‘Til Retirement Do We Part?

With 10,000 baby boomers blowing out 65 birthday candles atop their cake every day in 2011, it’s no wonder that homeowners in Northern Virginia are viewing home design and remodeling with long-term colored glasses on.

By Lorin Drinkard

According to the Alliance for Aging Research, the “silver tsunami,” as it has been affectionately dubbed, will hit full force by 2030; about 72 million Americans—or roughly one in five people—will arrive at the 65-years old-and-above milestone. The trendy superhero to the rescue, complete with flowing cape, buzzing around NoVA’s housing scene is two loaded words that pack quite a punch: universal design.

It’s nothing completely new or unorthodox, yet when applied to a home in full force, elements of universal design breathe new life into a sagging dwelling, provide necessary sustainability for enduring livability and allow many generations—from toddlers to seniors—to have easy mobility and accessibility from room to room.

By coming to terms with the real driving force behind universal design’s rising popularity, current homeowners, soon-to-be remodelers—even potential buyers—can be aware of the numerous benefits it provides, realize the severity of unsuitable living conditions for all ages, and avoid the hassle and financial strain unplanned remodeling brings.

Rethinking Design
Seventy-three-year-old Ron Knecht, a retired Air Force defense contractor, made one promise to his late wife, right before she passed away: that he would uproot from their current home and move out to Nokesville so that he and their grown daughter could look after one another.

After months of house searching, Knecht came up with listings for long-forgotten, unkempt mansions but not much else. So he decided to design his own house.

“I watched my wife go from a walker to a wheelchair,” says Knecht, thumbing the metal buckles of his jean coveralls. He remained by her side as she struggled daily to live out two and a half years of a terminal diagnosis in their home, not at all favorable with her physical ailments and limitations. Off a gravely road, tucked somewhere between Route 28 and Route 619 Knecht’s promise stands true, a red sprawling single-floor home featuring universal design elements in every room. From an extra-wide front walkway to a detached garage with a no-step entry, the eight months Knecht spent researching and pouring over blueprints certainly are evident throughout, as he partnered with Catlett residential designer Anthony Palladino, 34, of Golden Rule Builders to build the company’s biggest project to date while focusing on three central components of universal design: “safety, comfort and sustainability.” All accomplished while still being aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

There are no institutional-like vibes here. If Knecht and Palladino hadn’t pointed out specific, intentional modifications of universal design principles on a walking tour of the home, one wouldn’t immediately recognized many of the subtle features. A wider hallway simply opens up the house more. Lower-than-normal light switches and electrical panels only make it easier for anyone to reach.

Other universal design aspects make the house more accessible for people of all ages, like flush thresholds [read: no more tripping], light strips lining a path down the hallways, a shelf for packages at both the front and back doors as well as bathroom doors that open out into the hallway. “The minimum turnout radius for a wheelchair is five feet,” says Knecht. Giving extra room in the hallways allows for the doors to open outward, which leaves the bathroom uninhibited for residents to safely wheel in and out.

Making a home more livable is what universal design, and Golden Rule Builders, is all about. Based upon the Biblical principle that one should treat others the way they also want to be treated, the company embraces a Mennonite background, and Palladino constantly refers to Knecht and all of their customers as their “most prized assets,” providing evidence that dedication to their homeowners and passion for universal design rank as their top priorities.

“Education, and sustainability, is key,” says Palladino. Knecht’s custom-built universal design home was featured in this year’s Virginia Parade of Homes. Over 40 people a day came to see the progress of the home, estimates Palladino. With design and remodeling trends popping up left and right, it’s important to really consider whether or not what is popular is also feasible, and whether it will benefit your home in the long run. “Don’t do something to be the ‘it’ thing. Make sure it will last,” advises Palladino.

Aging in Place
Buying a home with the intention of living in it for the rest of one’s life is a mindset commonly found among homeowners across the United States but especially here in Northern Virginia. Only 16 percent of Americans ages 65 and up who purchased homes in 2010 were repeat homebuyers, according to a study done by the 2010 National Association of Realtors. That’s high in comparison to local buyers; NoVA’s senior population statistics showed that only eight percent were buying a house for the second time. Current homeowners can remain in their humble abode well past retirement—if it has been constructed in such a way as to promote “aging in place.”

