Most people prefer to stay in their home or apartment for as long as possible. The best way to make this a reality is to plan ahead of time to make the amenities in your home as safe and accessible as possible. It can be hard to imagine that tasks around the house that were once done with ease can one day pose a challenge. Anticipating the challenge and planning accordingly may allow you to remain in your home for an extended period of time. Often, with some minor modifications, your home can be adapted to help you stay as long as possible even with some loss of mobility.
HOME MODIFICATIONS
Living at home longer may mean renovating a home to make it more accessible. This can include such things as installing ramps to bypass stairs, building a bedroom on the main floor, placing grab bars in the shower, changing the height of kitchen countertops or making a bathroom safer and more accessible. Before you make home modifications, you should evaluate your current and future needs by going through your home room by room and answering a series of questions to highlight where changes might be made. Several checklists are available to help you conduct this review. The National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modifications is a good place to start. Go to the center’s website at http://www.homemods.org and click on the link to the “Safety Checklist and Assessment Instrument.”
GETTING HELP
Keeping a house running smoothly requires a lot of hard work. If you are no longer able to keep up with the demands, you may need to hire someone to do laundry, buy groceries, run errands, clean the house or perform any necessary repairs. Those who are unable to perform Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), such as getting in and out of bed, walking, bathing, dressing, and eating, can often continue to stay at home with outside help. There are a number of services that can be brought in to assist with ADLs and other personal care. You can hire someone, such as a personal care aide or home health aide, to help you out a few hours a day or around the clock.
Some health care services can be provided at home by trained professionals, such as occupational therapists, social workers or home health nurses. Check with your insurance or health service to see what kind of coverage is available, although you may have to cover some of these costs out of pocket. If very specific conditions are met, Medicare will help pay for all or a portion of home health care.
TRANSPORTATION
Declining health often causes a decline in independence and mobility. Many seniors lose the ability to drive or simply feel uncomfortable behind the wheel at night. Investigate transportation options in your area so you can maintain an active social life, get medical care and shop for necessities. You might find family members willing to take you to the grocery store, friends who will drive you to social events, nearby bus routes, reduced fare taxis or senior transportation services funded by a local not-for-profit. Staying in your home should not mean being cut off from community activities you enjoy. Finding new ways to get around, even after you are no longer driving, may allow you to stay engaged and active.
How the ‘Uber Economy’ May Threaten Assisted Living The so-called ‘Uber economy’ has created controversy about what the future of various industries will look like—the senior living sector included. How the ‘Uber Economy’ May Threaten Assisted Living
Companies such as Uber, Instacart and TaskRabbit now offer alternatives to past ways of offering senior-oriented services, consequently transforming how the older demographic accomplishes everyday tasks, The Washington Post reported.
“I’m all for all these newfangled things that make life easier,” 88-year-old Sally Lindover told the Post. Lindover uses Instacart, which grocery shops for its users, and rents out her apartment’s second bedroom using Airbnb.
“I like to be here when people come in,” Lindover said. “I like to see them, and they see me, and I can give them some information about the neighborhood.”
Over 50% of Airbnb’s hosts are older than 40, and 10% of them are older than 60, the Post reported. Empty-nesters often have a surplus of rooms to rent, as well as “the life experience to know what it means to welcome someone into your home,” according to Anita Roth, Airbnb’s head of policy research.
Meanwhile, 25% of the drivers at Uber, which recently announced a partnership with AARP, are 50 years old or older.
According to the Post, traditional senior-oriented services are considering the possibility that similar tech companies may steal away their future customers.
“I do view it as both a threat and an opportunity,” said Tom Grape, CEO of Benchmark Senior Living. He added that decision not to move to senior living “is already our biggest competitor, and of course we fully expect that technology will allow people to stay at home longer in the future.”
Written by Mary Kate Nelson of SeniorHousingNews.com
Many aging seniors are not willing to leave home for an assisted living placement. Often, a health crisis must occur before they agree to placement. We cannot blame them; home is their security and freedom. Home is a familiar place where they feel comfort and joy. Naturally, when we give them choices, whether to live in an assisted home community or stay at their home by themselves, they choose the latter. Live-in Companionship
However, when children have their own lives to live, leaving aging seniors by themselves creates worry and stress. Hiring a live-in companion is an ideal solution.
The Responsibilities of a Live-In
The responsibilities of a live-in companion may vary depending on the elders need. Generally, a live-in companion provides assistance on ADL’s (activity of daily living), meal preparation, home maintenance, laundry and running errands. Live in Companions for Seniors
The Advantages of Senior Care at Home with a Live-In
Hiring a live-in companion has several advantages over assisted living placement.
