If you are a senior or considering moving in an elderly parent into your home, you might find this information useful while pondering the subject to move forward.

The Aging in Place market in the US today is constantly influenced by the increasing size of the senior population, the desire to remain in one's home, a constantly increasing cultural diversity, and our aging and inaccessible housing stock with it's reduced affordability. Let's face it, accessible homes are needed by all of us at some time in our lives. This is true whether it's for ourselves, a family member, or a guest. Each individual with similar impairments describes his or her limitations differently. The blind don't experience their world the same as a person with deafness. The need is certainly not driven by age but is a result of life's experience. Any family living with disability among any of it's generations within it's group will always benefit from additional accessibility. This will in turn increase safety and independence for all involved as they go through life.

Actively searching for senior living solutions, the aging population is made up of two prominent age groups formed by the age 65 and over population and the baby boomers. The baby boomers were born between 1946 and 1965 as a result of WW II. Together these two groups own over 48% of all the US home inventory today. The desire to remain in one's home is driven by social attachments via a network of neighbors, friends, and family. Our cultural diversity assures that the same Aging in Place solutions cannot work across the board for all individuals, just as an individual's ability to live independently varies from person to person. With the constantly aging housing inventory, costs can be a major barrier in home modification for many residents. A catch 22 situation arises once you consider the reduced affordability of another home versus the one presently occupied by seniors. In this case the homeowner must use the equity that has accrued in their home's value in order to make the modifications required to safely move forward. Obviously, in the long run, it's cheaper to remodel an existing home using accrued assets than it is to buy a new home in today's inflated market only to endure closing costs, moving costs and the associated stress.

Some people confuse Aging in Place with Universal Design. Both are methods to increase home accessibility but Aging in Place strictly deals with an existing home, and is applied only when needed. Aging in Place implies modifying any home for it's occupants as a result of physical changes to ensure that the inhabitants can safely remain living in the home for as long as possible. Thus, it represents a reactive approach as a solution for providing home accessibility to the unprepared and procrastinating occupants. This time will expire once the senior homeowners require assisting medically trained help for ensuring their personal safety in a nursing home or an assisted living environment. In comparison, Universal Design offers choices to all home residents, no matter their age, size, or physical abilities. It can become part of any home at any time so all the occupants can enjoy the positive effects longer. Once undertaken by a proactive homeowner, the universal process begins with a design and then the construction begins. This process makes way for the home's comfort, safety, and usability to be enhanced. When Universal Design is incorporated into remodeling or new builds, these homes can accommodate the changing needs of their owners without further alterations. Over time, increased accessibility is there when it is required without disruption or calling attention to any family member.

For unprepared seniors, the demands of their home environment might eventually exceed their capacities forcing the inhabitants to become excluded from a room or even the entire home. In truth, physical limitations affect many more people than the daily users of walkers and wheelchairs. Many members of our life-experienced or senior society have significant problems safely dealing with their home environment due to today's conventional building standards. These status-quo building methods conflict with most people's accessibility, while the industry has routinely created homes full of architectural barriers. Individual strength, range of motion, movement, manual dexterity, balance, and coordination evolve over time as we become more life-experienced. The number one safety hazard in a home for seniors is negotiating level changes--steps at the entry, stairs between floors, and curbs to step over when entering the shower. Eliminating level changes is very difficult in existing homes and almost impossible to do aesthetically without considerable compromises, unless there is a major renovation. Sadly, the end result is that most homeowners decide to sell the house facing this situation rather than make the modifications. Fortunately, most traditional homes are capable of being modified.

