by Glen Davis, Owner, Right-At-Home Senior In-Home Care for the Phoenix / Scottsdale, Arizona area

If you were born in the 1950s or ’60s, you likely responded to the title of this article by adding “More powerful than a locomotive.”  If Superman wasn’t your thing, maybe you were more in the “what was Cindy Brady’s doll’s name” category.  Either way, we know you.  You, my dear friend, are a Baby Boomer!

It is very interesting how a few simple words can evoke a big response in us.  I simply mention a few television words and there you are, right back in your childhood.  How about a few words that many Boomers are hearing and saying quite a bit these days?  Words such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, independent living or skilled nursing facility?  These are words that are becoming more and more a part of our everyday language as we are providing care or searching for care of our aging parents, family and friends.

The most frequent call to our senior in-home care agency here in Phoenix, Right at Home®, is from a family member, very often from the oldest daughter.  It generally begins something like, “My mom is beginning to forget things, and I am very concerned about her.” Or maybe, “My father lives in Scottsdale, and I am in Detroit.  I need someone to be me when I can’t be there.”

The truth is that many of us are very concerned.  We are concerned about dad and hope he is taking his medication as prescribed.  We were shocked the last time we visited Aunt Sally.  Her home looked as though the floors hadn’t been really cleaned in quite a while.  We also are worried that mom will either not go to her Doctor appointments or will not understand the results of her tests.  We wonder about Uncle Roberto’s eating habits and his mobility with the walker.

Add to that, we are feeling guilty.  After all, isn’t it our responsibility to care for our folks as they did for us when we needed them?  Toss fear, insecurity, worry and mistrust into the waring and you have blended yourself into an emotional margarita!

So what should you do?  In days gone by, there were only a few choices.  One was to either move in with or have your parent(s) move in with you.  This may be a good way to go if you are nearby, have the time or were lucky enough to avoid the Internet bubble’s pop and are now retired and ready to take on the new job of primary caregiver.   Other choices in the past were to “place” your loved one in a “facility.” Nowadays, Senior Communities are much better than you remember them, but they still require lots of money, loss of independence and moving.

How about in-home care?

Many seniors are choosing to age in place; stay in their own home, in their own neighborhood and near their own friends and shopping that they’ve come to know and love.  At our agency, Right at Home, we provide care to many clients in the Phoenix area who choose to have a qualified, bonded, insured, trained Caregiver provide them care for as little at a few hours a day, all the way to full-time 24-hour live-in care.

It’s a booming business (pun intended).  It’s not just our parents though.  It’s us! The same boomers seeking care for their parents also are in need of a little help now and then.  Someone in America is turning 60 years old every 8 minutes, and they desperately desire to maintain their independence.  We are not our grandmother’s grandchildren.  We’re still eating out, playing music, camping out, motorcycling, dancing, vacationing, playing tennis, working out at the gym; you know, living! Having a few restrictions has not caused us to want to pack it in and sit around staring at pale green walls.  We need a caregiver for the people we love.  We also want someone else to handle the insurance, worker’s compensation, payroll taxes, licensing, certifications, education and training and backup scheduling.

In future articles, we’ll discuss just how to choose an in-home care agency, the difference between agencies and registries, how much to pay, the many methods of payment and lots more.

By the way, for all of you TV trivia buffs, Cindy Brady’s doll was named Kitty Carryall

About the Author: Glen Davis, Right at Home® Phoenix Glen is the co-owner of Right at Home® Phoenix and is passionate about assisting others with special health needs. He is also an expert contributor at Age in Place Professionals. Right at Home® Phoenix: http://www.RAH-Phx.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/glenboaz

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If that sounds like a big endeavor; it is. But, they are making it a reality by building a national demonstration home to showcase how an accessible home can be suitable for all ages and abilities. This home by the Universal Design Living Laboratory will serve to help people better understand how to create a more comfortable living environment that will enhance their quality of life. Besides showcasing universal design principles, the goal is to have the home certified from the U. S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) for Homes, the National Association of Home Builders National Green Building Program and Energy Star.