Seniors will enjoy the benefit of staying home. This setting will personally benefit the seniors. They are able to stay in their own house, and enjoy living near family and friends. Also, they are able to eat meals according to their liking. With a live-in companion, you are able to receive one- on- one assistance and care as oppose to care being provided for group settings where you have limited choices.
Family members can participate in care giving. Aging parents need their family’s love and support. With your family member around or near you, you are able to participate in care giving. Giving them a few hours of your time is a perfect way of expressing your love and appreciation to them.
Live-in caregivers are cost effective. Many think live-in caregivers are an expensive option since board and lodging will be provided. Yet, a live-in companion is reported to be cheaper than the cost of assisted living placement or long term care facility. Also, this setting is flexible. If assistance is not necessarily in 24/7 basis, you can have your own schedule to benefit both the caregiver and the recipient.
Live-in caregivers develop trust. The continuity of a live-in foster’s trust. When you are away from home, you will not worry about your parents because you know they are in good hands.
Home care minimizes exposure to contagious illnesses. In senior’s facility, there are groups of people who share common places like dining. There your loved one may be exposed to possible contagious diseases. If they are living at home their exposure can be minimized.
A live-in companion for your aging parent has a great advantage in comparison to the assisted living placement. However, it is not an ideal option for elders who have chronic or complicated health issues.
Make ‘Aging in Place’ a Priority in Georgia According to an AARP study, nearly 90 percent of seniors want to stay in their own homes as they age. This is often referred to as “aging in place.” But, it’s increasingly difficult for Americans to grow old in their own homes due to the cost of aging and the lack of financial resources. Make ‘Aging in Place’ a Priority
According to the Administration on Aging, in 2013, more than 4 million people over the age of 65 lived below the poverty level. And, another 2.5 million older adults were classified as “near-poor.”
Not having the financial means to retrofit your home as you age accounts for a large number of seniors giving up on their dream of aging in their homes and moving to assisted living facilities. And, given the increase in the number of older Americans, which is expected to account for more than 20% of all Americans by the year 2030, housing for seniors has become a hot button issue.
The National Association of Home Builders predicts that the ‘aging in place’ remodeling market will reach $20 to $25 billion this year. But, the older adults that live in poverty simply cannot afford to be a part of this phenomenon. And, in the state of Georgia, the problem is even worse. According to the Atlanta Community Food Bank, 1 in 9 senior citizens in Georgia are living in poverty.
Juanita is one such person. She is a lifelong proponent of helping others. Her volunteerism has included being the first African American woman to start a local chapter of Camp Fire Girls in Atlanta. She has also worked over the years to get at-risk youth off the streets and into constructive activities. However, at 80 years old, Juanita suffered with a heart condition and other related illnesses. In 2012, she found herself in the unfamiliar positon of needing help; not giving it.
Juanita had lived in her home for 46 years but when her daughter died in 2011 she lost the one person that helped her remain in her home. Her daughter helped to care for her and keep her home in good condition. Therefore, when Juanita found deterioration and damage to her house she had no means to tackle the needed repairs. For a house built in 1960 that had never undergone any sort of renovation, much would need to be done to make the house suitable for Juanita to continue comfortably and safely aging in place. Fortunately for Juanita, Rebuilding Together Atlanta, with the financial and volunteer support of CBRE, stepped in to make needed repairs to her home at no cost thus enabling Juanita to remain in her house.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development American Housing Survey reports that 81% of older people in the U.S. own their homes. But, the same report states their median income was just $34,500 in 2013 and almost 45% of older Americans spent more than 25% of their income on housing costs. And, despite these expenditures, many of these older homes are in disrepair.
We all want seniors to have quality of life and to live in warmth, safety and independence. Like Juanita, they deserve it after their own lifetime of service to others. It’s time for Atlanta and the state of Georgia to partner with community-minded organizations to create an environment that encourages aging in place and provides the means to that end. With the combined efforts of the government, community and nonprofit organizations, and businesses we can realize that vision. One house, one senior citizen at a time.
By Camille Kesler, Executive Director, Rebuilding Together Atlanta
Robotics to Help Age in Place
UC-San Diego researchers are working to develop robots that can listen, speak and react to human needs. Robotics to Help Age in Place Earlier this month, the university launched its Contextual Robotics Institute, a multi-disciplinary effort to develop robotic technology with artificial intelligence that can be used to help the country’s growing elderly population “age in place.”
Rajesh Gupta — professor and chair of the computer science and engineering department at UC-San Diego — said the new institute’s work is unique in that it draws heavily on cognitive sciences with the goal of developing robots that can read emotions and respond to people more like humans.
The field of robotics is growing at a rapid pace. Universities and technology companies are working on self-driving cars, robots that can clean hotel rooms and a wide range of other robotic applications.
Until now, Gupta said, robotics have focused primarily on mechanical functions, such as driving, flying, or manufacturing.
