WHAT ARE HOME MOFICATIONS?
Home modifications are changes made to adapt living spaces to meet the needs
of people with physical limitations so that they can continue to live independently
and safely. These modifications may include adding assistive technology (see
the fact sheet on Assistive Technology for details) or making structural changes
to a home. Modifications can range from something as simple as replacing cabinet
doorknobs with pull handles to full-scale construction projects that require
installing wheelchair ramps and widening doorways.
Other examples of home modifications include:
- Grab bars in the bathroom (including by
the bathtub, shower, and toilet)
- Handheld, flexible
shower heads
- Handrails on both sides of staircases
and for outside steps
- Lever-operated faucets that
are easy to turn on and off
- Sliding or revolving
shelves for cabinets in the kitchen
- Walk-in showers
WHY DO SENIORS NEED HOME MODIFCATIONS?
The main benefit of making home modifications is that
they promote independence and prevent accidents.
According to a recent AARP housing survey, “83%
of older Americans want to stay in their current
homes for the rest of their lives,” but other
studies show that most homes are not designed to
accommodate the needs of people over age 65
Most older people live in homes that are more than
20 years old. As these buildings get older along with
their residents, they may become harder to live in
or maintain. A house that was perfectly suitable for
a senior at age 55, for example, may have too many
stairs or slippery surfaces for a person who is 70
or 80. Research by the national Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention shows that home modifications
and repairs may prevent 30% to 50% of all home accidents
among seniors, including falls that take place in these
older homes.
HOW CAN I TELL WHAT HOME MODIFCATIONS ARE RIGHT FOR
ME?
The best way to begin planning for home modifications
is by defining the basic terms used and asking some
simple questions. According to the Rehabilitation Engineering
and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA),
home modifications should improve the following features
of a home:
- Accessibility. Improving accessibility
means making doorways wider, clearing spaces to make
sure
a wheelchair can pass through, lowering countertop
heights for sinks and kitchen cabinets, installing
grab bars, and placing light switches and electrical
outlets at heights that can be reached easily.
This remodeling must comply with the Fair Housing
Amendments
Act of 1988, the Americans with Disabilities Act
accessibility guidelines, and American National Standards
Institute
regulations for accessibility. The work must also
conform to state and local building codes.
- Adaptability. Adaptability features are changes that can be made
quickly to accommodate the needs of
seniors or disabled individuals without having to completely
redesign the home or use different materials for
essential fixtures. Examples include installing grab bars in
bathroom walls and movable cabinets under the sink
so that the space can be used by someone in a wheelchair.
- Universal
Design. Universal design features are usually built
into a home when the first blueprints or
architectural plans are drawn. These features include appliances,
fixtures, and floor plans that are easy for all
people to use, flexible enough so that they can be adapted
for special needs, sturdy and reliable, and functional
with a minimum of effort and understanding of the
mechanisms involved.
- Visitability. Visitability features include home
modifications for seniors who may want to entertain
disabled
guests or who wish to plan ahead for the day when they may
require some extra help in getting around their
own homes. For example, installing a ramp to the front
door of a house and remodeling the hallways and
rooms to allow wheelchair access would make a home easier
to visit for disabled family members or friends.
Such changes may also give seniors a head start on home
modifications they may need later in their lives.
Before you make home modifications, you should evaluate
your current and future needs by going through your
home room by room and answering a series of questions
to highlight where changes might be made. Several checklists
are available to help you conduct this review. The
National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and
Home Modifications is a good place to start. Go to
the center’s website at http://www.homemods.org and click on the link to the “Safety Checklist
and Assessment Instrument.” Once there, you can
choose from the following options:
- Checklist for Stairways, Especially for Homes—Includes
tips for making trips up and down stairs easier and
safer.
- Housing Highlights: Home Modification and
Repair—Offers
an overall assessment tool for your home.
- How Well Does Your Home Meet Your Needs?—Provides
both general home evaluation questions and advice
on how home modifications can make your residence
a safer place to live.
- Safety for Older Consumers:
Home Safety Checklist—Suggests
strategies for making home modifications and repairs
and includes information on how to assess your home
and yard.
n addition, Rebuilding Together, Inc., has an excellent
home
modification
checklist on
the
Internet.
You can begin your survey by examining each area of
your home and asking the following questions:
Appliances, Kitchen, Bathroom
- Are cabinet doorknobs easy to use?