The home is approximately 3,500 square feet and is being built in the Columbus, Ohio, Metropolitan Area. Construction is anticipated to be completed in 2010. The home incorporates unobtrusive universal design, resource and energy-efficient green building methods, advanced automation technology, a healthy home construction approach and the design principles of feng shui. The finest craftsmanship and state-of-the-art products and services will be applied. The gardens will be wheelchair accessible with pathways and will feature raised beds and containers.

The home will focus on being convenient to all lifestyles and life stages, easy accessibility and livability, natural resource conservation and a healthy indoor and outdoor environment. It will be home to Rosemarie and Mark as well as be used as a campus to instruct builders, architects, designers, home owners and manufacturers about Universal Design, green building and chemical-free construction.

How it all began

The idea for the Living Laboratory came about after Rossetti suffered a spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed after a tree fell on her during a bike ride with her husband 11 years ago. After that, most of their home became inaccessible. “You couldn’t even enter because of the steps,” Rosetta recalls. “We had to put a temporary ramp in, and the carpeting was so thick you couldn’t push yourself around. The doors had to be removed for me to get into the bathroom. I couldn’t get to my office desk or reach file cabinets. My publishing company was in the basement, and I couldn’t get there. The bedroom and my husband’s office were upstairs, and I couldn’t get there. I was suddenly facing a home that doesn’t work for me.”

After that, Rossetti and her husband began thinking about what a home for them would look like. They decided that a ranch-style home would be the right way to go. So, they started looking for a lot, builder and ranch-style house plan. They eventually found a ranch-style home plan but didn’t like the configuration of the rooms. After talking with a builder, he suggested they pull out the walls that they didn’t want and re-design it to fit their needs.

So, Rossetti and Leder hired Pat Manley, president of Manley Architecture, to design them a home. What Manley designed was a one-story prairie style home with universal and green features, utilizing their floor plan, clerestory windows and a portico.

Now The house becomes a reality

There more than 120 contributors of services and products to the project. Once completed, the home will tout 9-1/2 rooms on the main floor and a full basement, which will have a bedroom/office, multi-purpose room and a full bath. It also will incorporate a wide variety of universal design features, including:

• A step-free entrance and wheelchair accessible doors without thresholds
• Lever handles on doors
• Open knee space under all sinks
• Wide hallways for wheelchair accessibility
• Kitchen counters at varying heights
• Lever handles on all faucets
• Extension drawers and shelves in kitchen
• A cook top set into counter with knee space below
• Doors for microwave and oven at counter height
• Light switches that are lower
• An elevator to the basement
• Raised electrical outlets
• Front-loading washer and dryer
• Wheelchair accessible garden and patio areas

For more information about the project and to learn more about their mission, visit the Universal Design Living Laboratories website at http://www.udll.com.  They also have a construction site webcam, which you can find on the home page of their site.

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Today’s boomers and seniors are active and are accustomed to being connected to friends and family regardless of where they are. One of the ways they stay connected is through cell phones. The only problem with that is that finding a cell phone that is easy to read and easy to use for older folks is sometimes difficult.

We’ve published several articles that highlight senior cell phones and even upcoming elderly cell phone designs; they were met with a good reception. In that vein, here are two more fairly recent contenders in elderly friendly cell phones.

Introducing Doro PhoneEasy

Doro PhoneEasy offers two phones specifically designed for seniors, those who have difficulty using their hands or who have problems with their sight or hearing.

These new phones offer several features you would expect to find in senior-friendly phones such as:

• Color displays that are easy-to-read
• Large text
• Speakerphone
• Bluetooth wireless technology
• Hearing aid compatibility (T3/M3 and T3/M4)

These Doro products were developed in collaboration with Ergonomidesign, who specialize in designs for everyone, including for people with special needs. Doro product designs have won several awards, including the French Janus Award, a BIO 21 Honorable Mention and, most notably, the IDEA® Bronze Award. Doro also has won the Stevie Wonder and Friends Vision Free Product Award at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Doro PhoneEasy 345

This phone is built for simplicity. It sports a large and bright color display for easy reading. It also has larger buttons and numbers that are back-lit for easy dialing, a vibrating ringer and Bluetooth for hands-free use.

Besides being easy to read, there are two features that stand out to us. First, the phone is easy to hold on to due to a soft, rubber finish. Second, it has an emergency button to call for help. Here is a breakdown of the phone features.

