I try not to look in the mirror, it’s not a pretty sight. I remember in my high school years, the time when hair product was the thing, to look good for the girls, I used a little gel or a little Aqua Net in my hair. The Aqua Net wasn’t mine, probably my mother’s but I would use it once in awhile to slick back my hair and try and impress the girls. I remember looking closely in the mirror while in high school and noticing a grey hair. What? A grey hair at the age of 15, 16, or 17. At that moment, I realized that I was aging. Obviously there were a lot of good years left but I knew that my kid years were behind me. I am still a kid at heart and still getting around just fine and my hair is still mostly brown although soon the grey will be taking the majority. I am not old enough to be a baby boomer but a new term I learned at a three day education session with NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) was the “Silver Tsunami.”

The Silver Tsunami is the tide of boomers that are starting to hit the retirement and senior years.

In the class, (which I earned a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) designation from the National Association of Home Builders) I learned that people born in the years immediately after WWII, from 1946 to 1964 represents 25% of the world’s population and 28% of the population of the United States. Many of my current remodeling clients that were born in this time era were asking about items that would make their homes safer, more accessible, and want to know how they can stay in their homes comfortably. I took the courses to further educate myself in the area of aging in place and help these clients stay in their homes for many years to come.

Aging in Place means that people don’t need to move from their homes in order to accommodate their changing needs. Another interesting fact is the rising cost of a retirement home or assisted living facility. These retirement homes and facilities are not cheap to begin with and cost upwards of $90,000 a year, not to mention the fact that in Juneau that means leaving town to live in one of these retirement communities. For that price an aging in place specialist and health care professional can come to your home, determine a plan and keep you comfortably in your home for many more years.

After taking the classes, I’d like to believe, I am a planner. I am planning on remodeling my home and now plan to make it comfortable and safe to live in as I age. I am coming up with a plan for 5 years, 10 years, 20 years, and hopefully retirement years, to stay in my home. Even if I move, my home would be ready for someone who wanted easy access, universal design, and a comfortable home to move into. At this point in my life I am pretty healthy so I don’t have any progressive needs that require home modification so that I can comfortably and safely live in my home. I do work construction, and that can sometimes wear and tear on my body so at some point I may develop arthritis, a bad back, or a disease. In that case I would work with a healthcare professional in my home to develop a plan so that I could stay in my home comfortably. Also, working construction, or doing anything for that matter, there is always a chance for a traumatic health-related injury which is hard to predict or to make a plan to address.

Planning for an aging in place remodel can be done in phases as the homeowner needs the home modifications to maintain a comfortable home. Aging in place is based on a Universal design which is pleasing to the eye and addresses comfort, accessibility, energy efficiency, easy of use, heating systems, safety, home controls, electrical, lighting, maneuverability, doorways, entrance to the home, kitchens, bathrooms, and sleeping areas. Energy conservation for the homeowner is also a factor in designing and remodeling a home for aging in place.

According to Center for Universal Design, NC State University publication (Copyright ©  1997)

Universal Design is based on Seven Principles

  1. Equitable Use or useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities.
  2. Flexibility in Use or design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities.
  3. Simple and Intuitive use or uses of the design is easy to understand, regardless of user’s experience, knowledge, language skills, or concentration levels.
  4. Perceptible Information or design that communicates necessary information effectively to the user regardless of ambient conditions or sensory abilities.
  5. Tolerance for Error or design that minimizes hazards.
  6. Low Physical Effort or design can be used efficiently and comfortably with minimal fatigue.
  7. Size and Space for Approach and  Use. (Design/Build for Aging and Accessibility (CAPSII) National Association of Home Builders 2009)

There are some general considerations when determining whether to age in place. Is it economically feasible to remain in your home? My answer to that question is yes! Let us say at $50,000 (more for Juneau) a year for an assisted living home, which is an estimated cost per year by AARP, it is worthwhile to be able to stay in you home. After remodeling your home it will have a higher value and just because it was remodeled to age in place doesn’t mean that it won’t be attractive to a new buyer. The aging in place and universal design is appealing to everyone and is the current trend in design. Universal design will attract millennials as well. Oh yes, a new term, millennials. What is a millennial? Millennials are children born from the 1980’s to 2000, who are looking for that design in a home. Number one because it’s aesthetically pleasing and number two it’s a good home to raise a family in. That is right! After a home has been updated to age in place it is also safer for little children. Tripping hazards have been eliminated, items throughout the home are within reach, lighting is optimal for chores and homework, these are just a few of the benefits of a home that has been remodeled for aging in place homeowners.

With the demand for senior housing in Juneau, most homeowners look elsewhere, either out of town or other housing options within the community. While the homeowner or parent wants nothing more than to stay right where they are, home. With a Certified Aging in Place Specialist partnered with a Healthcare Professional a homeowner has other options available to them, instead of looking outside their own home. I still have a lot of good years left in me, as for as mobility, but as I am getting older and the construction industry wears on my body day in and day out I can see that while I remodel my home I will be remodeling to a home that I can age in place comfortably until I finally do buy the farm.

Greg Stopher has over 16 years of experience in the construction field and earned a degree in Construction Technologies from the University of Alaska – Southeast. His company, Stopher Construction, LLC, is a general contracting company specializing in remodeling, custom finishes, additions and new home construction projects. He can be reached at 907-321-2350.