I think that this is a great way to promote ways for Seniors to live independently, but I have a few questions about how they are doing it.  Senior Independent Living Month isn’t in a month for them, it runs from May 15th to June 15th.  That seems like half of two months – why not just pick a month like every other cause out there?  They are promoting this by partnering with the National Association of Homebuilders, Rebuild Together,  and the National Committee of Grandparents for Children’s Rights (NCGCR) for different publicity events.  These are some GREAT organizations and they should have some good success with them, but I find it VERY interesting that they aren’t trying to partner with National Aging in Place Council (NAIPC) who has their own annual event in October called National Aging in Place Week.

I guess if they can bring more publicity to the issues of long term care, who is going to provide it and who is going to pay for it, I’m all for it.  We’ll see what kind of press they get…

This year, their Eastern Regional Meeting has a packed Agenda with some interesting speakers ranging from Elder Abuse Prevention to Cutting Edge Assitive Technology to Understanding Medicaid and Medicare.  In their own words:

Our daylong event will showcase local and nationally-recognized experts who will discuss major trends impacting the elderly, innovative programs that are being developed to help cope with our country’s aging population, assistive technology that increases safety and independence in the home, issues dealing with Medicaid, and other important topics.

Their keynote speaker is Steve Roop, President of the Beacon Hill Village in Boston.  For those of you who remember, in a previous post I referred to them as one of the country’s premier adult day care centers.  He will be speaking on the Beacon Hill “model” and why these types of communities are springing up all over the country.

I have to admit that I am excited to learn more about what comes out of this conference…there should be some good information and networking there!

For more on the conference, or to register,  you can check out the NAIPC’s webpage or contact Darryl Hicks, at dhicks@dworbell.com

As we age, we may need to change certain aspects of the home that we have loved and lived in so long.  Some rooms can actually become dangerous (bathrooms and kitchens) unless they are modified to meet our needs as we age.  Safety bars and seats in and around tubs and showers,  better lighting in stairways and halls, lower countertops in the kitchen, or a ramp,instead of stairs, leading up to the house.

Whether you are doing this for yourself in anticipation of what you will need or you are doing it for a parent who already has that need, there are some things you need to check into and be careful about:

1.  What kind of modifications do you need?  Major structural (wheelchairs need wider doorways and ramps, modified bathtubs and lower countertops) or minor ones (better lighting to see, better railings on stairs and near the bathtub)?  What kind of repairs are needed to the home to ensure that it will be winterized and weatherproofed for years to come?

2.  Find a few reputable rehabbers or re-modelers to get estimates.  The National Association of Home Builders, with the AARP, has their Certified Aging in Place Specialist Program which will give you a list of approved contractors in your area.  You can also check with the Better Business Bureau or your local consumer protection office.

3.  Compare the estimates to see what you can afford.  There are ways to help finance these modifications and rehabs as well.  Some cities and states have federally funded programs for seniors who need financial assistance in rehab such as a new roof or windows for safety or winterization issues.  Other private funds can be found in Reverse Mortgages.

4.  If this project is not for you, but for your parent, be sure to schedule times to check on the progress or schedule the entire project for a time that you can be at your parents’ house.  It will help put them (and you) at ease to know that you can monitor the progress of the re-modelers!