Features

• Easy to see and dial buttons
• Large and bright display
• FM Radio
• Vibrating ringer
• Flashlight
• Emergency SOS button
• Speakerphone
• Light and easy to hold

Dimensions and Details

• W: 2.0″ D: 0.59″ H: 4.9″
• Weight: 3.5 oz
• Battery life: up to 3 hours talk time / 4.6 days standby
• Hearing aid compatibility: M3 T3

Doro PhoneEasy 410

Like the PhoneEasy 345, this phone has large buttons, a bright display and is easy to use. Text shows up clearly on the large display. It has a large back-lit keypad with raised buttons and is Bluetooth compatible. This phone also has a built-in emergency button. All in a convenient, flip-style device.

One thing to note is the battery time on this phone is longer on this model. (4 hours, compared to the 3 on the PhoneEasy 345.)

Features

• Easy to see and dial buttons
• Large and bright display
• Emergency SOS button
• Speakerphone
• Vibrating ringer
• Flip design
• Light and easy to hold

Dimensions and Details

• W: 2.0″ D: 0.75″ H: 3.8″
• Weight: 3.9 oz
• Battery life: up to 4 hours talk time / 4.6 days standby
• Hearing aid compatibility: M3 T4

About Consumer Cellular

These two senior friendly phones are offered in the United States by exclusive arrangement through Consumer Cellular. Consumer Cellular also is the exclusive cellular service provider for the AARP. AARP discounts are available to members.

Consumer Cellular, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is a nationwide provider of cellular phones and services. Its goal is to provide simple, high-quality phones, plans and services for affordability, ease of use and guaranteed satisfaction.

You can see more of Consumer Cellular’s videos about their company, instructional videos about the Doro PhoneEasy models and consumer testimonies on their YouTube channel.

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This new telesummit featuring four experts is sure to open your mind up to the many facets of choosing the right Senior living option for your aging parents, another relative or for yourself.  You will benefit from the experience of these four experts to gain a clear idea of four senior living options, including Aging in Place, Continuing Care Retirement Community, Assisted Living and Nursing Home.  This will help prepare you for the future when your parent are in need of a different level of care.

All sessions will be at 8-9pm Eastern time.

• Monday, November 2: Aging in Place (Mark Hager, founder of Age in Place)
• Tuesday, November 3: Continuing Care Retirement Community (Jill Gilbert, founder of Gilbert Guide, now VP at Caring.com)
• Wednesday, November 4: Assisted Living (Lisa Sneddon, founder of Senior Living Experts)
• Thursday, November 5: Nursing Home (Eleanor Barbera, founder of My Better Nursing Home)

Each attendee will also receive a worksheet that will make note-taking structured and simple.  Your completed worksheet can then serve as a resource you can turn to in the future when you need to transition your parent(s) or yourself.

There will be a Q & A time at the end of each session for you to ask questions!

The telesummit is no charge.  Recordings will be available for a fee.

Click here to register

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Ageinplace.com has no relationship with Best Bath or any of it’s affiliates or contractors. This post does not constitute an endoresment of Best Bath, it’s products or services. It is for informational purposes only.

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Jane Regan is a go-getter. She’s dedicated to helping seniors maintain their quality of life as they age and it shows.

She is the owner of HB Design Services, providing kitchen, bath, interior & lighting design. She is especially focused on aging in place design, that can help seniors wishing to stay in their homes longer as they age. She works alongside her husband, Bob Regan, owner of Hammer Building, a general contracting firm. Together, they are a dynamic duo for aging in place design, home building & remodeling in San Francisco & San Mateo Counties, CA.

“I enjoy doing this kind of work for people because it is necessary, and appreciated once it is in place. Clients are grateful for the forethought behind the small things.”

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Aging-in-place is a popular choice among seniors and, while it certainly requires some thoughtful changes in home design and function, it most certainly does not mean converting the home into a series of sterile, hospital-like rooms, as any Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist (CAPS) will tell you.

While design function and universality are tantamount to aging-in-place design, there are plenty of creative ways to implement both purpose and aesthetic into your home.

