There are many benefits to aging in place and one of the most important ones is that seniors get to remain in their own homes with the surrounding comforts that are important to them representing a healthy option. Their homes have been made safer per their physical makeup through home modification and services provided by aging in place specialists. Since the places where we live become a part of who we are and provide comfort, CAPS certified remodeling techniques provide for senior independence while they remain in their familiar surroundings, around their neighbors, and in a familiar community. The option of nursing homes are very expensive and packed with people with all sorts of disabilities. Hence, the limited staff means limited personal care and socialization in an unfamiliar setting.
Let's compare the alternative costs associated with aging in place when you already own your home. The more institutional alternative of assisted living accompanied by more medical expertise and staff training plus the access to emergency medical facilities is available as opposed to renting an apartment. These are two of the main alternative choices for seniors who decide not to remain in their own homes. According to a national study done in 2014, the average cost for assisted living ranged from $3,000 to $3,500 per month. However, if you decide to age in place in a high quality one bedroom apartment, the rent will run around $1,300 per month. Living in the privacy of your own home or with loved ones represents a preference by most seniors and only property taxes and periodic maintenance must be taken in account.
Knowledgeable construction and design professionals are utilizing their CAPS training across the nation. CAPS stands for Certified Aging In Place Specialist. This designation is taught through the National Association of Home Builders in collaboration with AARP. CAPS connects responsible professionals with home owners who need these services on an ever-increasing basis. CAPS is a nationwide initiative and all active CAPS members can be found at nahb.org/CAPSdirectory. Aging in place home design is a concept promoting independence and livability for all types of living environments no matter the age or level of abilities of the occupants. The principle is not entirely age related as recuperation periods from injuries or the progression of debilitating diseases like MS can happen to anyone at any age.
Roll In Showers
During a home assessment for increasing accessibility the structural needs of the client will be noted and documented through sketches, photos, and conversation by a registered CAPS professional. All the surroundings will be taken into account from the flooring to the layout of a specific room or location as it pertains to the inhabitant's ease of usability. The physical and emotional needs of the occupant will also come into play because of mobility, sensory, or cognitive concerns. Each individual with similar impairments describes his or her limitations differently when undergoing elder construction. The blind don't experience their world the same as a person with deafness. The ultimate goal is to modify the home in a custom manner to provide for the maximum health, independence, and safety of the occupant. Often the input from any caretakers like a physical or occupational therapist during the assessment phase can prove to be invaluable. The three main rooms involved in aging in place 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. The basic needs involve 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.
An average Aging in Place master bathroom home modification providing total accessibility given there is a large space to remodel at onset will come in around $30,000. This can vary in many aspects if there is not enough room to change the existing floor plan. Smaller bathrooms can cost $15-20,000 but will not have the barrier free accessibility as the larger modified bathroom. Fully accessible kitchens will run on the average of $40,000 depending on the size of the existing kitchen. These are both one time costs for sustainability of a given lifestyle and location providing future independence and safety for the homeowner who participates in accessible home remodeling.
In designing for specific physical conditions, we realize that aging doesn't always bring on disease while the body declines making certain physical limitations inevitable. Arthritis is the most common chronic condition to appear as it restricts ordinary daily activities. The lack of hand strength and stiff knees are indicative of this illness. This most reported arthritic condition affecting people over the age of 65 is followed by heart disease and vision loss in that order. Smart aging design and concepts can compensate for the introduction of frailty, lack of mobility, and blindness in aging in place families. We are constantly coming up with new methods for home modifications and household products to increase the comfort of our residential environments.
David L. Traut, CAPS the 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. We offer a complete line of aging in place services.