Any accessibility design for seniors should always be performed by a CAPS certified builder or remodeler to provide a professional and safe path forward for seniors. This is the only way that you can be assured that the home modifications are the right choices to satisfy your needs. There is no need to waste money only to find out that the wrong alterations were done by an inexperienced and unqualified remodeling company. Modifications to bathrooms and kitchens, the two most used rooms in a home, must take everything about a persons personal behavior into consideration. Bathroom modifications typically include  custom tub to shower conversions, a custom walk in shower, an ADA-compliant toilet, or an accessible roll-under vanity. These are all great ways to make the bathroom safer and more accessible. Other bathroom concerns involve storage cabinetry and door opening widths. When it comes to the kitchen, ADA-compliant kitchen cabinets including roll-under cooktops, sinks, and food prep areas are important. Accessible storage for food and cooking items is needed along with adaptable multi-level cabinet working surfaces. All kitchen ADA-compliant appliances should be installed so a person using a wheelchair has access. Therefore, each appliance has associated clear floor space for approach and maneuvering. Remember, if the layout works well for the wheelchair user, it works for everyone. In general, a senior's home should be free of clutter, and every adequate room should have ample clear floor space for approaching certain items. Every area of the home is accessible without involving architectural barriers. But who do you contact to be sure you are getting the accessibility you desire?

The National Association of Home Builders, in partnership with the AARP and Home Innovation Research Labs, created the CAPS program, which includes training and education on the technical, business management and customer service skills essential to compete in the fastest growing segment of the residential remodeling industry--home modifications for aging in place. David L. Traut, CAPS owner of T-Square Company in Austin, Texas is one of the select group of professionals nationwide to earn the Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist (CAPS) designation, identifying him as a home remodeler and builder with the skills and knowledge necessary to remodel or modify a home to meet the unique needs of the older population, disabled owners or their visitors. David has recently published a book called "Age in Place at Home: Adapting the Home Environment for All Generations". It is available on Amazon.

 For additional information about the CAPS program, visit nahb.org/CAPS.  For more information about T-Square Company, visit www.tsquareco.com or call 512-444-0097.

 The building world must work in unison to be sure the entire living environment meets basic needs in addition to affordability and structural integrity for the consumer and home owner.  This includes both the home and the components within the home being accessible to all inhabitants.  Privacy, sense of belonging, sense of control, and the sense of safety and security make up the quality of life for any home and should be considered for any design.

The concept of successful and independent aging has become increasingly important, while senior citizens dominate the population. An active independent engagement in life through participation in social and productive activities is a very important aspect of successful aging. However, the built environment oftentimes directly interferes with the successful engagements of older adults once their individual needs change. Therefore, it is necessary to provide modified living environments designed to suit the needs of aging adults. This is the essence of the Aging in Place market of today.

What can be done to solve this inevitable housing dilemma facing the growing number of aging Americans? Of all the design theories that attempt to accommodate the aging process, Universal Design is the most desirable option as it provides built environments that benefit everyone, regardless of their age, size, or ability. Universal Design is a promising voluntary philosophy that requires increased attention from designers and builders participating in Aging in Place. Taken as a whole, it is evident that the application of Universal Design to the home environment is a positive step toward successful aging and living for anyone. In fact, the principles of Universal Design segues directly into what is required for Aging in Place.

A Wheelchair Accessible Kitchen Incorporating Universal Design Principles

Our existing architecture does not lend itself well to accomplishing any simple Aging in Place home remodels.  In fact, there are more inaccessible homes in all of the US than there are accessible homes and 45% of these existing traditional homes are owned by baby boomers. What is more, the baby boomer group represents the largest and oldest group of homeowners. This particular aging group desires to live in their existing home around familiar surroundings as they Age in Place. But what if, for some reason, a home that was once sufficient for all family members becomes no longer accessible. This involves the need for a certified CAPS professional. 

Unfortunately, in most traditional residential US properties, there are commonly no easy ways to enter the home proceeding into bathrooms or utilizing kitchens without coming into contact with one architectural barrier or another-especially if a wheelchair or walker is being used to help with mobility issues. While an estimated 80% of aging homeowners have a firm plan to Age in Place, every mobility device requires the proper clearance and distance along a customized accessible route within the home to function properly. This comfortable route is identified during wheelchair remodeling projects.