1. A wall-mount sink that protrudes beyond the counter and cabinetry allows easy access, plenty of knee-room and a unique style. For an example, see the master bath in this award-winning home.
2. Recessed tub - Low bathtubs are standard, but that’s no reason to sacrifice depth. Recessed tub design sets your tub into the floor so that getting in and out is as easy as possible, all without sacrificing the all encompassing luxury of a warm bath.
3. Solar carports kill two birds with one stone. First of all, you get the advantage of covered parking and entry to the home. At the same time you are generating free and low-maintenance electricity! There are many other ways to incorporate solar energy into the home as well. Solar energy systems are hassle-free ways to keep warm, brightly lit, and comfortable without struggling with high energy bills, as so many seniors unfortunately do.
4. Heat recovery ventilators are an excellent choice for any home, yet as we grow older the importance of clean indoor air only grows. heat recovery ventilators recirculate heat from exhaust air back into the inflowing fresh air, increasing air quality and saving energy.
5. Natural light is key to warm, healthy, and easy aging-in-place living. You can, however, get creative with your wall of windows. Consider such features as stained-glass transom windows, glass block sidelights and more. Natural light, or daylighting, reduces the headache of searching for light switches, saves energy on lighting and provides valuable (as in free) solar heating.

image courtesy of Kohler US

About the Author: Dan Harding, Calfinder Remodeling Contractors This article was written by Dan Harding of CalFinder Remodeling Contractors.  See more of his articles in the remodeling magazine, get remodeling ideas, as well as free remodeling estimates.

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Over the next twenty years, roughly 79 million Americans will cross the threshold to retirement, joining the millions of folks that are already retired. Welcome to what we call “Generation R”. The Retirement Generation.

In my years of retirement research, I’ve identified five common risks that all retirees face. These are detailed in my new book, “Generation R: A Retirement Nation at Risk.” Several of these risks defy conventional retirement wisdom, so pay attention. It’s important that current and future retirees take heed – for any of these risks can seriously compromise a long, rich, and rewarding retirement lifestyle. Here they are:

Outliving Your Assets
This new generation of retirees will live longer than any other generation in human history. In 1970, the average age of retirement was 65, and on average, you expired at around age 72. Today, the average age of first retirement is 58, and many will live into their 90’s. We’ve essentially quintupled the amount of time we spend in retirement, and sadly many people aren’t prepared for it. According to the annual Metlife Retirement Survey, the average person plans for just 19 years of post retirement living. Ensuring that you position your retirement assets to support you for the long haul should be a critical element of your planning.

Inflation
First, let’s define this. Inflation is nothing more than the rise in cost of good s and services, and it’s been a constant since time began. When you retired at 65 and died at 72, a 3% annual inflation rate probably didn’t concern you. However, 30 years in retirement with a 3% inflation rate is a different picture. If inflation averages 3% for 25 years, you’ll need twice as much money just to maintain your current standard of living. So, a $75,000 per year lifestyle will cost $150,000 by 2034. Don’t let inflation sneak up on you and compromise your retirement lifestyle.

Poor returns
In the past, conventional wisdom dictated that you place all your assets in “safe” investments like CD’s and bonds when you retired. These investments typically carry lower returns due to their focus on preserving principal. But, when you factor in inflation, taxes, and a reasonable rate of withdrawals to support yourself, you’ll find that these instruments may not last for a 30 year retirement. You might run out of money. Investment returns that at least offset inflation and taxes are a critical component of any long term retirement strategy. You should invest accordingly.

Healthcare expenses
Here’s the big one. Medical advance and better healthcare have cured many of the ills that caused premature death, but they haven’t cured all the things that make us sick. The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College projects that by 2030, as much as 35% of your after tax dollars could go to support your healthcare needs. You’ll need a solid primary healthcare plan and a long term care strategy in case you or a spouse need long term care, which is not covered by Medicare. (Many mistakenly believe it is.)

Taxes
The traditional notion held that your taxes would be lower in retirement than in your working years. Based on the current state of our economy and our budget deficit, I would suggest this is faulty thinking. You’ll need to carefully manage your tax bills in the future through prudent strategies to pay as little in taxes as is legally required of you. Every dime you pay in taxes is a dime out of your retirement funds.

In a future article, I’ll provide the antidote for each of these risks. Until then, best of luck in your retirement planning!

