It's not just about aging, it's about aging in the right place
In a recent story in the New York Times, Paula Span, wrote about seniors being “imprisoned by their independence” and “mourning the mundane pleasures and rituals of a once-active life.” Span’s story then highlights a study regarding the “homebound” population of seniors and their “unmet needs.” Regardless of statistics, Span concedes that many seniors prefer to age in place despite isolation or being homebound. The quandary then becomes, how do we fix it?
Organizations like NAIPC and CareLinx, among others, are continuously endeavoring to create a system that will address these scenarios. As Cassandra Dowell, Reverse Mortgage Daily, so eloquently put it, “many aging Americans face significant challenges when trying to remain in their homes... At the same time, those challenges also present opportunities for strategies to promote aging in place.” Those challenges are a top priority, “Our NAIPC plan is to set up an easily accessible delivery system for in-home services which directly addresses the issue of elder Americans feeling trapped in their homes,” says Marty Bell, NAIPC Executive Director. “We want to make aging in place as convenient as Uber or Open Table.”
In a statement by Sherwin Sheik, CareLinx President and CEO, addressing the NYT article he said, “We agree that home is not the best setting for every elder, particularly those attempting to live alone despite progressive cognitive deterioration and minimal structured support. For the vast majority of seniors, however, aging in place remains a viable goal. The companionship and services of a qualified professional caregiver can keep our loved ones comfortable and safe at home. Perhaps more importantly, it can also help them stay young at heart.”
Read full NYT article
Read full RM article
Read full CareLinx article
Vermont Villas brings together seniors and homeless veterans
“The best way to change the world,” iconic folksinger and social activist Pete Seeger once said, “is to find a positive story and tell it.”
Seeger would love Vermont Villas: 78 units of permanent housing for homeless, low-income veterans and special-needs seniors. “This community, located in the Harbor Gateway area of the City of Los Angeles, will be the first of its kind in Southern California, at one site addressing the housing and service needs of these underserved populations,” says Nicki Cometa, Chief Financial Officer of the Affirmed Housing Group, which developed the project in partnership with PATH Ventures, a Los Angeles-based non-profit that works to provide housing options and customized supportive services for people in southern California transitioning from shelters or other transitional programs to housing that can be their homes.
Read full article
The Schuett Companies, Inc. - A New Model for Services Delivery
For many low-income seniors, access to quality, affordable in-home care is a pipe dream. If a tenant qualifies for services under Medicaid it normally means a trip to the nursing home, which nobody wants. In progressive Minnesota, where thinking outside of the box is a way of life, developer Tom Schuett has developed a business model that allows him to provide round-the-clock home healthcare to his tenants while getting reimbursed by the state.
In 2011, Schuett launched CompassionCare Services, LLC as a separate company and hired a registered nurse to coordinate the delivery of services through a network of home health aides. The success of his program is attracting widespread attention in the affordable housing development community.
Schuett sat down with Tax Credit Advisor to discuss the origins of CompassionCare and how it works.
Read full interview
Houzz Survey on industry trends
Rena Goldman, Remodeling and ProSales, reported that Houzz recently released a study on the current and impending industry trends of 2015. The online survey was conducted from February to April and polled U.S. based homeowners. The poll of 170,000 revealed that Boomers planning to age in place continue to be the driving force in the market. Other highlights of the survey include; the most popular upgrades, hiring trends, and kitchens and bathrooms (K&B) as some of the most popular renovation locales.
Read full article
From smart phones to smart homes: New technology for senior living
Lauren Silverman of KERA News reported on a live-in laboratory in Fort Worth that is testing Aging in Place technology. Starting this fall, a senior citizen will move into the live-in lab and with each step being monitored UT Arlington researchers will study the health tracking technology to learn the best ways to prevent falls, monitor bedsores, and changes in pulse.
Every detail was designed to allow seniors to live independently for as long as possible. Keyless entry only requires a finger print and a push for those suffering from arthritis while a floor made entirely of sensors can predict falls and notice fluctuations in weight for those suffering from certain conditions. Face recognition software installed in the mirror allows doctors to monitor any change in skin color that could be indicative of a number of underlying issues in a patient. If the computer detects anything askew it will signal the doctor to check-up on the patient.
Read full article
Chefs for seniors: "You are what you eat"
The old saying “you are what you eat” is true, or so Nathan Allman discovered when his great-grandmother moved into an assisted living facility eight years ago. Like so many seniors living in their own communities she was becoming malnourished. Upon seeing a need and a market, Allman and his father, a professional chef, created a business plan that would send drop-in chefs to prepare a week’s worth of meals, grocery shop, and handle the clean-up.
The family run company is based out of Madison, WI and employs eight professional chefs. Before a chef is assigned to a home there is a preliminary, no obligation consultation that allows the chef and the senior to discuss dietary concerns and establish a “game plan.”
The nutritious food prepared by the chefs is more than just food and assistance, it’s considered preventative health. In the past two years Chefs for Seniors has seen improvement in people’s health, those that needed to gain weight, gained weight; and those that need to lose weight, lost weight.
Read full article
Senate Special Committee on Aging learns about aging in place technology
The Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing to discuss new aging in place technologies such as sensors and other wearables. The Committee heard testimony from Laurie Orloy, lead of Aging In Place Technology Watch, VA Deputy Chief Patient Care Services Officer Maureen McCarthy, and academics from the Universities of Missouri and Maine.
Senator Claire McCaskill (D- Missouri) said in her opening statement that, “Recent advances in technology are providing new options for seniors and their families that can allow them to remain at home for longer by monitoring health status, detecting emergency situations and notifying health care providers about any changes in health status.”
McCaskill also pointed out that these technologies are a win-win. They can put family members and caregivers at ease regarding an aging loved one, while allowing seniors to continue on with their normal routines.
Read full article
Chapter Updates:
Paul Franklin and David Heilman of the Greater Charleston chapter facilitated a two hour focus group on Aging in Place for Bill Prewitt and 15 clients. Prewitt is a well-known and highly respected CFP. Once every quarter Prewitt uses client interest to develop a small focus group discussion, this quarter was “Aging in Place.” Franklin and Heilman lead the focus group using Act III as the main tool for the discussion. In a thank you correspondence Bill Prewitt, CFP said, “I took a test run of Act III and am anxious to get it in front of my clients. It’s a great tool!”
On June 18, 2015, in honor of World Elder Abuse Awareness day, the Orange County, CA chapter welcomed a guest speaker to their monthly chapter meeting. Jennifer Ponce, Laura’s House. Jennifer Ponce has a lot of experience working with at-risk populations, victims and survivors of abuse, and in government mental health facilities. Jennifer allocated Laura’s story of abuse and how the organization came to be. Jennifer also shared tips on how to be aware of abuse, as well as, informational and hotline numbers for Orange County residents. Attendees were able to ask Jennifer questions on how to report abuse, what the process is, available resources, and how to follow-up on reported cases.
Upcoming Events:
6/30/15 Greater Charleston Screening of “The Age of Love”
6/30/15 Council of Chapters Conference Call
7/1/15 Tri County of Greater Los Angeles Chapter Meeting
7/02/15 NAIPC Annual Meeting Agenda Committee Conference Call
7/28/15 Council of Chapters Conference Call
|
