All of us are interested in remaining safe and comfortable in our own homes and in helping our family, neighbors, friends, and clients do the same. However, there are so many qualitative terms used in safety and design guidelines for effective aging in place concerns that it makes it difficult to comply of approach each… Read more »

The so-called open concept in home design is a common idea in discussing, shopping for, and looking at homes to build, purchase, or renovate. TV design and renovation shows, real estate agents, builders, consumers, and online articles are abuzz with this term. However, what exactly is it, and how does it relate to aging in… Read more »

Don’t look for aging in place to be an observable or notable event or episode. This is not something that happens that we record on our calendar to be celebrated after that on the anniversary of its occurring. It is much more subtle and fluid rather than a specific event. Instead of being an observable… Read more »

  One of our basic senses that we may be tempted to take as a given and therefore not give it that much thought – until there is an issue – is our eyesight, also known as vision. Used in this way, vision means our ability to see and perceive visual impressions of what is… Read more »

Stairs and steps are generally thought to be something we want to avoid as we age. True, they can present many issues – especially with the way so many of them have been constructed and installed over the years, as well as the way they have been maintained. However, three important items to note when… Read more »

One way to approach working with a client who needs our help with aging in place renovations to allow them to remain in their home and to enjoy it more comfortably and accessibly than it is now is for us to arrive and immediately begin telling them what we think they need. We can survey… Read more »

When we as aging in place specialists begin evaluating the homes of our clients, or when people, in general, begin looking at their current homes in terms of how practical or safe they are for moving forward, a devil’s advocacy approach may serve us well. Begin by looking at everything in the home – entrances,… Read more »

Whether we call them assessments, evaluations, audits, or checklists, and whether we focus on safety, mobility, general welfare, or other issues, many of us are interested in helping our clients understand their living space and make suggestions to them on how they can improve their homes. If we have created a form to use for… Read more »

  We live in a fast-paced world. So many things are based on speed. We hurry to appointments. We eat quickly as if the food will be taken away if we don’t devour it immediately. We listen to audio books. We text and email instead of calling many times because it is quicker. We are… Read more »

Many people are discussing designing their homes or those of their clients for aging in place – homes currently occupied by them on a going-forward basis, homes they are thinking about acquiring or ones they are considering in the marketplace, new construction offerings by builders in their area, a custom designed and built home done… Read more »