About the Author: Biography – Jeff Helms, CFA Jeff Helms is a certified retirement coach and the founder of Reinventing Your Retirement, a retirement education program designed to educate individuals on retirement issues, challenges, and solutions. An accomplished public speaker, Jeff addresses audiences throughout the nation on the changing retirement landscape. Jeff is author of two books on retirement. His latest book, “Generation R: A Retirement Nation at Risk”, details the coming retirement challenges our nation faces and provides readers with insights they will need to succeed in planning for their retirement. He has been featured on Nightly Business Report, and was recently appointed to a statewide task force examining retiree issues by the Chief Financial Officer of Florida He serves as a pension trustee for the City of St. Augustine and also manages a retirement planning and consulting practice serving clients throughout Florida.

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As you know, AgeInPlace.com is focused on helping older people maintain their quality of life and received the care they need as they age. And, as such, people who are in the business of providing service in our communities to seniors and their families are incredibly important for us to meet that goal.

As part of that effort, our sister site AgeInPlacePros.com has launched launched a groundbreaking survey to help these local businesses grow, prosper and increase the level of service they provide in their communities. The “2009 Aging in Place Business Survey” is focused on gathering and analyzing input from local businesses across the nation that provide goods or services to seniors. This data will then be shared with every business person that participates in the survey at no charge.

If you are a provider of goods or services to seniors, I encourage you to participate in the survey. The information you will receive could be very helpful to you. If you know someone who is a provider in your community, please consider sending them a note to tell them about the survey.

Everyone who participates will get a copy of the final report for free. This survey is for you, the business person. So, no strings attached & no obligations.

>>Click Here to Begin Survey

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If you would like to hear it, please head on over to the aging in place interview. You can listen right from your computer.

For everyone’s benefit, I’m posting my notes from the call below. They are rough, but I hope they provide some value. However, we covered more in the call. You should really listen to it for the full benefit.

1. What is aging in place?

Aging in place the concept simply means securing necessary support services in response to changing personal needs as you grow older and allowing to remain in your residence of choice for as long as you are able.

Or, more simply put, remaining in your home as you grow older and executing your plan to manage your environment, life activities and assistance you’ll require as your needs change.

2. Why is it important?

The issues that the aging in place concept addresses affect a lot of people. You (or a loved one), the immediate family or close friends, your community and the nation. I know a problem that big sounds ominous, but let me break it down.

The Nation

Currently, the majority of persons aged 65 and older are living either with a spouse or alone in their own home. Many of these older people struggle with everyday tasks, their health care and the lives they lead in their homes. For many, their quality of life goes down as they get older.

As of 2000, there were approximately 35 million Americans over the age of 65. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2030 there will be approximately 71.5 million Americans over the age of 65. That number is more than twice what it was in 2000 and represents nearly 20% of the entire projected U.S. population in 2030. The challenge this number of older Americans will bring to the country is unprecedented.

Your Community

The vast majority of people will require some assistance from people, organizations or agencies in their community. Some examples of this would be non-medical care in the home, having a yard or house maintained, transportation or medical care. At some point, a large number will also require other living arrangements because they can no longer be on their own.

So, between the aging in place stage and end of life, you could require a lot of involvement from other businesses or organizations in your community. The fact is, most communities currently do not have the capability to provide assistance to everyone that will need it. That capability will not increase sufficiently to accommodate the needs that are growing as the number of older people increases.

Family  & Friends

As you grow older, it is only natural for family and friends to step in to help. There are many things that these people will be concerned with, such as your health, your diminishing abilities, transportation or your day-to-day care. Many of these people will have families and life cares of their own.

The plan that you make will help relieve some of the stress your situation will place on them.

3. Is aging in place the answer for everyone?

Actually, it isn’t “the answer” for anything; it is part of the answer for many people. Not everyone will be able to age in place, either for health reasons, living conditions or other situations. However, for a large number of people, aging in place can be part of the overall plan for their later years.

4. What can aging in place mean for the average person?

There will be many situations and choices that you have the right (and, yes, the responsibility) to decide. If you plan properly, you get to exercise more control. Control over your quality of life, your dignity & your future.

