Everyone ages differently and has different needs and wants.  The factors that constitute the aging in place market for all individuals are based on a persons genetic makeup, their lifestyle including the choices they have made while living their life, and their environment.  These factors have brought about the need for universal design.  This is the design of products, services, and environments that are usable by as many people as possible regardless of age, ability, or situation without the need for adaptation or specialized alterations.  It provides for the greatest safety and access for any home guests or occupants and is undetectable when done well.  Since so very few homes share the accessibility offered by universal design, to satisfy the needs of a particular household member brought about by an accident, an illness, or simply the aging process there will always be a need for customized accessibility features.  This will be accomplished by a CAPS accredited remodeling professional producing a truly functional design.   This same competent home remodeling company who understands and practices aging in place home modifications in Austin should carry out the work to fit the design and insure your safety and accessibility.

     Physical limitations affect many more people than the daily users of walkers and wheelchairs.  Many members of our life experienced or elder society have significant problems in dealing with their home environment.  Today's conventional building standards conflict with most people's accessibility when you consider our created architectural barriers concerning cabinetry and door opening widths, individual strength, range of motion, movement,  manual dexterity, balance, and coordination .  Once the demands of our built environment exceed their capacities we become excluded from a room or even the entire home.  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.

     There are really three categories of aging in place customers.  Those who are simply and wisely planning ahead for their futures to remain in their present homes.  The second category concerns those people who know they have a chronic medical disorder and need to prepare in advance for accessibility issues which will come as a result of their disease.  People with diseases that are constantly causing increased physical or mental changes to their being are a good representative of this second group.  The third group involves those people who either have had a chronic problem that has  progressed severely altering their mobility or those who have sustained a life altering tragedy such as being involved in an accident.  All of these groups will drive the future metamorphosis of existing inaccessible dwellings.

     Disability is a complex phenomenon representing an interaction between one's physical impairments, the activities they need to perform, and the architectural barriers within the space in which this situation occurs.  The terminology and jargon used for disabilities evolves regularly whereas, "handicapped" is no longer acceptable.  It is no longer merely a description of intellectual or physical impairments.  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.  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.  For a progressive condition,  aging in place home remodeling in Austin definitely comes into play.  This is the only way to insure both the safety and mobility for the homeowner or family member requiring the home modifications.  The two main groups driving this aging in place market are those people who are 65 and over and the baby boomers.  The first group is projected to reach 55 million in 2020.  The baby boomer generation born between 1946 and 1965 today make up 28% of the U.S.  population and are made up of some 77 million people.  Modifications of existing homes is important because people of age 50 and older want to remain in their current home for as long as possible.  Aging in place home modifications in Austin should only be done by a CAPS certified remodeling company.  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 nonqualified remodeling company.  Always check their creditials to verify that the remodeler holds a CAPS certification. All registered CAPS program graduates and their remodeling company will be listed in a national registry in Washington.  The information can be found by simply visiting nahb.org/CAPS.

     If you have been considering an aging in place design for a fine bathroom makeover or remodeling project in Austin there are a few things you should take into consideration.  Accessible home remodels and bathroom upgrades in Austin, Texas can take on many looks and facets.  The scope of work you choose to accomplish should effectively solve your problems and most importantly, your needs as the home owner.  The identification of these specific needs belongs to you the home owner.  The way your home is structurally altered to accomplish these needs is the job of the professional remodeling contractor.  Accessibility should be a concern no matter what your age.  If your concerns are not for you,  barring any life changing accident, they could concern the accessibility of another generation's independence is using the restroom.  Aging in place services performed by CAPS professionals in the remodeling industry can help with solutions in solving these issues.

     Whether you desire a roll in shower, accessible sink , or merely a clear and unobstructed access to your existing bath, a CAPS professional can help you increase your accessibility.  The CAPS certification holder can not only help you with the design of what you desire but is competent and professionally qualified to carry out any construction needed. Certainly there are many upgrades available when planning an accessible bathroom transformation.  The replacement of the tub with a new walk in shower can create a bold  look but will run you around $10,000 while a roll in shower will run around $14,000.  There are no spending limits for bathroom remodels.  You can plan on spending around $12,000 to $15,000 for a hall bath remodel.  The price tag can approach or exceed $35,000 for a complete master bath remodel.  The type of fixtures and building components chosen alongwith the labor will compose the overall cost of the remodeling project. These prices are based on long lasting home modifications requiring time to install using proper construction techniques and are not to be confused with pop in kits offered by others they claim will be accomplished in a couple of days.