The National Association of Home Builders, in partnership with the AARP and Home Innovation Research Labs, created the CAPS program, which includes training and education on the technical, business management and customer service skills essential to compete in the fastest growing segment of the residential remodeling industry--home modifications for aging in place.  David L. Traut, CAPS the President and owner of T-Square Company in Austin, Texas is one of the select group of professionals nationwide to earn the Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist (CAPS) designation, identifying him as a home remodeler and builder with the skills and knowledge necessary to remodel or modify a home to meet the unique needs of the older population, disabled owners, or their visitors. T-Square Company offers complete services concerning disability renovations beginning with their design/build philosophy. Furthermore, David is certified in Universal Design in the United States and Australia. Call them today at 512-444-0097 to set up a professional assessment of your living situation.

After over a year of writing to fulfill his customers' requests, David's new book, "Age in Place At Home," is available for purchase from Amazon. Go to the link below to order his knowledgeable paperback book, which was released in late November, 2022. It provides a great guideline for using the principles of Universal Design in new home construction and/or remodeling for every room in your home. Get your copy today.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/r.html?C=2Z24ENUUAEWUK&K=13Y7YU7PKKYAC&M=urn:rtn:msg:20221010201802eb9acb7b24004a4785cd2ec1d4f0p0na&R=3R6MK9WDXJPH7&T=C&U=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0BHTV28RV%3Fref_%3Dpe_3052080_276849420&H=7FWEPMGCH0TT8LN6SKPMUOCVJNYA&ref_=pe_3052080_276849420

I am reposting this invaluable announcement of my book's availability in an effort to help many struggling families who have discovered their home no longer fits their personal physical needs. Sudden or mounting changes among any family members affects how livable and accommodating their present home truly is. Once a major change occurs, modification of your residence must be undertaken or you will face moving to a more accessible home. A home's newly-discovered architectural barriers are represented by problems entering the home, difficulty in using the bathroom or its facilities, or merely maneuvering throughout a familiar residence. My book acts as a guidepost for perplexed homeowners and caretakers trying to determine their family's next immediate direction and imminent future. The first half of the book explains why homes have always been inaccessible, except on the day they were purchased. The second half takes you room by room through the home as I explain how applying the principles of Universal Design for Aging in Place makes the home comfortable and accessible for the largest number of people. 

After over a year of writing to fulfill my customers' requests, my new book, "Age in Place At Home: Adapting the Home Environment for All Generations" , is available for purchase from Amazon.  Go to the link below to order my paperback book, which was released in late November, 2022. It provides a great guideline for using the principles of Universal Design in new home construction and/or remodeling for every room in your home. Get your copy today.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/r.html?C=2Z24ENUUAEWUK&K=13Y7YU7PKKYAC&M=urn:rtn:msg:20221010201802eb9acb7b24004a4785cd2ec1d4f0p0na&R=3R6MK9WDXJPH7&T=C&U=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0BHTV28RV%3Fref_%3Dpe_3052080_276849420&H=7FWEPMGCH0TT8LN6SKPMUOCVJNYA&ref_=pe_3052080_276849420

A home's adaptability is one of the most desired qualities within a person's home during some point in their life as their or their family's needs change. These specific needs to enhance accessibility can be short term while recovering from an accident or illness at any age, or  these home alterations may become permanent. The special needs may concern an adult or a child. Universal design principles don't discriminate between any family members regardless of age, size, or ability. Every family member is included. Learn how to adapt your home environment to satisfy your family's needs in David Traut's new book, Age in Place at Home.

T-Square Company, in Austin, Texas, practices incorporating Universal Design for accessibility to help their clients segue into Aging in Place seamlessly. The essence of my book is to advise people so they understand why our homes are obsolete to us, the homeowners, the minute they are completed.  This fact is represented by the methodology used to create the traditional home. They are built to satisfy our immediate lifestyle and physical needs on the day we close on the house, with no regard for the future. The new home lacks adaptability to satisfy our needs once our bodies change beyond the purchase date. If we had incorporated the Universal Design principles into these new homes, those same homes would adapt to our changing family needs including every inhabitant regardless of age, size, or ability. The lack of home adaptability is not the consumers fault, they have always been unaware of how to reference the problem and accepted what the housing market gave them. Buyers were unaware of what to ask for. Hence, the status-quo of building has been perpetuated  for centuries.

