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July 25, 2010 marked the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). A recent article for Enable America (EA) praised the great work by the ADA in furthering the rights of people with disabilities—while simultaneously calling for new actions that will be necessary to advance those rights in the years ahead.

The ADA represents the world’s first comprehensive declaration of equality for people with disabilities. On July 26, 1990, President George W. Bush noted, “With today’s signing of the landmark Americans for Disabilities Act, every man, woman, and child with a disability can now pass through once-closed doors into a bright new era of equality, independence, and freedom.”

Established in 2002, EA is a non-profit organization devoted to empowering people with disabilities to achieve independence through employment. The organization’s Community Connections, Business Connections, and VetConnect programs unite members of the disability community and business community to raise awareness and increase employment opportunities for the 54 million Americans with disabilities—including our nation’s wounded soldiers.

Through its research and outreach across the country, EA discovered millions of Americans with disabilities with employable skills, who want to work, but often face additional barriers to finding jobs. EA’s founder and CEO, Richard Salem, explained, “People with disabilities want what all of us want, an opportunity to pursue the American Dream.” Through employment advocacy, EA believes it is also strengthening the economy by adding to the diversity of skills and talents that people with disabilities bring to the workforce.

Salem personally understands that challenge because he lost his sight when he was a teenager. “The ADA represents an historic civil rights achievement, and we have much to be proud of as we look back at what we have accomplished over the past two decades.” He concludes, “At the same time, we must not rest on the past, when so much work remains. This anniversary is a time for celebration, as well as an inspiration for all of us to recommit our efforts to the work at hand.”

Advocacy groups like Enable America, groundbreaking legislation like the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and CAPS designated remodeling companies like Home Evolutions are all working diligently to provide people with disabilities more productive, safer, and independent lives.

Read more about this story in the next and upcoming issue of The Forever Home!

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The Aging-in-Place market for technology to assist seniors, families and professional caregivers for aging adults is attracting a steady stream of new vendors to a market that will exceed $20 billion by 2020, according to the newly updated 2010 report by Aging in Place Technology Watch. The emergence of caregiving as a concern to baby boomers invites new entrants into the market, according to Laurie M. Orlov, founder of the market research firm.

“With an aging demographic, growing elder caregiving responsibilities and emerging technology awareness of service providers means that more people seek and find solutions that help older family members,” said Orlov. “This is a catalyst for both new entrepreneurs like AFrameDigital and BeClose as well as new business opportunities for existing companies like Philips.”

The industry projections are part of the updated market overview report, 2010 Technology Market Overview from Aging in Place Technology Watch. The document updates about technologies to enable aging in place, including categories for communication and engagement, safety and security, health and wellness, and learning and contribution. The report explains how these tighten the connections between families, caregivers, service providers such as home care agencies and care recipients.

“Mary Furlong, founder of SeniorNet and author of “Turning Silver into Gold” commented: “A research veteran like Laurie choosing this space is an indication of the talent being brought to bear in this industry - analysts size the market, showcase the business opportunities, and shape the market space. The venture and business community are catching up with the need.”

Added Ken Dychtwald, Founder of AgeWave and author of “The Power Years,”: “Long-time Forrester and tech industry veteran Laurie M. Orlov is one of the most formidable - and knowledgeable - industry analysts describing the technology trends in the aging in place market. Her well-informed insights and innovative ideas are consistently spot-on.”

Headquartered in Port St. Lucie, Florida, Aging in Place Technology Watch provides thought leadership, analysis and guidance about technologies and related services that enable boomers and seniors to remain longer in their home of choice. In addition to her technology background and years as a technology industry analyst, founder Laurie M. Orlov is a certified geriatric care manager is a member of the Philips Think Tank on Health & Well-Being.

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.

Recent data from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) continues to show that the trend of home remodeling to age in place is increasing as baby boomers get older. Statistics also show that non-seniors are also planning ahead or wishing to make their home more comfortable for their older relatives.

According to their most recent survey, 74 percent of the remodelers surveyed reported higher numbers of universal design home modifications, a significant increase from the 60 percent reported just over three years ago.

In this article, NAHB Remodelers Chairman Greg Miedema said in that “Homeowners are asking for remodeling improvements to make their homes more comfortable as they age because they don’t want to move or lose their independence. These modifications can make a home more stylish and convenient for the aging population.”

What’s at the top of the list for most requested home modification? Not surprisingly, bathroom upgrades are number one.

78% of homeowners want grab bars added to their showers as part of an upgrade to an existing home. 71% want to have higher toilets installed. While 60% desire an upgrade to curbless showers.

Other requested changes include:

• Widening doorways (57 percent)
• Constructing ramps or lowering thresholds (45 percent)
• Enhanced lighting (45 percent)

The NAHB survey also found an increase in aging-in place options among the surveyed consumers, with remodelers saying that 84 percent of homeowners have at least some knowledge of universal design solutions.

74% percent of remodelers also noted an increase in requests for these types of features.

According to the article, “most remodelers stated that the bulk of requests for aging-in-place modifications come from clients above age-55, but a growing number of younger consumers are requesting changes for other family members.”

