, non-profit organizations, aging networks, and health care systems. Homeowners benefit if professionals from various disciplines are knowledgeable about one another, and if strong referral networks are established;

• Promoting its National Aging In Place Week and other events through various media—including print, electronic, television, and radio. During this week, members of the NAIPC coordinate events in their communities to highlight local programs and services that are available to help increase independent living;

• Advocating for policies, regulations, and business practices that promote aging-in-place;

• Increasing the level of knowledge and skills of persons from a wide variety of fields (remodeling, architecture, elder law, interior design, finance, product design and manufacturing, urban planning, social and health services, etc.) whose collaboration and involvement are essential to insuring greater public access to programs and support services that promote independent living.

Each member of the NAIPC agrees to observe and maintain specific standards of conduct when dealing with seniors, people with disabilities, and their families. These standards include:

• Treating all clients, their families, and friends with respect and dignity;
• Conducting oneself with the utmost honesty and integrity;
• Professional competence;
• Protecting client privacy and confidentiality;
• Selling products that are consistent with the needs of clients;
• Suggesting all alternative options that are available and possible;
• Referring only trustworthy third party companies;
• Reporting any suspected abuse or violations of the Code of Conduct by NAIPC members;
• Making good-faith efforts to resolve service or product problems;
• Encouraging clients to talk to family members or other trusted advisors before deciding to purchase products or services.

Companies like Home Evolutions and organizations like the NAIPC are available to help you make the right choices to specifically suit your aging-in-place needs and allow you to continue living independently in your own home.

Are there local NAIPC Chapters in your community? What other organizations and companies might assist you with your aging-in-place process?

It is natural to be uncertain and apprehensive about the decision to modify your home in order to age-in-place. Let’s face it, we all get older—and as we age, none of us knows exactly what the future may hold. When the time comes, even though we may not want to admit it, we all might need a little help to continue living the way we want to. This is the reason Home Evolutions was founded—to offer guidance, assistance, and high quality, very specialized aging-in-place options for seniors and people with disabilities.

In a recent article, homebuilder Bill Owens addressed the uncertainties that many seniors may feel as they get older. Owens called the phenomenon of seniors who know that they need home modifications, but who are hesitant to take action, as a “phantom market.” He further explained this natural hesitation that most people might feel toward remodeling their existing homes. “We know we need it, but it’s elusive because nobody wants to do it.” He added that baby boomers tend to have a feeling of “invincibility” when it comes to denying that they will eventually be affected by some of the physical and mental challenges that come with aging.

The answer to alleviating these uncertainties and hesitations is a progressive company like Home Evolutions that listens to its clients and offers personalized services as well as the most advanced, customized designing and remodeling opportunities available.

In addition to home owners aging, their homes are aging too! Since most homes were constructed before the Aging-in-Place Movement, the way homes were built also contributes to the evident need and growing demand for home modifications. As Owens explained, the aging of the nation’s housing stock (with the average home now 33-years-old), is conducive to “a mélange of home modification opportunities.”

For example, many senior home owners tend to live in two-story houses, which typically have small bathrooms and narrow doors. These are completely different from today’s more ‘aging-in-place friendly’ homes designed with open floor plans. Such older-designed buildings are not particularly well-suited to accommodate the needs of seniors and people with disabilities. As a result, when people who live in older residences decide that they want to age-in-place, there is usually an automatic requirement for home modifications.

Companies like Home Evolutions can help you with the aging-in-place process by listening to your specific concerns, assessing your house, and then developing and implementing a plan to modify your home to your exact needs.

If you are hesitant about asking for help, rest assured that a CAPS designated builder like Home Evolutions is specially trained to not only modify your home to allow you to age-in-place comfortably and safely, but to also offer you continuing support throughout the many years that you will enjoy living independently in your own house.

What hesitations and uncertainties are delaying or preventing you from modifying your home in order to age-in-place? How can a company like Home Evolutions help you?

Since 1974, the Senior Companion Program of Allegheny County has been recruiting seniors to visit other seniors to provide friendship and help dispel loneliness. With more than 110 senior companions serving nearly 600 older adults on a weekly basis, the program is one of the largest of more than 240 senior companion programs across the country. Last year, senior companions in Allegheny County provided about 115,000 hours of service.

The Senior Companion Program addresses the human need for social interaction and can be extremely beneficial to those seniors who want to continue to age-in-place and live independently.

According to Herm Cohen, project director of the Senior Companion Program of Allegheny County, people who maintain extensive social contacts, engage in physical activity, or pursue emotionally and intellectually stimulating activities age more successfully than those who don’t.

Senior companions fill the role of a friend for other seniors who need companionship. Since this is a free program, seniors who are looking for a companion have only two requirements to meet to be eligible: they need to be at least age 60 and need someone to visit them. A senior companion is expected to volunteer at least 15 hours per week to a maximum 40 hours per week.

Some of the typical tasks they perform include reading to their client, watching television with them, accompanying them to a doctor’s visit or social meeting at a senior center, doing light housework such as picking up papers and straightening up their rooms, making them a light lunch or breakfast, and giving them advice on proper nutrition and other subjects.

Most importantly, the companion also acts as an advocate.  Companions attend regular training sessions 10 times a year on various subjects of interest to seniors and then bring this information back to their clients.

Community-based programs like this are vital as baby boomers began to age and want to remain at home.

Please share with us other programs and services available in your area that will allow seniors to age-in-place.