T-Square Company offers all types of Austin Universal Design home modifications for Aging in Place and Aging in Place design to better prepare you and your family for your unforeseeable home accessibility future on a design/build basis. Existing, traditional homes must be modified at some unknown point in time to increase their accessibility using correct designs. This collaborative effort is undertaken in order to help the residents who need better accessibility the most. Become aware and embrace the knowledge that the principles of Universal Design offer greater home accessibility for every one of your home members, from your father to your son. This is why the process is known as inclusive design. 

David L. Traut, CAPS, is an Aging in Place specialist and has been involved with accessibility for over thirty years for the VA, HUD, various counties, and private residences.  Contact David at 512-444-0097 for a professional home assessment to guide your future accessibility needs or at www.tsquareco.com. Simply fill out your information on the contact us page.

.

Disability is a complex phenomenon representing an interaction between one's physical impairments, the activities one needs to perform, and the architectural barriers within the space in which this situation occurs. Each individual demonstrates the complexity with similar impairments describing his or her limitations differently. The blind don't experience their world the same as a person with deafness. Some of our societal statistics that weigh into Aging in Place situations include reports stating that 19% of the population between the ages of 16 and 64 and 42% of those of us 65 and over have a physical disability affecting the activities of their daily lives.

The situation holds true for adults, and for children with special needs. The building world must work in unison to be sure the entire living environment meets basic needs in addition to affordability and structural integrity for the consumer and homeowner.  This includes the home and the components within the home being accessible to all inhabitants needing it most once architectural barriers become a recognized problem for any particular family member regardless of age or ability.  Privacy, a sense of belonging, a sense of control, and the sense of safety and security make up the quality of life for any home and should be considered for any barrier-free design.

Traditional homes are commonly full of barriers restricting maneuverability for anyone with a disability. This situation is accentuated once any mobility device is required. Houses typically exhibit home entrances involving steps, narrow doorways, tight hallways with abrupt turns, cramped bathrooms inhibiting comfortable fixture use, inaccessible outside amenities, congested and unfriendly kitchens, and door locking hardware requiring hand strength and coordination. 

The concept of the accessible home has evolved beyond the basic grab bars and ramps to one in which accessibility is built into the basic design.  Everyone ages differently and has different needs and wants. These factors have brought about the need for Universal Design. This is the design of products, services, and environments usable by as many people as possible regardless of age, ability, or situation without needing adaptation or specialized alterations.  It provides the most significant safety and access for home guests or occupants and is undetectable when done well. The principles of Universal Design enable living in a home with more comfort and adaptability for people of all ages and abilities.

Fortunately for people needing increased accessibility beyond what their existing home offers, there is home accessibility help available in Austin, Texas, offered by T-Square Company. T-Square Company specializes in handicap accessible homes and barrier-free remodels having over 30 years of accessibility experience.  They provide customized disability home modifications for any age resident with special needs. T-Square Company offers a complete assortment of disability services to help cushion and adapt to any disability including barrier-free home design/build projects. Wider entries and hallways, accessible bathrooms and showers, accessible kitchens, ramped entrances, vertical platform lifts, stair lifts, elevators, and accessible rooms of any type are just a few of the services  offered. Every design is based on the specific needs and abilities of the client. 

David L. Traut, CAPS the owner and president of T-Square Company in Austin, Texas is one of the select group of professionals nationwide to earn the Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) designation, identifying him as a home remodeler and builder with the skills and knowledge necessary to remodel or modify a home to meet the unique needs of the older population, disabled owners, or their visitors. Additionally, he is certified in Universal Design in the United States and Australia. David has recently published a book called "Age in Place at Home: Adapting the Home Environment For All Generations". The book explains the importance of Universal Design in building taking you through every room of the home in order to increase home accessibility. It is available on Amazon.