Usually the improvements address the age-related disabilities of visiting older relatives or modifications to make it easier for parents to share living space with their grown children.

70% of homeowners started remodeling projects for aging-in-place criteria because they were planning ahead for future needs.

To learn more, visit www.nahb.org.

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With the current heat wave hitting our region and much of the northeast with record-breaking high temperatures—first and foremost, everyone (especially seniors and people with disabilities) should be cautious and vigilant to not become over heated. Stay cool by remaining indoors with air conditioning and fans during the hottest times of the day, and remember to not do strenuous activities in excessive heat.

Since most people are running their fans more and their air conditioning lower and longer (especially perhaps seniors who are aging-in-place in their own homes), it is also wisely frugal and economically important to keep an eye on how much you are spending on energy through these hot days.

A recent article offers some tips on how seniors can lower their energy costs and save money during the summer. One way to do this is to reduce the amount of energy used every month. Here are a few ideas for ways that seniors can cut back and things they can change to help reduce monthly energy expenses.

In General

• Turn it off if you’re not using it! You could save 2% on your electric bill.
• Unplug appliances that aren’t in use—they still draw electricity.
• Replace air conditioning filters once a month.
• When re-charging cell phones (or other re-chargeable devices), only leave them plugged in as long as it takes to charge them.
• Install a whole house fan and save up to 5% on electricity.
• Install window shades or film to keep the house cooler. Shade trees also can help.
• Have your cooling ducts checked for leaks and sealed—this could save up to 20%!
• Make sure to adjust outdoor lighting timers to save money since it is daylight longer.
• Check and re-install weather stripping, seals, and caulk.
• Set your thermostat to 78 when you’re home and 85 when you’re away.
• Use ceiling fans to keep rooms cooler.
• Keep the blinds drawn to cool down your house.

In the Kitchen

• Cooking with your microwave uses 1/3 less energy than your stove.
• Use the dishwasher instead of washing by hand—it uses less water.
• Save 1% of your electric bill by air drying your dishes if you use a dishwasher.
• If you have a range hood, use it frequently to vent heat from cooking.
• Grill out to keep cooking costs down.

When Doing Laundry

• Do as much of your laundry in cold (or warm if need be) water. Always rinse in cold water.
• Dry your clothes on the line and save money on your energy bill (up to 5%).
• Always run full loads in the dryer when you use it.
• Clean your dryer filters for efficiency.

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.

There are always new and improved technological products coming out that can greatly help seniors and people with disabilities age-in-place comfortably and safely while maintaining their independence. Perhaps the most common device widely and cheaply available for seniors that can be used toward this end is of course the cell phone.

According to a recent review, the Snapfōn ez ONE is a new contender in the senior cell phone market and was specifically designed for elderly people who need an easy-to-read (and use) cell phone. It is simple to operate and has a large text display (equivalent to 28 point font) for easy reading. The Snapfōn ez ONE also has extra large keys, an emergency S.O.S. button, back-lit keypad, and it fits in one’s hand very nicely.
In addition, this phone has one feature that makes it particularly interesting—it will ‘say’ the numbers as they are dialed (called the “speaking keypad”). This would be particularly helpful to those with diminished sight. The review notes that it has not come across another senior cell phone in the market that has this feature.

Another attractive aspect of the Snapfōn ez ONE is its relatively low price. At $99.99, it is much more affordable than many other senior-friendly cell phones. Currently, these phones are being sold “unlocked” and without phone service. This means you can buy the Snapfōn ez ONE and take it to a GSM provider network, such as AT&T or T-Mobile (to name a few) and use it with one of their cell phone plans.

The Snapfōn ez ONE was created to fill a growing niche of users that want a phone just to make calls. This group includes many seniors who are aging-in-place. Plus, the Snapfōn ez ONE is far from lacking features. Snapfōn president, Phil Sieg, explained,

“We have incorporated a few unique features into our Snapfōn ez ONE product such as an S.O.S. button that calls up to four (4) emergency contacts and keeps calling in rotation until you get an answer, a high intensity LED flashlight, and even an FM radio—all of which are present for safety and convenience reasons.” He added that the company is seeing a greater focus on safety as our population ages, and a growing desire for emergency response devices.

Snapfōn ez ONE Features
•    Speaking keypad
•    Easy to see and dial buttons
•    Large and bright display
•    FM Radio
•    Vibrating ringer
•    Flashlight
•    Emergency S.O.S. button
•    Speakerphone with good volume
•    Light and easy to hold
•    Phonebook memory—200 records
•    Call record—last 10
•    6 ringtones
•    6 alarm tones
•    5 SMS tones
•    High intensity LED flashlight
•    Built-in FM radio with headset

Snapfōn ez ONE Dimensions and Details
•    Dimensions: 2″ x 4″ x 0.5″ (10.4 cm x 4.9 cm x 1.5 cm)
•    Screen: 1.6 inch amber LCD 128×48
•    Battery: 3-5 hours of talk time and up to 120 hours of standby time

Remember, technology can greatly help to complement your aging-in-place goals. Be sure to do your research and find the best technological products that can enhance your independence and also fit your individual needs and economic circumstances.

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.