- Are stove controls
easy to use and clearly marked?
- Are faucets easy to
use?
- Are there grab bars where needed?
- Are all appliances
and utensils conveniently and safely located?
- Can
the oven and refrigerator be opened easily?
- Can you
sit down while working?
- Can you get into and out
of the bathtub or shower easily?
- Is the kitchen counter
height and depth comfortable for you?
- Is the water
temperature regulated to prevent scalding or burning?
- Would
you benefit from having convenience items, such
as a handheld shower head, a garbage disposal,
or a trash compactor?
Closets, Storage Spaces
- Are your closets and storage areas conveniently
located?
- Are your closet shelves too high?
- Can you reach
items in the closet easily?
- Do you have enough storage
space?
- Have you gotten the maximum use out of the
storage space you have, including saving space
with special closet shelf systems and other products?
Doors, Windows
- Are your doors and windows easy to open and close?
- Are
your door locks sturdy and easy to operate?
- Are
your doors wide enough to accommodate a walker or
wheelchair?
- Do your doors have peepholes or viewing
panels? If so, are they set at the correct height
for you
to use?
- Is there a step up or down at the entrance to
your home? If so, is the door threshold too high
or
low for you to get in or out easily?
- Is there enough space for you to move around
while opening or closing your doors?
Driveway, Garage
- Does your garage door have an automatic opener?
- Is your parking space always available?
- Is your
parking space close to the entrance of your home?
Electrical Outlets, Switches, Safety Devices
- Are light or power switches easy to turn on and
off?
- Are electrical outlets easy to reach?
- Are the electrical
outlets properly grounded to prevent shocks?
- Are your
extension cords in good condition?
- Can you hear the
doorbell in every part of the house?
- Do you have
smoke detectors throughout your home?
- Do you have
an alarm system?
- Is the telephone readily available
for emergencies?
- Would you benefit from having an
assistive device to make it easier to hear and
talk on the telephone?
Floors
- Are all of the floors in your home on the same
level?
- Are steps up and down marked in some way?
- Are all
floor surfaces safe and covered with non-slip or
non-skid materials?
- Do you have scatter rugs or doormats
that could be hazardous?
Hallways, Steps, Stairways
- Are hallways and stairs in good condition?
- Do
all of your hallways and stairs have smooth, safe
surfaces?
- Do your stairs have steps that are
big enough for your whole foot?
- Do you have handrails
on both sides of the stairway?
- Are your stair rails
wide enough for you to grasp them securely?
- Would
you benefit from building a ramp to replace the
stairs or steps inside or outside of your home?
Lighting, Ventilation
- Do you have night lights where they are needed?
- Is
the lighting in each room sufficient for the use
of the room?
- Is the lighting bright enough to ensure
safety?
- Is each room well-ventilated with good air
circulation?
Once you have explored
all the areas of your home that could benefit from
remodeling, you might make a list of potential problems
and possible solutions. For instance, a typical list
might look something like this:
I Have Difficulty ... |
It Would Help If I ... |
Climbing the stairs |
Added sturdy handrails for support |
Entering my home |
Installed an access ramp |
Getting in and out of the shower |
Installed grab bars or a shower bench |
Keeping my home at a comfortable
temperature |
Installed air
conditioning, fans, insulation, or storm windows |
Keeping my balance in the shower or tub |
Put non-skid strips on the floor |
Turning faucet handles or doorknobs |
Replaced them with lever or pull handles |
Of course, all seniors have different needs, depending
on the condition and design of their homes and their
physical conditions. The following case study shows
how home modifications can help seniors continue to
live independently:
Case
Study |
George
and Laura are both in their mid 80s and have lived
in their ranch-style house in Texas for more than
30 years. Recently, George had a mild stroke that
left him weak on his right side and required that
he use a cane or walker to get around. Stairs were
not a problem for George because the house was
built on a single level, but he was finding it
hard to get into and out of the shower and up and
down from the toilet.
Laura arranged to have non-slip decals and a
shower seat placed in the bathtub and grab bars
installed in the bathroom walls. After that,
George was able to use the bathroom much more
easily because he had handholds for leverage
when using the toilet, and he was no longer afraid
of falling in the shower. |
HOW CAN I PAY FOR HOME MODIFICATIONS?
Many minor home modifications and repairs can be done for about $150-$2,000.
