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By Patricia Johnson Just what are the trends for the future for baby boomers in 2008? Our builders, architects and designers have now had a lot of practice with the 55-plus communities and age-targeted homes. For the last seven or eight years, the housing industry has been trying to discover just what boomers want, and then use it to build whatever they’ll buy. Now, we seniors could have told them that. How long have we all been saying, “Listen to your mother and father!” NAHB (National Association of Home Builders), based in Washington, represents more than 225,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential construction. To me, they are the voice of the housing industry. Their builder members will construct about 80 percent of the more than 1.93 million new housing units projected for the upcoming year, making housing one of the largest engines of economic growth in the country. Naturally, builders will build what consumers demand. But the boomers do look toward a smaller house to retire in. Four years ago, developers concluded that too many residential builders have developed a “bigger-box” mentality, constructing larger and more expensive houses that are out of reach of many, especially first-time buyers. That’s a lot of square-footage should you want to stay in the house after retirement. Not all people in retirement can afford housekeepers. Not all of us want the upkeep of a large house. Boomers are said to want a house that is energy-efficient, low-maintenance and accessible for older and/or disabled homeowners who could be using wheelchairs for mobility. Recent studies have found that people in mixed-age and age-restricted settings are satisfied with current living situations. They’d prefer to remain in their houses as they age. Age-restricted developments and housing have far more amenities than mixed-age developments. These are newer developments and are designed to address the housing wants and needs of seniors. Home buyers are now finding that mixed-age developments are adding many of the features that are already built into age-restricted homes. But most seniors are already in a house–one that was probably not designed with aging-in-place in mind. The NAHB Remodelors Council is America’s home for professional remodelers, representing the 14,000 remodeling industry members of NAHB. Their remodelers expect the market for home improvements related to aging to continue to expand. Upgrades to a current or new home help people grow older gracefully. Increasingly remodelers are getting requests for upgrades that address reduced mobility, particularly in the kitchen and bath areas. Modifications such as grab bars in the shower/bath, easy-reach shelving, handheld showerheads and installed shower seat and more accessibility are most common. The trade publication, Kitchen and Bath Business Magazine reported jobs have nearly tripled since 2003 due to consumers updating kitchens and bathrooms to accommodate changes that come with aging. Kohler Company, based in Kohler, Wisconsin, is an excellent manufacturer of home needs for bath and kitchen. They’ve been going after the boomer market for a long time and know exactly what needs to be done. Their design center shows countertops that can be raised and lowered, grab bars that blend into bathrooms. They produce cabinets on wheels that are easily moved throughout tiled rooms. The bathtub for people with limited mobility has an extended entry at wheelchair height, or if you should have other temporary or permanent physical needs. Visit their website: www.us.kohler.com (type “aging” in the search box) for inspiration and a sense of how invisibly age-friendly modifications can be made. If you, like many of your contemporaries, are eager to age in place, all indications are that increasingly the design choices in new housing and the attractive modifications available for your current home offer the opportunity to safely do just that. Evaluate Your Home The aging population will significantly influence the remodeling industry over the next five years, according to a recent survey of remodelers by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). However, most older Americans have not prepared their homes for life’s inevitable changes. As part of National Home Remodeling Month, NAHB Remodelorstm Council offers a basic checklist for homeowners to plan ahead to help make their house a home for a lifetime. Though the vast majority of older Americans want to “age-in-place,” many homeowners will require special home modifications in order to live safely and independently. “Most who remodel for accessibility only do so after their home becomes too difficult to navigate,” said Remodelors Council Chairman Vince Butler, CGR, CAPS, GMB, a remodeler from Clifton, Va. “With a little foresight, homeowners can enjoy an independent lifestyle without undergoing a difficult and unexpected transition.” When evaluating your home, Certified Aging- in-Place Specialists (CAPS) recommend checking to see if it contains the following:
“People often believe that aging-in-place modifications make your home look like an institution, but it’s the exact opposite,” said Butler. “CAPS trained professionals seamlessly implement these changes into the existing look of the house so that most visitors will not even know their ultimate purpose. Plus, it is simply good design.” The CAPS designation is the only national program that trains remodelers how to design and implement aging-in-place modifications. To find a certified professional who specializes in aging-in-place remodeling, visit www.nahb.org/caps. To learn more about remodeling, visit www.nahb.org/remodel. Courtesy of the National Association of Home Builders
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Aging in Place