Aging Gracefully

Every seven seconds, a baby boomer somewhere in the United States turns 50. And although most of those birthdays will be celebrated in fine health, they mark a transition that would be foolish to ignore: the U.S. population is aging.

Statistics from the AARP confirm it: Almost a third of this country’s population is older than 50. That number is expected to more than double in the next 35 years, with those 85 and older representing the fastest growing category. By the year 2030, one of every five people in this country will be age 65 or older.

The homebuilders of today are already trying to accommodate this trend. “The boomer generation has led to a lot of design trends over the last 10 years,” says Todd Polifka, CEO of Little Canada–based Vision Remodeling, Inc. “And now, because they are growing older, we will see more homes being built with universal design.”

Universal design is a broad term used for those features that make a home safe and appropriate for anyone at any age, with any sort of special needs. It encompasses everything from lever door handles and single-handle faucets to elevators and stair lifts. And it’s becoming a buzzword in the building industry.

“The term has been around for a long time,” says Kathe Ostrom, a designer with New Spaces, a home-remodeling firm in Burnsville. “But now everyone is saying it. Everyone is talking about how to make a home as comfortable and convenient for as many different people at as many different stages of life as possible.”

Thinking Ahead

Ostrom signed up for the first Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) class she could find. So did Polifka. They recognized that the classes, designed by the Washington, D.C.–based National Association of Home Builders in conjunction with AARP, would give them an advantage as the population aged. The certification process provides the technical, business management, and customer-service skills necessary to understand the housing needs of older and maturing adults.

“I thought, ‘Boy, I would really be missing the boat if I didn’t do it,’” Polifka says.

But even as more builders and designers in the Twin Cities area earn their CAPS certification, few homeowners have eagerly embraced the idea of designing a home that will serve them as they age. In many cases, it’s simply a lack of awareness of the concept and how to implement it. In other cases, however, it’s more a matter of not wanting to think about the future.