     Who do you choose to help you with your dream?  It is true that a professional remodeling contractor with years of experience will cost you more than a handyman illegally playing among the trades at your peril but then again there are those professional guarantees to  consider.  The professional verses the handyman is more likely to seek your overall satisfaction that will follow him into his next job.  A true building professional can also orchestrate the job's smooth flow limiting the down time of a most useful room.  Subcontractors will not be covered up and each skilled  trade is brought onto the sight as needed in an orderly fashion.  Professionals normally have insurance to cover on the job accidents to protect the homeowners from having legal action brought against them personally.  Be sure you ask for a certificate of insurance from your chosen professional contractor so that you aren't held personally liable for medical expences covering a worker's accident while on your property.  Don't forget that only a certified aging in place (CAPS) professional can help you solve your accessibility issues.used specifically in homes today where the owner is planning to retire.

     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.

     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.

A Custom Roll In Shower Conversion in Austin, Texas

    The aging in place maket in the US today is constantly being influenced by the increasing size of the aging population, the market desire to remain in one's home, a constantly increasing cultural diversity, and our aging housing stock associated with it's reduced affordability.  Our aging population is really made up of two prominant age groups formed by the age 65 and over population and the baby boomers who were born between 1946 and 1965.  Together these two groups own over 48% of all the US home inventory today. Aging in place design and the desire to remain in one's home is driven by social attachments via a network of neighbors, friends, and family bring about a new wave of elder construction solutions.  Our cultural diversity assures that the same aging in place tactics for elder living solutions cannot work across the board for all individuals just as an individual's ability to live independently varies from person to person.  With constantly aging housing, costs can be a major barrier in home modification for many residents.  A catch 22 situation can arise when you consider the reduced affordability of another home versus the one that is presently occupied.  In this case the homeowner  must use the equity that has accrued in their home's value in order to make the modifications required.  You will find out in the long run that it's cheaper to remodel your existing home using your accrued assets than it is to buy a new home in today's market and move.

     Aging in place home remodeling in Austin will be completely driven by the homeowner's desire to remain in their home for as long as it is physically possible.  When disability strikes,  that same home you have endeared for at least part of your lifetime can become a prison that presents barriers, frustrations, and perils at every turn.  The lack of any preparation or access upgrades possibly is driven by our youth oriented culture that wants to believe we are all young, bullet proof, and fit and will continue to be so.  Perhaps we believe as a society that accessible bathroom upgrades will decrease our home's property values.  The contrary is the reality.  Just try looking for a barrier free accessible home.  Actually,  don't even bother.  There are none.  Oh yes,  there are retirement communities for the older "active" seniors but the key word here is active having nothing to do with accessibility.  Elder living solutions utilizing universal design provides access to everyone and all generations.

     Aging in place services and CAPS certified remodeling in Austin are no different from those in any other city or state within the US.  They are surely needed in virtually every home that I've visited in over 30 years of operating my remodeling business.  Sadly, our archaic methods of architecture have no room for accessibility within the existing aging home inventory. Aging in place remodeling in Austin, Texas must be done by a certified aging in place specialist to benefit from and capture the most accessibility from the remodeler's education and experience.  A successfully trained aging in place remodeler will have several capabilities like the vision and purpose to manage your project, he will have an expertise in construction, he will be skilled in effective communication, he uses time management alongwith his organized skills, and furthermore he will be capable of maintaining a balance and perspective for problem solving throughout your project. 

     There are really three categories of aging in place customers.  Those who are simply and wisely planning ahead for their futures to remain in their present homes.  The second category concerns those people who know they have a chronic medical disorder and need to prepare in advance for accessibility issues which will come as a result of their disease.  People with diseases that are constantly causing increased physical or mental changes to their being are a good representative of this second group.  The third group involves those people who either have had a chronic problem that has  progressed severly altering their mobility or those who have sustained a life altering tragedy such as being involved in an accident.  All of these groups will drive the future metamorphosis of existing inaccessible dwellings.

      Disability is a complex phenomenon representing an interaction between one's physical impairments, the activities they need to perform, and the architectural barriers within the space in which this situation occurs.  The terminology and jargon used for disabilities evolves regularly whereas, "handicapped" is no longer acceptable.  It is no longer merely a description of intellectual or physical impairments.  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 and so on.