“So, all robotics in the past have been with machines that have stiff joints, things which are mechanically strong,” he said.
“When it comes to interaction with humans, most robotic machines are too stiff or too autistic. They don’t really make a distinction between what you’re thinking or feeling,” Gupta said.
UC-San Diego’s new institute will bring together experts in the fields of engineering, computer and social sciences to develop machines that Gupta said will be able to recognize their environment, understand the context of a situation and synthesize the information to take the appropriate action.
To be useful in a home setting, he said, “The robot has to be able to sense things, not necessarily be told to do everything.” The Graying of America
The country is aging fast.
Each day in the U.S., 10,000 people turn 65. By the year 2030, 18% of the nation will be at least 65 years old, according to population projections by the U.S. Census Bureau.
What’s more, a recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that one in 20 people over the age of 65 is homebound in the U.S.
As our country ages, the needs of older adults interested in remaining independent and at home multiply. So too do the business opportunities for researchers and entrepreneurs creating products and services that can monitor and even treat health issues at home.
As a result, robotics and other technologies for older adults and their caretakers is a rapidly growing field.
A recent report by AARP found that the sum of all economic activity serving the needs of Americans over age 50 — known as the “longevity economy” — represents more than $7 trillion, a number expected to reach well over $13.5 trillion by 2032. Promising Potential for Robots in Health Care
Using robots for health care purposes is already a reality.
For example, In Touch Health offers an advanced stroke diagnostic tool that can be attached to a robot that travels to patient rooms, analyzes charts and talks to the patient while a physician may be sitting somewhere else.
“It is so effective that last year, this company did 70,000 stroke treatments. That is 10 times more than any hospital system,” Gupta said of the technology.
This year’s Consumer Electronic Show unveiled home health care exoskeletons — wearable robots — that help people to stand and walk.
Robotic technologies that can interact with older adults and function as stand-in companions have been developed, with some in use. Other robots are able to speak to people and help them remember to take medications and other treatments necessary to maintain their health.
“There are a lot of innovations in [robotics], but whether or not they’re likely to be widely used generally comes down to price, functionality and service,” said Laurie Orlov, an aging-in-place technology expert and founder of the Aging in Place Technology Watch blog and market research firm Boomer Health Tech Watch.
“A lot of the robotic stuff that got invented early on was very expensive,” she said.
Other technologies developed to help people age in place show promise, said Stephen Johnston, co-founder of Aging 2.0, a global network that brings start-ups and innovations to senior care.
For example, home sensors placed in “smart homes” are currently used to monitor eating habits, sleep and wake times. Often, they relay information back to a hub, and notices can be sent to loved ones by smartphone applications.
“For me, the smart home has the advantage that you don’t have to be wearing things, especially for older people with delicate skin or who are forgetful,” Johnston said.
Wearable technologies such as Fitbit and Jawbone that are primarily used to track sleep and activity could be very useful for older adults if designed properly, experts said. But a recent report by AARP of people over the age of 50 found that while most reported the trackers were useful, many people stopped using them because the data were inaccurate, or the devices were difficult or uncomfortable to use.
“The people who will benefit the most from wearables are the least likely to be marketed to,” Johnston said. Companies more commonly target 25-year old athletes, he said. “But really it’s the 85-year old with dementia and obesity that most needs it.”
Johnston says good design and developing products that people aspire to own will ultimately be the key to consumers’ long-term engagement with technology.
“It’s about moving away from the negative connotations around health care-driven ugly white boxes that are telegraphing the incapacity and frailty,” he said. Future of Tech and Aging
The markets for products aimed at helping people age in place are still fairly nascent, experts say. And there are many challenges ahead for the industry.
People may resist tools that monitor their activity and send the information back to loved ones, or robots that interpret their emotions by reading facial expressions.
Connected technology also raises significant privacy concerns.
And, despite all the activity in senior care, experts say there are no break-out products dedicated to helping people age in place.
Still, Johnston said he’s bullish on the market and sees venture capital firms beginning to invest heavily in this space.
“Next year there will be break-out growth.” by Lisa Zamosky, California Healthline Regional Correspondent
Growing older comes with a unique set of challenges: increasing health problems, a dwindling bank account, learning to live on a fixed income, loss of independence, decreased social interaction and, for some, an unfamiliar state of vulnerability. One of the most pressing issues facing seniors, however, is that most basic of needs — a safe and affordable place to live. Can U.S. meet housing demand of aging population?
According to a report by the Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) of Harvard University, by 2030, the number of U.S. baby boomers aged 65-74 will reach 38.6 million, and the number of 75-84-year-olds will reach 30.1 million by 2040. Current options
Some seniors have the financial resources to pick and choose where and how they will live, but for many, affordability is the issue, according to Alayna Waldrum, senior housing consultant, advocate and former housing legislative representative for LeadingAge, a national senior advocacy group comprised of thousands of nonprofits.
