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Independent living, aging-in-place, and handicap accessible are not always combined with the words spacious, luxurious, and exquisite when describing a home. But those are all the exact adjectives one could use after visiting Karen Roche’s home in Chillicothe, Illinois.

A recent article by Jennifer Davis for Journal Star takes readers on a guided tour of Roche’s universally designed house and pays close attention to how its design is intended to allow its residents to remain living comfortably, safely, and independently at home.

According to Davis, Roche designed this sprawling brick Chillicothe home after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and her husband, Ed, was diagnosed with cancer. The couple was still living in Las Vegas, where they had retired, but they decided to move back to Illinois to be close to her family.

Although Ed unfortunately passed away two months after the couple moved in, their home’s design allowed them to be together in shared comfort and care. Today, Roche resides in the home with her three dogs:  Lizzie, Pepper, and Sammy.

Roche’s home is a perfect example of universal design, which is also known as barrier-free design, accessible design, and even assistive technology. Universal design can encompass anything from wide hallways to accommodate wheelchairs or scooters, to easy-open doors with lever handles, to counters with varying heights.

In Roche’s case, her sprawling ranch in Sycamore Hills (one of Chillicothe’s newer subdivisions), has additional examples of universal design including:

• Custom cabinets with pull-out shelves;
• Ramps to the garage and main patios
• Tile and laminate instead of carpet (which is easier to clean and use a wheelchair on);
• Automatic windows that open with the push of a button;
• A whole-house intercom system;
• Computerized lights;
• An automatic doggie door.

The lighting is also programmed so that Roche can push one button and light entire sections of the house. “You can turn off all the lights in the house from the bed,” said Roche, adding that she can also turn on all the lights from her special keychain as she drives into the subdivision.

But the Chillicothe house is much more than a fine example of universal design that is ideal for aging-in-place. It was designed based on the previous home the Roches had in Las Vegas and they spared no expense in creating this second dream retirement home.

Some of Roche’s aesthetically and comfortably personalized aspects of this house include:

• Special jet-powered shower from Canada;
• Dressing table with black granite and bits of mirror imbedded in it;
• Imported Italian tile in a warm golden hue matches the house’s walls;
• Plush, pale yellow brocade sofa;
• Large, brick fireplace which is open to the sunroom.

The tiled sunroom itself faces west and has three walls of oversized windows with entrances to Roche’s two private gardens. The bigger, sunken brick patio for family and guests includes a corner waterfall and the smaller patio is just off the master bedroom suite. “If I have the windows open, I can hear the waterfall. That’s my most favorite thing,” said Roche. The sunroom also includes a massive therapeutic spa, which is outfitted with special jets to get every part of your body—even your feet and neck.

Roche’s gourmet kitchen has custom maple cabinets that blend in with her overall neutral color scheme. The granite island includes a cooktop steamer, grill, and griddle with an exhaust fan that rises up from the countertop with the push of a button. Everything is built-in—the double ovens, microwave, warming drawer, oversized stainless steel refrigerator, and dishwashers. This gives the kitchen a sleek look.

Although the Chillicothe home is 3,000-square-feet, it only has two bedrooms. The master suite has French doors that open to a private patio, as well as a walk-in closet that is as large as a small office. The bathroom off the master suite has a deep “bubble” tub big enough for two that includes special lights you can change to fit your mood, as well as a shower that doubles as a steam room.

Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) designated remodelers like Home Evolutions can help seniors and people with disabilities plan for their aging-in-place needs and incorporate aesthetically pleasing and universally designed home modifications.

Are you following us on Twitter? — Home Evolutions will give you real-time updates when our latest blogs are posted as well as timely information on Aging-in-Place news from around the country.

For years, many people have invested in long-term care (LTC) insurance to help meet the financial healthcare needs they may face as they age. A recent article by Laurie Orlov explores whether such insurance investments will effectively cover other types of aging-in-place necessities.

According to Orlov, LTC insurance seems to be a smart strategy. She uses the personal story of AgeWave founder, Ken Dychtwald, as an example. “His parents bought it [LTC insurance] in their 70s and it has given them flexibility and care. In their late 80s now, they are in Florida (thousands of miles from either of their sons) with good care coordination and an aide caring for them six days a week.”

But she then acknowledges that her purpose is not to argue the benefits of LTC insurance or other types of long-term care. Rather, Orlov explains that LTC insurance does not guarantee a thriving situation for aging-in-place. “First of all, your own home can be a terribly isolated place with only the aide, the television, and perhaps a non-communicative spouse in the home. Even in the described situation, what happens on day six in terms of meals, bathing, and safe navigation around the home?”

As it is well known, much of how people successfully age-in-place depends on the home itself and how it was originally designed or later appropriately remodeled by a company like Home Evolutions. Orlov adds, “[A home] can be a frightening place if there are obstacles, unsafe bathrooms, stairs, etc. I particularly worry about this in Florida, where such a large percentage of the aging population resides with no family members within thousands of miles.”