     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.

     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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 8, 2014                                     

David Traut earns Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist Educational Designation

Austin, Texas David L. Traut owner of T-Square Company is now 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.

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 design and remodeling.

In 1974 while obtaining a graduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin an innate talent was acknowledged and T-Square Company was formed as a means to remodel both friends and Professors homes. This began a quest for constructive footprints leading to a lifetime of challenge. My researching practices evolved into the art of building the most efficient structures possible utilizing the ever changing technologies benefiting construction.

CAPS graduates include remodelers, builders, designers, architects, occupational therapists and others who help homeowners remain in their homes safely, independently and comfortably as they age.

The CAPS coursework curriculum incorporates market demographics, communication techniques, marketing, common barriers and solutions, building codes and standards, product ideas and resources and business management.

CAPS program graduates are required to maintain their designation by attending continuing education programs and/or participating in community service projects.

"As a certified aging in place specialist I look forward to helping homeowners in the Austin and surrounding areas make the changes they need to enable them to live in their homes for a long, long time.  We can now offer certified aging in place services" said David Traut.

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.

     Millions of Americans are living longer and have more active lives.  While this group is embracing newly found and changing lifestyles, a need to revitalize their home environments has come about.  Elder living solutions  require bathrooms with disability access and have become the norm for the baby boomer generation.  Identifying this major opportunity while developing the skills to interact with those needful homeowners has created a new type of remodeling.  A certified aging in place specialist performing elder construction or CAPS home remodeling contractor has completed the coursework and training in how to help keep existing homeowners in their homes longer. The CAPS certified remodeling contractor will be listed in a national directory compiled by the NAHB in Washington.

     Aging in place design and aging in place services in Austin will provide a means for our customers to remain in their homes for as long as possible and this is why we offer this nationally accredited service. Gaining accessibility is the key component.  Let us help you design and build a new accessible awareness for your existing home.  We can show you how an accessible route can give you access to any part of your home no matter what your mobility situation is or will become.  For obvious reasons, the bathroom and kitchen are the rooms most affected by a lack of accessibility when aging in place is a concern.

We are able to handle any remodeling project, and focus on collaborative client centered solutions. We are not afraid to think outside of the box for solutions that meet our client's needs. We are a company with extensive experience in physical and occupational therapy as well as construction, remodeling, and design. Services we offer include: individualized assessments, architectural design, interior design, accessible remodeling & construction, wheelchair lifts & ramps, stair lifts, residential/commercial elevators, ceiling transfer lifts, and other simple solutions such as grab bar & railing installations.

     Millions of Americans are living longer and have more active lives.  While this group is embracing newly found and changing lifestyles, a need to revitalize their home environments through elder living solutions has come about.  Identifying this major opportunity while developing the skills to interact with those needful homeowners has created a new type of remodeling.  A certified aging in place specialist or CAPS home remodeler has completed the coursework and training in how to help keep existing homeowners in their homes longer. They will be listed in a national directory compiled by the NAHB in Washington.

     Everyone ages differently and has different needs and wants.  The factors that constitute the aging in place market for all individuals are based on a persons genetic makeup, their lifestyle including the choices they have made while living their life, and their environment.  These factors have brought about the need for universal design and handicap remodeling contractors.  This is the design of products, services, and environments that are usable by as many people as possible regardless of age, ability, or situation without the need for adaptation or specialized alterations.  It provides for the greatest safety and access for any home guests or occupants and is undetectable when done well.  Since so very few homes share the accessibility offered by universal design, to satisfy the needs of a particular household member brought about by an accident, an illness, or simply the aging process there will always be a need for customized accessibility features.  This will be accomplished by a CAPS accredited remodeling professional producing a truly functional design.   This same competent design/build home remodeling company who understands and practices aging in place home modifications in Austin should carry out the work to fit the design and insure your safety and accessibility.  A certified aging in place specialist will be listed in Washington on the NAHB CAPS listing.

     There are three segments that are served within the aging in place marketplace.  The first segment includes those clients without urgent needs.  They have no immediate health issues and simply have a preference for universal design techniques.  The second segment focuses on a group of homeowners with progressive health condition needs.  These people have a chronic or progressive conditions like MS requiring special modifications to their home allowing them to age in place.  This group of people will face a time of urgency at some point in their lives as their mobility needs evolve.  The third sector involves those people who have undergone traumatic health changes that necessitates immediate modifications to their home in order to age in place.  Only aging in place home remodeling in Austin can accomplish the home modifications for all three sector's needs mentioned above.  As our society evolves away from institutionalized care,  making a home more comfortable for both older adults and their visitors can have an immediate benefit on the comfort and lifestyle of the adult child.