“If you have substantial income, or you have resources, then housing really isn’t going to be an issue,” she said. “You can arrange the housing that you need.”
Waldrum said the most affordable housing option for very-low-income seniors over the age of 62 has been the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 202 program, which provides funding to housing nonprofits in two ways. One method is project rental assistance contracts, through which money is directed to a qualifying senior development to cover the difference between residents’ rent payments and the cost of operations.
The other avenue of assistance is through capital advances. In this scenario, HUD pays for the cost of developing, purchasing or rehabilitating a development, and no repayment of that investment is required as long as the housing remains available to very-low-income seniors for at least 40 years.
However, the bad news for the very-low-income segment of the rapidly increasing senior population, projected to be 6.5 million households by 2024, is that HUD provided its last round of capital advance funding in 2012, with no current plans to re-start that program or anything similar.
“They’re not being built anymore,” Waldrum said. “There is no program now that pays for the construction of this type of housing, and that is going to be a major challenge nationally.”
In addition, the 40-year obligation attached to the capital advance program is ending for many developments, Waldrum said, and some owners are choosing to either sell the properties or convert them to market-rate housing, further squeezing an already tight national supply of approximately 300,000 units.
The next most-affordable housing option for seniors, Waldrum said, is through the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. Simply put, investors receive a sizeable federal tax credit for financing certain types of low-income housing. In addition, resident income limits for LIHTC housing are not as stringent as they are for very-low-income units.
“LIHTC has always played a prominent role in the creation and preservation of affordable senior housing,” said Charles Anderson, executive vice president of acquisitions at City Real Estate Advisors, Inc. City Real Estate is a syndicator of affordable housing tax credits and facilitates and manages affordable housing projects throughout the U.S. “In many of those cases,” Anderson said, “HUD has played the important role of providing rental subsidy, permanent loan proceeds or both.”
Anderson said that while many affordable housing professionals believe seniors and others in need are underserved, most would agree the LIHTC program has been a success, and, in fact, he said, the LIHTC program is where much of the senior housing development activity has been and will continue to be.
“As it relates to current activity forecasts, we are expecting our production level to increase roughly 30% year over year for fiscal year 2016.,” he said. “We are on track in accomplishing this goal, and we are generally optimistic about the market supply and demand metrics we are seeing.” New ideas for older residents
However, given the number of people expected to hit senior status in the next 25 years, standard housing options might not be enough. Along those lines, homesharing is an option gaining popularity among seniors.
Types of homesharing range from roommate matching services to multigenerational housing where younger people move into a senior’s home to give support and day-to-day companionship in exchange for free or low rent.
For example, a nursing home in the Netherlands provides free housing for college students in exchange for 30 hours a week of being “good neighbors” to the senior residents, providing much needed social interaction to combat the sense of loneliness and isolation so prevalent in these types of facilities.
Jeff Salter, founder of Caring Senior Service, said the natural solution is to find ways to allow as many seniors as possible to “age in place” in their existing homes because “there’s no possible way to build enough facilities to house all the seniors that are going to need help” in the coming years.
Salter said his experience has been, and as some studies have suggested, that when people have to leave their homes for a long-term care facility, their life span can shorten. “Dorm living is great when you’re young and want new experiences, and your life is all ahead of you,” he said. However, according to Salter, for seniors who are used to living independently, “being thrust into a scenario where you’re now in a dorm setting again at the end of your life is actually quite depressing.”
Salter said the biggest obstacle to seniors being able to stay in their homes is the risk of a fall, and most senior homes are not equipped to prevent them. “Simple things like installing grab bars in the bathroom and teaching people how to actually use those grab bars and convincing them that they need to use them — that’s just an education process.”
According to the JCHS, 5.5 million older households include someone with mobility difficulty but are without accessibility modifications, such as no-step entryways and ramps. They conclude that there is at least a $13 billion opportunity for the remodeling industry just by installing these features alone. Looking ahead
Waldrum said the nonprofit Bipartisan Policy Center is a respected aging-in-place advocate. The Washington, DC, think tank is exploring myriad ways, from smart home technology to urban planning, to help seniors stay in their homes.
Salter said being able to age in place is all about planning before a fall or a crisis happens — “things they can do early on, so as they progress, they have a long-term plan of what the next steps are,” Salter said.
Waldrum believes housing solutions for the country’s present and future senior populations are dependent on how much Washington, and the rest of the country, is willing to face the realities of aging. “We have a larger percentage of people than ever before who aren’t interested in the policy of housing, and that makes it challenging for us to get our message across,” he said.
By Kim Slowey | Printprint