5. What do I, or my loved one, need to age in place?

If you haven’t picked up on it yet, you need a plan. Thankfully, you don’t have to go down that road alone. The plan is yours, but should involve your family and any people or organizations in your community who can help you. I can’t stress how important it is for you to involve the people who are going to be helping you as you grow older during the planning process. Your wishes need to be prepared for, but they also need to be communicated. Also, if your family will be involved, it is only fair to include them as much of the responsibility for your care may fall on them as you age.

An example of some of the people who can help answer your questions and help you build & execute your plan are:

• Your primary care physician
• Occupational Therapist
• REALTOR® with the Seniors Real Estate Specialist designation
• Builder or contractor with the Certified Aging in Place Specialist designation
• Geriatric care manager
• Elder Law attorney
• A Certified Financial Planner, preferably with certifications or experience in senior finances

6. What are the most common questions you get from people about aging in place?

The question I get asked the most is, “How do we pay for home modifications for my mother or father?” And, I have to tell you, that is the most difficult one to answer. So much of that depends on a person’s situation, income level or location. Just for the record, I’m not an expert in finances, so do not take any of this as financial advice. You need to talk to a certified financial planner or someone who is qualified to answer your financial questions. That said, if you do not have a money available to pay for things like in-home care, home modifications, medical care, etc., there is some funding available at a local level. Much of that is hard to come by. Here a few things I’ve discovered that might be helpful.
(Much of this list comes from Dawn Tyler, Care Management Director at Region IV Area Agency on Aging  in Chicago. She’s been a great resource, so kudos to her.)

• Use the Eldercare locator from the US Government ( http://www.eldercare.gov/ or 1-800-677-1116) to connect with your local Area Agency on Aging. They will have the most relevant information available.

• Local cities have CDBG (community development block grants) for home repair. And/or contact the local Mayor to find local funds.

• Rural Development is also a great resource for low-interest 1% loans/forgiveable loans and grants for home repair/home mod. http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/
• Sometimes community foundations will also fund a variety of start-up programs and may know where to turn locally.

• Habitat/Rebuild Together are also up in our neck of the woods Indiana/Michigan.

• Larger churches in our area volunteering, especially the men’s groups for some handyman/home fix up.

• Reverse mortgages. Not for everyone, but can help many.

• If you’re a veteran, try the Veteran’s Administration

I also get asked a lot about how one gets modifications done to their parent’s home. Many people understand that their parent’s needs are changing and that things can be done to their home to make it easier to live in. You can talk to an Occupational Therapist about it. They will assess the person’s needs and their home, then recommend modifications that can be made. You can also talk to a builder, contractor or interior designer who has the Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) designation from the National Association of Home Builders or any number of other designations or experience in senior accessibility. The most important thing you can do is to make sure they have experience, check references, licenses and certifications.

Another question I get asked a lot is, “How do I know when my parent is no longer fit to drive?” That’s a tough one for many adult children. Being mobile is such a big part of our lives. An older person not being able to drive inhibits them, as well as their family and friends. This is one of those situations where you have to have the “talk” with them when you feel the time is right. Many adult children are afraid to have that conversation with their parent for one reason or another. My best advice is if you think it’s a problem, you should address it with them no matter how difficult it may be. You might save someone’s life; maybe even theirs.

7. What would you consider your best advice for someone planning to age in place?

Remember, aging in place is only part successful aging. You need to step back and consider your life after retirement and make the best plans you can for it. There is no cookie cutter plan to follow. And, if you don’t do it, someone will eventually be responsible for you who may not make the same choices for your life that you would. Here are some ideas to start you thinking.

• Think about what you want your life to be like and balance that with the reality of your current situation. (where you live, finances. etc.)
• Research what successful aging in place will take. There is plenty of information available online and you can start on our website @ ageinplace.com.
• Make a list of the type of help you might need (financial advisement, legal planning, long-term care, etc.) and locate professionals that can help you with these items.
• Begin identifying the items that are currently achievable, such as legal or financial planning, home modifications or others as your situation dictates.
• Start building your plan in timeline form and commit to dates. Fill in as you learn more and put completion dates on things. Make the commitment to yourself to finish it.

As I said earlier, every situation is different. The key is to start planning as early as you can, be as thorough as you can, involve your family in the process and revisit your plan regularly.

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