     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.  For a progressive condition,  aging in place home remodeling in Austin definitely comes into play.  This is the only way to insure both the safety and mobility for the homeowner or family member requiring the home modifications for elder construction.  The two main groups driving this aging in place market are those people who are 65 and over and the baby boomers.  The first group is projected to reach 55 million in 2020.  The baby boomer generation born between 1946 and 1965 today make up 28% of the U.S.  population and are made up of some 77 million people.  Modifications of existing homes is important because people of age 50 and older want to remain in their current home for as long as possible.  Aging in place home modifications in Austin should only be done by a CAPS certified remodeling company.  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 nonqualified remodeling company.  Always check their creditials to verify that they hold a CAPS certification.

Typical Aging In Place Home Modifications

     The Center for Disease Control defines aging in place as the ability to live in one’s own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably regardless of age, income, or ability level.  Aging in place construction and remodeling has become synonymous with handicap accessible home design and modification during our lifetime.   Home modifications can be used to accomodate anyone from people with mobility impairments to those with vision loss, hearing loss, or even cognitive or developmental disabilities.  Accessibility home modifications or wheelchair accessible kitchen and bathroom remodeling in Austin will allow anyone with limited mobility within your home to feel more empowered and independent.  The extent of a customized accessibility design is dependent upon the activity level of the person requiring the modifications.  Whether someone needs a cane, walker, or wheelchair to help with mobility it is definitely a game changer for accessibility within the home.  Aging in place home modifications help people maintain their living environment for as long as it works for them before they might need assisted living care or a nursing home.

     Some people confuse aging in place with universal design.  Both are a method to increase accessibility within the home but aging in place strictly deals with an existing home. Aging in place design also implies modifying any home for it's older occupants to insure that the inhabitants can safely remain there as long as they possibly can.  This time will expire once they need assisting medically trained help for safeguarding their personal safety in a nursing home or an assisted living environment.  Universal design is just that; offering choices to all of a home's residents no matter their age or physical capabilities.  It begins with a design and then the construction begins.  The number one safety hazard for elderly people is negotiating level changes within the home--steps at the entry, stairs between floors, and curbs to step over when entering the bath or shower.  Eliminating level changes is very difficult in existing homes and almost impossible to do aesthetically and without major compromises, unless there is a major renovation.  The result is that most homeowners decide to sell the house rather than make the modifications.  When universal design is incorporated into their design, homes can accommodate the needs of their owners as those needs evolve over time.

     Baby boomers in their 50's today are mostly in denial.  They generally believe that their way of life and their personal mobility are a constant.  They believe they are invincible--especially older men who will always say they don't need those types of modifications in their house.  Women in their 60's, on the other hand, seem to face facts differently acting as the caretaker of their home.  They not only watch out for the safety of themselves but for the other family members.  This is good because someone needs to be the decision maker when faced with life altering changes and what can be done about them.  The caregiver usually guides the husband into realizing that home modifications are good for everyone's safety. 

      Physical limitations affect many more people than the daily users of walkers and wheelchairs and bathroom modifications for the elderly is a sign of the times.  Many members of our life experienced or elder society have significant problems in dealing with their home environment.  Today's conventional building standards conflict with most people's accessibility when you consider our created architectural barriers concerning cabinetry and door opening widths, individual strength, range of motion, movement,  manual dexterity, balance, and coordination .  Once the demands of our built environment exceed their capacities we become excluded from a room or even the entire home.  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.  This will certainly require the expertise of an aging in place specialist Austin, Texas.  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 three main rooms involved in aging in place design and home modifications are the bathroom, the kitchen, and the family room in that order.  These areas make up the most occupied spaces of any home and will be connected by a designated accessible route.  Here we will need access through wider doorways, non slip floor surfaces, and adequate cabinet and plumbing fixture accessibility.  What is more important is that we must observe safety for everyone as the baby boomers choose to age in place within their homes.  Just remember one thing and dispel any myth that aging in place construction and remodeling must appear institutional or out of the ordinary.   When the work is done with style and taste it will only compliment the home.

Aging In Place Vanity With Accessibility