“Universal design coins [this] term,” says Bill Millholland, executive vice president of Case Designs/Remodeling Inc. Working within the realm of clients’ present living space to update it in a beautiful and functional way is the overarching task at hand. “For us, typically a client’s home is one of their biggest investments,” say Millholland. “We try to adapt homes that were built 30 or 40 [years ago] to the way that people live nowadays.”

So is Northern Virginia readily embracing everything that is universal design? Or do skeptics remain? Millholland adamantly insists that it’s a way to “make the home usable by people of every age, ability . . . for a child and an adult . . . someone with disabilities and someone without.” However, many still express valid concerns about their house seeming more like an institution than a home.

With multi-generational living on the rise, however, it’s important to consider the reality at hand: The need for universal remodeling design is there, says Millholland. “Younger families are coming back to live with their parents, or older parents are moving back with their families. How are we going to make sure Mom is comfortable for the next however many years?”

The cosmopolitan-meets-surburbia-ness of NoVA only further validates how universal design is relatable to households of all sizes and ages. “We have customers in their late 30s, 40s and 50s who say, ‘Our parents come from China, Germany, etc., and stay with us for four to six weeks [at a time].’” Whether a family consists of parents and young toddlers or if several generations of relatives live under one roof, even if only temporarily, universal design aims to implement adaptations that stretch functionability to the max.

The best way to get ready for aging in place is by making it a priority today. Millholland offers three pieces of advice to homeowners:

1. “Start thinking about it. People deny it,” says Millholland. “No one feels as old as they are.” But the future is at stake: “How do I keep myself healthy and happy in my home?”

2. “Educate yourself,” says Millholland. “Don’t think we’re trying to turn [your home] into a hospital, that you have to spend tons of money.”

3. Remodel in a practical, durable way. “Anytime you think about doing something in your home, do it in a way that’s not only beautiful and functional . . . you’re going to be able to use it for a long period of time,” says Millholland.

Grow With It
The more versatile the home, the easier it is to grow and adapt with it. These housing words of wisdom hail from Allen Rector, 45, of Northern Virginia and Maryland luxury home builder Winchester Homes. As Director of the Active Adult Division, Rector has seen the role that the economy and a shifting demographic play in NoVA’s housing scene. “We’re seeing a rapidly growing need of buyers from a changing demographic,” says Rector. “Multi-generation households [are] making a return . . . out of necessity.”

Winchester Homes’ ground-breaking solution to meet the ever-evolving demands of buyers is a program called “Your Home, Your Way.” By anticipating the large spectrum of requests from clients, Winchester Homes is able to successfully meet the individual, unique demands of each buyer. “[It] allows for modifications, for any design elements,” says Rector. The of-the-moment trend? People taking advantage of universal design with a high-end feel to it, Rector says.

Incorporating several simple proposed elements of universal design can make a world of difference between a house that will function for the next five years and one that will allow homeowners to grow and change over several decades. For example, first-floor owner suites, multiple work heights and lower light switch heights are all instances that function in the here and now but will nicely come in handy as a family ages, and their mobility and physical needs may vary. Features like a zero-step entry shower, longer mirrors above the vanity and non-slip tile are welcomed by all homeowners, regardless of age. As one gets older, however, these pre-planned elements come to be appreciated even more so.

Three themes that Winchester Homes uses as the core foundation of its strategic universal design planning are quality, flexibility and sustainability. By seamlessly weaving the big three components, clients’ satisfaction remains top priority, and universal design remains the forerunner to the overall structure of the home. Removing any chance of mobility limitation or difficulty just makes sense in the long run. “It’s barrier free . . . people move into these homes and they don’t have to move again,” says Rector, who oversees operations at Winchester’s active adult community at Lake Frederick. “We’ll have adult children come out with parents and I’ve heard 20-somethings say, ‘Why do I have to wait for this?’”