Never fear. You can adapt almost any existing home environment to overcome difficulties and enable you and everyone else in the family to comfortably live at home and move around safely with correct planning and know-how.

Your quality of life will improve if you follow the book's advice. The positive result is every family member has equal accessibility throughout your home's interior. IT JUST MAKES GOOD SENSE.

When families are suddenly thrust into caring for an ill or injured family member, knowing how to make their homes accessible, barrier-free and safe can be challenging, especially when it involves an aging parent.  A professional CAPS-certified remodeler is needed to offer guidance and solutions to the discovered family problems. Aging in Place is not for everyone, but as increasingly older Americans choose to Age in Place and remain in their homes, issues related to maintaining mobility, promoting home safety, and creating an environment to meet care needs are becoming increasingly crucial to caregivers and care recipients, along with the building community. Even savvy and experienced families may have trouble figuring out whom to call for a roll-in shower or door widening. According to the AARP, nearly 90% of older adults want to Age in Place and maintain independence however, 85% have done nothing about it. Many retirees want to stay in their own houses for as long as possible. But being able to do so will depend on how easy it is to maneuver your home as you age. Research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that Aging in Place home modifications may prevent up to 50% of home accidents among seniors in older homes, including falls. T-Square Company is a certified disability access contractor in Austin, Texas, doing accessibility jobs for the VA, HUD, and the private sector for nearly thirty years. T-Square Company offers a complete line of Aging in Place services using their design/build approach. T-Square Company's Aging in Place services incorporate the principles of Universal Design to better accommodate wheelchair users or people with varying disabilities, making the home environment more comfortable for all generations with or without specific needs.

The National Association of Home Builders, in partnership with the AARP and Home Innovation Research Labs, created the CAPS program, which includes training and education on the technical, business management, and customer service skills essential to compete in the fastest-growing segment of the residential remodeling industry--home modifications for Aging in Place.  David L. Traut, CAPS, the owner of T-Square Company in SW Austin, Texas as a handicap remodeling contractor, is one of the select group of professionals nationwide to earn the Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist (CAPS) designation, identifying him as a home remodeler and builder with the skills, training, and knowledge necessary to design and remodel or modify a home to meet the unique needs of the older population, disabled owners, or their visitors. David is certified in Universal Design in the United States and Australia. He has recently published a book entitled "Age In Place At Home: Adapting the Home Environment For All Generations". It is available through Amazon. It acts as a guidepost for accomplishing better accessibility throughout the home. He takes you room by room showing you how you can make your home inclusive to everyone living there and for all visitors.

ADA-Compliant Kitchens

People interested in Aging in Place services and Aging in Place home improvements are generally  looking for a level entry into their home along with the clear maneuverability that a more open floor plan with more extraordinary clear unobstructed floor space presents. They desire flat floors without transitions requiring steps or stairs to move around. Ramps having a correct 1:12 slope or less can be used to get them up to the level floor space at the exterior entries or the garage entrance. ADA-compliant kitchen cabinets and ADA bathroom cabinets will more than likely come into play to complete any accessible home remodeling project. Aging in Place services and home modifications should include adding non-slip flooring, widening hallways or installing stair lifts, and widening doors.  You might consider lowering light switches and thermostats and installing easier-to-use lever door hardware.  To provide safety and independence, many considerations for an Aging in Place design should be considered.  Provide a clear barrier-free path or accessible route to the most visited areas of the home, as the ADA recommends. The three areas needing improvement for a person wanting to age in place include the bathroom, the kitchen, and the family area in order of importance. The goal of an accessible design in Austin is to make the areas in the home a safe space for everyone who uses the facilities, regardless of age, size, or ability. 

For additional information about the CAPS program, visit nahb.org/CAPS.  For more information about T-Square Company, visit www.tsquareco.com or call 512-444-0097 to schedule a home assessment by a CAPS professional.