Aging in place: Planning for retirement
When it came time to remodel their Portola Valley home in 2008, Iris Harrell and her partner Ann Benson made a practical decision. The two able-bodied women decided to transform the structure into a home that could easily be occupied by someone with limited physical capabilities. That way, the couple’s elderly mothers could visit any time they liked and Harrell and Benson could make the property their forever home, a place where they could comfortably live into old age.
Even though they sold their forever home last December and are building another, the Portola Valley house served several functions during Harrell and Benson’s stay. According to Genie Nowicki, a senior designer at Harrell Remodeling — a firm founded by Harrell — in addition to being lived in, the home was used as a lab, a place to integrate all the best practices of both green and universal building.
The “universal design” Nowicki refers to allows homeowners to age in place. Aging in place, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is “the ability to live in one’s own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level.”
Design elements incorporated by Harrell and Benson as they planned for an independent future included: • Zero step entrance • Levers instead of doorknobs • Grab bars in bathrooms • Curbless showers • Elevator to transport between public and private areas of the house
• Two counter heights in kitchen
• Universally accessible storage in kitchen, with much of it below the counters • 36-inch doorways • Exterior ramp integrated into deck • Wall-hung toilets • Motorized vanity top for adjustable heights in bath
Just for fun, the couple threw in other surprises, like five gas fireplaces with blowers so they were able to heat one room at a time as needed. They also sprang for a dry sauna and towel warmer in the baths, two refrigerators to avoid “bottlenecking” in the kitchen, two sinks so that one woman could prepare food while the other cleaned, and a walk-through “home center” on the public floor complete with laundry area and another partial kitchen.
In the year it took to complete the project, the women were able to add creature comforts as well as practical design elements that would help them stay in the home, no matter what the future might bring. The story of their quest to design and build an accessible and sustainable home was recorded in a book by Harrell and Nowicki called “Our Forever Home,” available at Lulu.com.
According to research by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), nearly 90 percent of seniors want the option of staying in their own homes as they age. 82 percent say that even if they need dayto-day assistance or ongoing healthcare, they want it to take place at home.
As baby boomers move into their golden years, the question becomes: What do I need to do in order to stay in my home regardless of changes to my health or circumstances?
Each county has its own department dedicated to aging adults. A good starting point for Santa Clara County residents is the Department of Aging and Adult Services. Jim Ramoni, department director, says that their website gives seniors an indication of the government services available to them, including In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS).
“In-Home Supportive Services has been around since the early 70s and is meant for low-income individuals, those on Medi-Cal,” Ramoni said. “What this program offers is an opportunity to have in-house help for a certain number of hours each day. Without this type of support they might have to go into a more restrictive environment rather than continue to live at home.”
In addition, non-profit organizations like Sourcewise Community Resource Solutions in San Jose, offers education and quality support services to seniors as they navigate the resources needed to help them live as independently as they desire. The idea is to allow seniors — with or without the funds to pay for it themselves — to find ways to get the help they need to stay at home.
For those who can pay for adaptations to their homes, there are designers like Nowicki who hold the distinction of being certified aging in place specialists. Describing why she went to the trouble to earn the extra certification, Nowicki said, “I thought it was inherently wrong that someone couldn’t stay in their own home because there was something functional about the house they couldn’t access.”
Nowicki concedes that while Harrell and Benson’s remodeling job was a “dream” to work on, most homeowners prioritize the work, completing only the jobs they can afford to pay for at the time.
“I always tell people, if they can only pick one thing, make it a bathroom. Usually, when people have to move out of a home it is because of the bathroom,” Nowicki said. “The next thing I would look at is access routes to the house. Are there stairs that can be converted into an incline walkway?”
Nowicki says that she tries to encourage people to incorporate universal design elements into projects they are already undertaking anyway, like installing 36-inch doors instead of 32-inch and replacing doorknobs with levers.”
Ethan Andersen, owner of Drafting Café Architects in Oakland, agrees that simple changes can make a big impact on livability. “Many people collect furniture and stuff that takes up space. As we age we’re not as agile and we need more space to move. I suggest that clients make sure there is an open pathway through their homes.”
While seniors who are able to age in place may experience the emotional benefits of doing so, Jim Ramoni says that the entire community benefits. “I think there is something to be said for a community that retains its elderly population. Retirees actually do the bulk of volunteer work, so when they can stay and continue to contribute, it’s all positive.”