LIFEWISE HOME OPENS TO COMEMMORATE NATIONAL AGING IN PLACE WEEK, NOVEMBER 9-15, 2003 In celebration of National Aging in Place Week, the NAHB Research Center's National Center for Seniors' Housing Research will open its LifeWise Home in Bowie, Md. to the public on Tuesday, November 11, 2003 from 10:00 a.m. until noon. The LifeWise Home, which first opened in January 2003, is designed with home technologies and features that facilitate aging in place. To interest older adults in taking proactive steps to modify their home environments so that their homes are safe and comfortable as they age, and to provide them with ideas and information on how to do so, the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA), in partnership with the National Advisory Council on Aging in Place (the Advisory Council), has designated the week of November 9-15 as the first National Aging in Place Week. During National Aging in Place Week, Advisory Council members will host events throughout the country to showcase homes that have successfully undergone home modifications, and those that demonstrate accessible designs and features. Many of these events, such as the LifeWise Home open house, are available to the public free of charge. Currently, events are scheduled in the following metropolitan areas: Washington, D.C.; Seattle; Los Angeles; Minneapolis; Boston; Buffalo, N.Y.; and Charleston, S.C. An Aging in Place Summit was held in late October in Washington, D.C. to kick off the official campaign. The LifeWise Home demonstrates designs and features that will allow residents to live more comfortably, safely, and independently in their home regardless of the age or physical ability level. The list of features includes main living areas on the first floor, an accessible shower with grab bars, a washing toilet, wider doorways and hallways, a raised dishwasher, a front-loading washer and dryer, a home automation system and an upstairs suite fro a live-in caregiver or boomerang child. The National Center for Seniors' Housing Research is also administering a grants competition for pilot projects to support the Assistive Technology and Aging in Place demonstration program. The program will help to develop, identify, and promote the use of innovative assistive technologies through community, academic, and industry partnerships. The focus will be on: Strengthening the relationship between the Area Agencies on Aging, as well as Aging Service Providers, and the public/private sector through collaborative efforts aimed at developing and/or applying assistive technologies to support people aging in place; and Developing methods of disseminating information/technology that can be easily replicated.
Visit http://www.nahbrc.org/tertiaryR.asp?CategoryID=1782&DocumentID=4042 to read the press release. back to top NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL CAREGIVERS MONTH The Family Caregiver Support Program is a national program created by an amendment to the Older Americans Act in fiscal year 2000. Its purpose is to provide information to family members and friends who are caring for adults age 60+. These unpaid caregivers provide nearly eighty percent of the care given to older Americans, and they are the backbone of the nation's long-term care system. A second component of the Program assists grandparents raising their grandchildren. According to the 2000 census, 30,255 children reside with grandparent-headed households in our service area. This population has difficulty identifying themselves as "caregivers." They are "just helping" spouses, family members, grandchildren and friends. However, they might naturally ask a librarian for information on caring for someone with a specific disease, on helping a parent grieve, or on coping with stress. National Family Caregivers Month graphics, materials, and suggestions for activities are now available on the AoA Website. November, as National Family Caregivers Month, offers the National Aging Services Network a unique opportunity to spread the word about the importance of supporting family caregivers. These materials are provided for state and local partners to support them as they help family caregivers find much-needed services. As part of this celebration, AoA is sharing their accomplishments including the fact that the National Family Caregiver Support Program is even more successful than expected in reaching caregivers. Please consider using the suggestions in the AoA tool kit and other materials for National Family Caregivers Month events and activities in November and throughout the year. Visit the AoA Web site to download kit materials at http://www.aoa.gov/press/nfc_month/nfc_month.asp. back to top MISSOURI PROGRAM KEEPS ELDERLY INDEPENDENT, AT HOME The Missouri extension of The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) focuses entirely on older people who are frail enough to meet their state's standards for nursing home care. PACE offers and manages the medical, social and rehabilitative services enrollees need to preserve or restore their independence, to remain in their homes and communities, and to maintain their quality of life. A team of doctors, nurses and other health professionals assesses the participant's needs, develops care plans and provides services for total care. Generally, services are provided in an adult day health center setting, but may also include in-home and other referral services that enrollees may need such as medical specialists, laboratory and other diagnostic services, and hospital care. To be eligible for PACE, a person must be 55 or older, live in the service area, and be certified as eligible for nursing home care by an appropriate state agency. Enrollment is voluntary, then PACE becomes the sole source of services for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries who choose to enroll. For more information visit, http://www.stltoday.com. back to top WHEELCHAR DESIGN INTEGRATES COMFORT AND TECHNOLOGY This month, Permobil Inc., a wheelchair manufacturing company, introduced the C2S Aeron, integrating a technically advanced power wheelchair base with an ergonomically advanced and celebrated seating design. The C2S features Aeron chair components from Herman Miller, Inc. Herman Miller pioneered modern ergonomic seating in the early 1970s and is widely recognized for its problem-solving research and industry leading designs that have brought "seating equality" to millions. "These features, like many others offered with this product, are very unique and long overdue," said Larry Jackson, President of Permobil. "This winning C2S Aeron combination marks the joining of two industry leaders' technologies into one superior power wheelchair." Among its advances, the Aeron's suspension material conforms to the body and provides dynamic pressure relief over the seat and back for customized support. Air is able to freely circulate throughout the material, preventing heat and moisture build-up and contributing to the users long-term comfort. The C2S Aeron also offers tool-free adjustability, giving users greater control over their comfort and support. For more information read the press release at http://www.hermanmiller.com/CDA/SSA/News/Story/0,1585,a1-c407-n264,00.html. back to top CHICAGO JOINS VISITABILITY EFFORT On September 1, 2003 the city of Chicago Illinois joined the roster of communities aiming to increase accessibility in private homes. On this day the city council approved mayor Richard Daley's prepared revisions to the local building code. The revisions require 10 percent of new single-family homes and town homes include visitability features. No-step entrances and wide doorways are included in this list. Chicago has gone beyond other cities by including provisions for adaptability on top of those for visitability. Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; Houston, Texas; Pima County, Arizona; and Santa Monica, California have also imposed similar visitability ordinances. For more information go to http://www.bpinews.com/. back to top HOUSING OPTIONS INCREASE AS POPULATION AGES As the population of older Americans grows, more housing for this group is being built. A recent article in the Chicago Tribune summarizes some recent trends in housing for individuals 55 and older. Condominiums and single-level town homes, it seems, are among the fastest growing types of housing for those 55 and older. Affordable rental apartments for seniors with low incomes are becoming more common. Other noteworthy trends include: The growth of age-restricted developments, especially small developments with town homes or duplexes, which appeal to young retirees, who want to stay in the community where they have lived for years. A new variation on the active adult community. Located adjacent to subdivisions designed for families, the proximate closeness is meant to encourage interaction between generations. Rental apartments make up approximately 35 percent of new seniors construction. About 85 percent of these are intended for low-income residents.
For more information visit http://www.chicagotribune.com/. back to top | 
