About 88% said that a bedroom and bathroom on the main floor would be important to them; three-fourths already have that feature in their home. A garage or covered parking was valued by three-quarters of survey respondents; three-quarters now have that feature at their current address.
However, current homes fall short in providing other features that are considered important for aging-in-place:
- About 80% want non-slip floor surfaces; 54% currently have them.
- About 80% want bathroom aids such as grab bars or a bathing stool; only about one-third have those in their current home.
- About 80% said a personal alert system to summon help in emergencies would be important; only 13% have one.
- An entrance without steps was important to 77% of those surveyed; 37% currently have one.
Other features that enhance living in place — such as handled doorknobs and easier-to-reach outlets and switches — can be added to the home fairly easily, the report suggested.
Those surveyed said they want to live in a safe neighborhood, and most do now. But their current homes might not be as close to a hospital, doctors’ offices, grocery store or drug store as they would like.
A majority said that would value door-to-door transportation, accessible public transportation, outdoor maintenance services and health monitoring services.
Home delivered meals, a personal care service for bathing or dressing and a friendly visitor service were not as highly valued by the survey respondents.
The NAHB Remodelors™ Council, in collaboration with AARP, the NAHB Research Center and the NAHB Seniors Housing Council, has developed the CAPS (Certified Aging-in-Place) designation program for remodelers and other industry professionals to assist the aging-in-place market. For more information on the CAPS, click here, or call 800-368-5242 x8EDU. To view a calendar of the required education courses, click here and search for “CAPS.”
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