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Seniors’ Housing Center Provides Support for Family Caregivers

As part of National Family Caregivers Month observations, the National Center for Seniors’ Housing Research (NCSHR) — established in 2000 as a cooperative effort between the NAHB Research Center and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration on Aging — is highlighting its efforts to support family caregivers.

The center’s goal is to offer the home building industry and consumers the most current information on older adult housing issues and options so that all Americans can live comfortably, safely and independently in their own homes as they age, regardless of income or ability level.

The NCSHR supports caregivers by providing them with resources to address the housing needs of older adults in a cost-effective manner, said Charlotte Wade, the center’s program director. This includes participation in the National Family Caregiver Support Program.

Today, more than 22.4 million spouses, adult children, relatives and friends provide unpaid assistance to older persons, helping them to remain in their own homes for as long as possible.

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Many NCSHR activities and publications directly support the efforts of family caregivers:

• “The Directory of Accessible Building Products” is a one-stop resource for anyone addressing enhanced residential accessibility needs. The directory includes descriptions and pictures of products and assistive technologies in these categories: kitchen and laundry; bathrooms; doors, windows and assistive hardware; climate control; home automation; flooring; plumbing systems; ramps and handrails; stair lifts and elevators; and accessible house plans. To order it online from the NAHB Research Center’s bookstore, click here.
• With the support of the NAHB Research Center and in cooperation with the U.S. Administration on Aging, the center is administering a grants competition for pilot projects to support the Assistive Technology and Aging in Place demonstration program. The grants provide funding to support and increase public awareness of innovative approaches that address the common needs of older adults who want to age in place, possibly using technology to ease the burden of care on family members.
• To demonstrate available aging in place housing options, the NCSHR designed the LifeWise Home, which was built by the NAHB Research Center in the National Research Home Park in Bowie, MD. The home features: main living areas on the first floor; an accessible shower with grab bars; a washing toilet; wider doorways and hallways; a raised dishwasher; a front-loading washer and dryer; a home automation system; and an upstairs suite for a live-in caregiver or "boomerang" child. Building on the success of the LifeWise Home, the NCSHR now offers consulting services to builders, developers and others who are interested in serving the older adult market.

For more information on the activities and programs of the National Center for Seniors’ Housing Research, e-mail Charlotte Wade, or call her at 800-638-8556 x6213.

To obtain information about caregiving, contact the Eldercare Locator, which connects those needing assistance with state and local agencies on aging and community-based organizations that serve older adults and their caregivers. Call 800-677-1116 or click here to visit its Web site.

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