I had often wondered about his growing reluctance to leave his house. After all, doesn’t he get sick of being in the same place ALL the time? Yes, I understand he is blind. Yes, I understand that being dependent on oxygen makes being out in public less and less appealing. But I was still shocked. After all, my Dad is still sharp and loves engaging people in political and sports talk.

On the ride home, I asked my Dad if he had enjoyed the festivities and he had. My sister’s first floor accommodations with a private bathroom made life easy for him. But then he told me about two subtle things in his apartment design he had missed. First, were the strategically placed grab bars … especially around the toilet. The second, and this really surprised me, was that his doors at home had a gap between the bottom of the door and the floor (by design) so that his oxygen tube could go under it. This allows his oxygen generator which is slightly noisy to be left behind in another room while he wanders about. Hmmm.

Thoughtful design and your ability to explain that design will become critical to the sales success of your remodeling, retirement community, assisted living, or skilled nursing care success. Not to mention our nation’s ability to surviving the coming age wave.  The NAHB Remodelers (National Association of Home Remodelers),  NAHB Research Center, 50+ Housing Council and AARP have created the Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) designation. The graying of the baby boom generation has led to drastic increases in demand for professional remodelers and designers with expert training in refitting homes, and creating senior communities and assisted living homes that are safe and comfortable for the mature market. To this end, the Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) designation is awarded to those professionals who successfully complete a three-day training program. Incorporating these crucial tenets will lead to increases in the renovating business and senior housing sales. To learn more about this program click here. To learn what can go wrong with a remodel click here, or how to do it right read here. For articles on design that satisfies both senior needs and desires for beautiful surroundings see The Age of Aesthetics: Turning Obstacles into Beauty and Aging with Style Means a New Luxury Market.