Source: NAHB CAPS Connection

Manufacturer’s and retailers are coming on board almost daily with new and interesting products for aging-in-place home modifications. An article in Bob Vila identifies some of these new products and the manufacturers. These products combined with the services of a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) can make your home a home for life!

Samsung released their in-home care services and help robots at Consumer Technology Association. Ikea purchased TaskRabbit, as so many boomers were buying Ikea products but did not want to put anything together. Best Buy now has a line of products for aging-in-place. Amazon’s Alexa now has a care hub dedicated to senior living. Lowes and Home Depot have new focus on independent living products.

Now more than ever, aging-in-place home modifications can create a personalized space that gives people more effortless confidence, thus leading to better safety, more independence, and greater dignity. Here is just a sampling of the new products for aging-in-place home modifications:

• Shaw’s Sole with Sensfloor Technology, which incorporates discreet and unobtrusive sensors into the flooring to alert caregivers if someone moves around or falls. This integrated safety tool can also work with lighting controls to illuminate a space when movement is detected.

• Comfortable and mindful seating by Samuelson Furniture is structured to fit the body perfectly and includes the Sound by Samuelson built-in Bluetooth system, which allows users to be immersed in the comforts of sound with a touch of their hands.

• SMARTfit adds cutting-edge fitness technology that trains the brain and body simultaneously to improve physical, cognitive, and “dual-task” performance.

• Design By Intent provides stylish yet functional disability-friendly shower seating and bathroom accents.

• Ecore flooring reduces the risk of injury and falls while delivering sound control and comfort.

• Delta and Jaclo touchless faucets and fixtures.

• The Swash 1400 Electronic Bidet Toilet Seat by Brondell, which allows guests with limited mobility to maintain good hygiene with its self-sterilizing, stainless steel nozzles and safety seat sensor.

• Grabcessories by LiveWell offers stylish 2-in-1 grab bars combined with bathroom accessories that look anything but institutional.

• Pressalit sinks and toilets that can be moved up and down according to the user’s height and mobility requirements.

• Bose provides audio technology, interactive mural art, lighting, and more.

• H Contract and Hekman Contract products are designed specifically for senior living applications that are ideal for senior living, such as senior-friendly dimensions, supportive seat cushions, and upholstery with a moisture barrier.

• Tailored kitchen cabinets and countertops by Pressalit move up and down to make the kitchen accessible for those in a wheelchair.

• The Brondell Pro Sanitizing Air Purifier, FDA-registered as a Class II medical device, self-sanitizes as well as captures and eliminates 99.9 percent of the Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2) airborne virus. Brondell also provides air sanitizers throughout the common rooms for maximum cleanliness.

• Belson and TreeTop offer useful and beautiful outdoor furniture.

Aging-in-Place (AIP) design principles focus on barrier-free accessibility for residential properties (homes, apartments, condos and town houses) similar to how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design focuses on barrier-free accessibility for commercial buildings. CAPS design takes your current and future circumstances into consideration to improve your quality of life while staying in your home so you can “age in place”, versus moving to assisted living.

CAPS employs concepts of Universal Design with the principles of the ADA Standards and Federal Housing Act (FHA) to make your home a safer place regardless of the cause of limited mobility. That’s why residential accessibility services are sometimes referred to as aging-in-place services, or safety and accessibility assessments.

Putting this all together requires a project planner experienced in home design and aging-in-place installations. Please contact Richard Acree at 615-752-0060, or email inspections4ada@gmail.com, to discuss your needs for CAPS services. For additional information about these services, please see the link at Residential Accessibility Consultant.

Thank you.