For bigger projects, some financing options may be available. For instance,
many home remodeling contractors offer reduced rates and charge sliding-scale
fees
based on a senior’s income and ability to pay or the homeowner may be able
to obtain a modest loan to cover urgent needs. Other possible sources of public
and private financial assistance include the following:
- Home modification and repair funds from Title
III of the Older Americans Act—These funds are
distributed by your local area agency on aging (AAA).
To contact your local AAA, call the U.S. Administration
on Aging’s Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116)
or visit the Eldercare Locator website at www.eldercare.gov.
- Rebuilding Together, Inc., a national volunteer
organization, through its local affiliates, is able
to assist some
low-income seniors with home modification
efforts. To obtain more information contact your local area agency on aging
or contact Rebuilding Together at 1-800-4-REHAB-9
of visit the website at: http://rebuildingtogether.org/home_modifications.
- Investment capital from the U.S. Department of
Energy’s
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
and the Weatherization Assistance Program
(WAP)—Both of these programs are run by local energy and social services
departments.
- Medicare and Medicaid funds—Although these
programs usually cover only items that are used for
medical purposes and ordered by a doctor,
some
types of home modifications may qualify. To find out if Medicare will help
to cover
the cost of a home modification ordered by a doctor, call 1-800-MEDICARE
(1-800-633-4227 or TTY/TDD 1-877-486-2048). You can
also find answers to your questions by
visiting the website at http://www.medicare.gov on
the Internet.
- Community development
block grants—Many cities and towns make
grant funds available through the local department of community development.
- Home
equity conversion mortgages—Local banks may
allow a homeowner to borrow money against the value
of his or her home and pay for needed improvements.
The homeowner then repays the loan as part or his or her regular mortgage.
In fact, your local AAA can tell you more about whether
you are eligible for any of these forms of financial
aid or refer you to the agency that can answer your
questions.
Seniors may also choose to bypass public assistance
programs and hire a contractor to do their home modifications
or even do the job by themselves. Keep in mind these
points if you want to have a professional contractor
come into your home to work on a large project:
- Ask for a written agreement that includes
only a small down payment and specifies exactly what
work will be done and how much it will cost (with the
balance of payment to be made when the job is finished).
- Check
with your local Better Business Bureau and Chamber
of Commerce to see if any complaints have been filed
against the contractor.
- Make sure that the contractor
has insurance and is licensed to do the work required.
- Talk
with your family and friends to get recommendations
based on their experiences with the contractors they
have hired. This step may actually be the most important
one, because contractors with a good reputation can
usually be counted on to do a good job.
The National Resource Center on Supportive Housing
and Home Modifications has a guide with useful information
on home modification resources across the country.
Go to the center’s website at http://www.homemods.org
and click on the link to “The National Directory
of Home Modification and Repair Programs” for
a listing of what is available in the state where you
live.
WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT HOME MODIFICATIONS?
Mentioned as a resource throughout this fact sheet,
the National Resource Center on Supportive Housing
and Home Modifications (NRCSHHM), is one of the best
sources for more information about home modifications.
The center is a major clearinghouse for news on government-assisted
housing, assisted-living policies, home modifications
for older people, training and education courses, and
technical assistance. It publishes fact sheets, guidebooks,
and a newsletter.
NRCSHHM
USC Andrus Gerontology Center
3715 McClintock Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0191
1-213-740-1364
http://www.homemods.org
The NAHB National Center for Seniors’ Housing
Research offers the latest information about design
features and products available through the home building
industry. They are a repository for “smart-aging” residential
design and are now training remodelers who are Certified
Aging in Place Specialists in home environments that
accommodate the needs of older persons with physical
limitations and that assist family caregivers in their
care.
NAHB Research Center, Inc.
400 Prince George's Boulevard
Upper Marlboro, MD 20774-8731
1-800-638-8556
http://www.nahbrc.org
Rebuilding Together is the nation’s largest
volunteer housing rehabilitation organization and the
only national-level organizations that focus on the
home repair and home improvement needs of lower-income
homeowners. Through their partnership with the Administration
on Aging, local affiliate chapters are working with
area agencies and aging service providers to address
the needs of low-income elderly.
Rebuilding Together
1536 Sixteenth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036-1042
1-202-483-9083 or 1-800-4-REHAB-9
http://rebuildingtogether.org/home_modifications
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