Aging in Place: Part 2 | 4 HSW Credits

Below is the 2nd snippet from the online narrated course, Aging in Place – Eliminating Pitfalls.  This course is AIA Approved for 4 HSW credits.

Read Part 1

THE SCOPE OF THIS WORK

Every design or building issue dealing with the disabled or handicapped cannot be dealt with here. Massive laws have been passed for the purpose of guiding design decisions for buildings intended for use by the disabled. Many of these focus on commercial buildings financed with taxpayer funds, institutional projects where users regularly come when facing health challenges, and multi-family housing of various types, possibly used for occupancy by the elderly.

Where published guidelines for public facilities cross building types, we will touch on them. Since pictures are worth more than words, where possible, we will include graphic illustrations of guidelines from the United States Access Board. Understanding the intent of such rules can at least open a glimpse into similar issues also faced in less public settings.

Our focus here, however, will be on private residences. Millions of private homes are becoming more difficult to use as we age. Aging-in-place simply refers to the desire to stay in a familiar home as long as possible in life. According to the Center for Disease Control, it is “ability to live in one’s own home and community safely, independently and comfortably, regardless of age, income or ability level.” The easiest way to do that is to adapt the living facilities to changes in physical capabilities anticipated to arise. Otherwise, our beloved homes can slowly become prisons. And according to the AARP, over ninety percent of polled seniors want to stay home as they age. This obviously creates challenges for their children.

Our intention with this course is to look at what can be done to make it possible to stay in our homes for as long as possible, despite the debilitating effects of advancing age. We wish to demystify what is needed to age-in-place, rather than in an institutional setting. And to hopefully do so, while not driving our children crazy with concern for us.

Learn More in Part 3.