Remodeling Solutions
That Cater to Seniors

Carol Torsch knew that she would eventually need to remodel the 1922 bungalow she bought in Denver six years ago if she wanted to stay in it. What she didn't know was that she could turn it into a home she could use for the rest of her life by using some simple remodeling techniques.

Ms. Torsch made her front stairs easier to climb and added a bedroom-bathroom suite to the first floor, in case she were unable to use stairs someday. "I now think I could live here forever," says Ms. Torsch, 74, who moved to Denver from Louisville, Ky., to be near her daughter.

Most seniors prefer to stay in their homes for as long as possible, rather than move to another city or retirement community, according to an AARP survey in 2000. The poll also shows that the older we get, the more we want to stay put.

"Eighty-nine percent of the 55 and older population wants to stay in their homes as long as possible. If you break it down, 92% of those who are 65 to 74 want to stay, and of those who are 75 and older, 95% want to stay," says Andy Kochera, senior policy adviser at the AARP's Public Policy Institute.

The trend is called "aging in place" and it's fast becoming a challenge and opportunity for builders and contractors called on to make homes safer, easier and more attractive for the senior population.

The aging-in-place remodeling market is now only a small fraction of the $214 billion remodeling market, say officials at the National Association of Home Builders. But they estimate it could reach the $20-25 billion range. "People are living longer, healthier lives, and if they do stay in their homes, there are modifications they need to do," says Doug Sutton, Chairman of the NAHB Remodelors Council.

To tap into that demand, more than 500 contractors already have completed the four-day Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) program developed by the Remodelors Council with the AARP; it has become the most popular certification program offered by the NAHB's University of Housing.

Contractors who have completed the course are listed by state on the NAHB's online directory at www.nahb.org.

The curriculum addresses issues vital to the over-55 set, including how to market to them, evaluating their needs and helping them make remodeling decisions. "With seniors, you have to know who the decision makers are (such as a son or daughter) and have them involved in the whole process," says William Diess, an education team leader on the project.

"Someone may call a contractor because they're having problems reaching down to a dishwasher, but if they have arthritis, and it hurts their back to reach down, there are probably a lot of other improvements that the contractor can make," says Mr. Diess.

Ms. Torsch of Denver hired local architect Doug Walter to remodel her steep, awkward inside front staircase, figuring he would mostly make it look nicer. But in making the steps shorter and wider and having them wind down in two separate parts with a gracious handrail, he also made them easier and safer to climb. Now, says Ms. Torsch, the stairwell is the showcase element of the house. Mr. Walter also installed higher sinks and commodes to accommodate Ms. Torsch's tall stature. "I also now have a complete guest room with a Jacuzzi on the first floor, if I ever had to live all on one floor," she says.

The most important aspect of any aging-in-place modifications is making them unobstrusive, says Mr. Walter. This way, the new elements don't have that "hospital" look. If grab bars or handrails must be installed, for example, Mr. Walter recommends an oil-rubbed bronze finish instead of the stainless-steel variety. "A tiled bench at the end of a shower looks more elegant and subtle than a fold-down bench of plastic or stainless," says Mr. Walter.

Karen Dahood, who needed to modify her 1938 Pueblo-style house in Tucson to accommodate her aging mother, discovered that adding these features to a house with historic value can be challenging. "We live in a historic neighborhood and didn't want the house to lose value," she says.

Their biggest problem was the original family bathroom, where the large bathtub area had to be turned into a wheelchair-accessible shower. Her contractor, Gerg Miedema, made it fit in by creating a brow archway at the top of the shower, an architectural element that resonated with the design of the house. Mrs. Dahood recognizes that in making the house suitable for her mother, it's also now suitable for her and her husband, who are in their 60s, to stay in as they age. "We put grab bars in our bathroom, too; my husband is determined that we're going to die here," says Mrs. Dahood.

While the aging-in-place market may not be enormous yet, the generation in their 60s are "the most affluent people we've ever had retire. And people in their 50s have more disposable income than ever. They are preparing well for retirement," says Mr. Sutton of the Remodelors Council. For the moment, certified remodelers are hoping that having the CAPS designation will mean that they'll be the ones to modify homes once there's more demand. "It does bring in some business, but what's at least as important as getting that business is knowing that we are now qualified to do it," says Mr. Miedema.

-- Ms. Lisle is a free-lance writer in Los Angeles.

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