The answer? No waiting time required. Integrate universal design elements now into an existing home or build a home in a way that gives room for growth.

Plan, Prepare and Prevent
According to Tony Schaffer, 53, of Schaffer Construction, he sees three types of clients: those who are planners, those with progressive diseases and those with immediate needs. Over the last few years, his business has taken a huge step in the housing industry to receive Certified-Aging-In-Place Specialist certification. “We had several clients facing mobility issues and didn’t really have a clue on how to best serve their needs,” says Schaffer. Now specializing in home modifications for the older NoVA population and those with disabilities, Schaffer fully believes that 99 percent of his older clientele aren’t looking to move from their current homes.

How many of these homes—pre-remodeling—are suitable for the wear and tear of long-term usage and able to adjust with the ebb and flow of a homeowner’s needs? None, Schaffer believes. “Access for everyone” isn’t just a saying; it’s a belief, a proclamation that all residents should be able to move about their homes with relative ease.

Recent statistics by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in conjunction with the National Council on Aging uncover just how inaccessible many homes in the Northern Virginia really are.

In 2009, 421 older Virginians (65 and older) died as a result of a fall. The number of those hospitalized due to a fall-related injury jumps up to 16,206. “Most people are not really aware of how inaccessible their house really is until a life-changing event happens to them or a family member,” says Schaffer. Waiting until an unfortunate incident occurs will not bring about a decrease in injuries among the elderly.

By planning a home for future needs and integrating elements of universal design, homeowners can prevent accidents, minimizing the potential health risks and hospitalizations that lie in store for the unprepared. Companies like Schaffer Construction offer in-home assessments to determine how much works needs to be done to keep all family members safe and unharmed. “Main entry ways, bathrooms and bedrooms are the top three things that we plan for,” says Schaffer.

Fall prevention seminars are another way that Schaffer Construction and the Northern Virginia Fall Prevention Coalition advocate to meet the needs of their older clients. “[It’s] not a glamorous issue,” says Schaffer. By voicing the brutal reality associated with injuries among the elderly and offering simple tips and training at seminars throughout NoVA, Schaffer fights to get the word out: Prevention is a realistic goal. “Universal design offers unique solutions for unique individuals,” says Schaffer. Though the company’s efforts have initiated a ripple effect in the way people view their futures and measures they can use to take control, it’s still an uphill battle from here.

Regular House vs. Universal Design
Multiple-step entryway	—–>	No-step entryway, covered
Step-up garage	—–>	No-step garage
Narrow sidewalks	—–>	Wider sidewalks
3’- to 4’-wide hallway	—–>	5’-wide hallway
Step-up shower	—–>	No-step shower
Bathroom cabinets with doors	—–>	Open bathroom shelves
Overhead hallway lights	—–>	Path lighting
Second-story master suite	—–>	First-floor master suite
Cabinets under vanity	—–>	Knee space under vanity
Toilet is 14” from ground	—–>	Toilet is 16 ½” or higher, elongated
Standard light switches	—–>	Rocker switches, raised
Electrical outlets near the ground	—–>	Raised electrical outlets
High kitchen cabinets	—–>	Pull-out kitchen drawers
Standard-height work surfaces	—–>	Variable-height work surfaces
Standard four-burner stove	—–>	Burners line the front of stove

 

 

Resources
National Association of the Remodeling Industry [NARI]
www.nari.org/education/universal_remodeling

Northern Virginia Building Industry Association [NVBIA]
www.nvbia.com

AARP “Aging In Your Own Space”
www.aarp.org/home-garden/housing/info-01-2011/aging_in_your_own_space

Case Design/Remodeling Inc.
www.casedesign.com

B 4 U Build [Universal Design plans]
www.b4ubuild.com/plans/accessible_design

Schaffer Construction
www.schafferconstruction.com

Universal Design
www.universaldesign.com

Winchester Homes “Design For the Ages” Checklist
www.winchesterhomes.com/sites/default/files/Universal-Design-Green-Features.pdf

Universal Design Living Library
udll.com/resources

(August 2011)