She also notes that monitoring and managing the service for in-home care are a stressful long-distance challenge for family members. “Like any service, it can be done well, or not so well.” Orlov’s response to this challenge is to thoroughly check and see if your LTC insurance plan covers home monitoring technology (which can include motion sensors, web cameras, environmental designs, etc.). In addition, she suggests asking if it includes the post-Medicare coverage for telehealth monitoring as well as communications technology (video phones, personal computers, and internet plans).

If such aging-in-place technology considerations are not covered by LTC insurance, Orlov asks how children or loved ones of those who age-in-place will be able to monitor caregiving, communicate with their family members, and help make a determination that their home will continue to be a great place for safety, socialization, or obtaining care expertise.

Finally, Orlov reminds us that vision decline, stroke, Parkinson’s, or even Alzheimer’s diagnoses can turn a home into an obstacle course and make aging-in-place difficult. But with a little financial and care planning, along with some advice and help from loved ones and a remodeling company like Home Evolutions, seniors and people with disabilities can continue to live comfortably, safely, and independently as they age-in-place. Orlov concludes, “So let’s make sure that those with LTC insurance and home care also are linked in to family or friends.”

Are you following us on Twitter? — Home Evolutions will give you real-time updates when our latest blogs are posted as well as timely information on Aging-in-Place news from around the country.

The Chicago Sun-Times recently reported on some new technologies that will be showcased in the American Association’ of Homes and Services for the Aging’s (AAHSA) Idea House in Chicago’s McCormick Place later this week.

One of those new technologies is a new therapy-based entertainment system which is designed to encourage wellness and social connectedness that can help prevent memory loss.

This is just one of the technologies being displayed in the AAHSA Idea House designed to illustrate how technology and design can be integrated to facilitate aging in place and continued participation in the community.

The house, which will be open to the public during the AAHSA Annual Meeting & Exposition, November 8-11 at McCormick Place in Chicago, will feature design elements such as modified kitchens and bathrooms as well as technologies designed to improve a senior’s and a person with disability’s quality of life, while reducing health care costs, encouraging healthy behavior change, and providing caregivers with support.

According to Larry Minnix Jr., president of the AAHSA, “The Idea House will feature the best in universal design, technologies that can improve older people’s quality of life.”

The 2,600-square-foot home will display innovations intended to make it possible for seniors and people with disabilities to stay independent in their own homes.

Some of the new products on display include:

•    A security system that replaces the traditional peephole with a DVD screen.
•    A height-adjustable kitchen cabinet.
•    A height-adjustable toilet seat.
•    A dispenser that automatically organizes, reminds, dispenses and monitors an individual’s medication use. The technology enables pharmacies to be notified when refills are needed.
•    A gaming system that provides 24/7 access to speech therapy through the television.

Sustainable or green design features in the house include carpets made from post-consumer recycled content and furniture made from recycled plastic milk jugs.

Other new innovations in the Idea House:

•    With the automatic personal emergency response system, users’ critical events are monitored, without them pressing a button, reported to EMS, and caregivers are immediately alerted.
•    Temporary robotic limbs, a wearable robotic suit (called Hal), is designed to multiply a person’s strength by reading bioelectric signals that the person generates. The suit uses those signals to guide the movement of robotic limbs strapped to a person’s arms and legs. With Hal’s help, the AAHSA hopes that even stroke patients may be able to walk.
•    A robot is designed to serve as a substitute for live animal therapy.

The Idea House will be at the McCormick Place Lakeside Center, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. Admission is free, but visitors must register and receive a AAHSA House badge. The registration area will be in the lobby on Level 2. Visit www.aahsa.org.

The latest edition of The Forever Home is now available online. For those of you who are new to our blog, our quarterly e-newsletter provides you with insightful information, valuable advice, and helpful tips to assist you to age-in-place comfortably and independently.

In this issue, you’ll read about the recent AARP’s Aging-in-Place videos which we participated in to help raise awareness on how to make your home safer as you age. The 3-part series of short video clips showcases Ross and Anna, a couple in their 70s who are making changes to their home so they can age in place. AARP invited us to visit the home of this couple to make some simple kitchen, bathroom, and home interior/exterior fixes at low-to-no cost.

According to the online health care Web site, HealthCommentary.org, our current health care system is not well equipped to address the immediate demands of a rapidly aging population. In our article, Technology Continues to Advance Home-Centered Health Care, you’ll read why experts are recommending that we place a stronger emphasis on prevention and wellness.

We’ll also take you behind the scenes of a nursing home. One medical student documented her time inside a nursing home to better understand what it’s like for an aging person who is living in one. The theory behind the program is that if future doctors can better understand how seniors live and what they go through on a daily basis, then those doctors can better treat and care for older patients because they have truly walked in their shoes. As an added bonus, the program hopes to inspire and steer medical students to choose geriatric care as their focus. This specialization is in near desperate need of new doctors.

Finally, our country’s general awareness of green practices is growing at an almost fever-pitched rate. This is a result of the now more accepted reality of the dangers and undeniable negative effects that global warming can have on our future. In addition, there has been an expansion of political and social pressures on us to modify our overall consumption behaviors.

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.