Aging-In-Place in Fairfield County is a Challenge for Many Seniors

It wouldn’t come as a surprise to many people that over 90% of seniors (those over 65 years of age) wish to age-in-place. The opportunity to remain in a familiar environment, maintain community ties and be close to family and friends is something we all want. Unfortunately for many seniors, especially those in Fairfield County, accessibility issues in their home and the high cost of living is making this an unlikely scenario.

While the statistics in the infographic below are national, they reflect the housing issue here in Fairfield County. Many homes don’t meet the needs of disabled seniors.  In order to accommodate this population, modifications,specifically bathroom remodels and wheel chair accessibility into and out of the home, must be addressed.  Relatively minor modifications can be completed that will allow seniors to live independently. 

According to a recent AARP survey, the features that seniors find most important are:

• Safety features such as non-slip floor surfaces (80 percent)
• Bathroom aides such as grab bars (79 percent)
• A personal alert system that allows people to call for help in emergencies (79 percent)
• Entrance without steps (77 percent)
• Wider doorways (65 percent)
• Lever-handled doorknobs (54 percent)
• Higher electrical outlets (46 percent)
• Lower electrical switches (38percent)

Property taxes are another great concern, especially in Connecticut and, when the maintenance of the home is also factored in, seniors on fixed income are finding that keeping their home is just not possible.  Because of this we have seen a rise in multigenerational living across the country.  Currently, over 51 million Americans live under a roof with two generations or more – a 60% increase since 1990.  For the majority of seniors surveyed, this new way of living was due to the current economic crisis.

Whether it’s due to a need for more care giving support or for economic reasons, for seniors who can’t age-in-place, multigenerational living is a more cost effective alternative than a nursing facility which, in Fairfield County averages $9,000/mos.  Perhaps most importantly this will allow seniors to remain within the family environment, keeping them social and active.  Have you considered how your family’s living situation might change in the next several years as your parent's age? What plans have you put in place? 

At Accessible Home Living, we custom design and install beautiful handicap accessible modular home additions that are seamlessly attached to a family member's existing home. They are matched perfectly to the host home and can be installed in 8 weeks from the time permits are obtained.