Making Your House, Your Home: Preparing for Aging in Place Begins in Middle Age

By Willie A. Price, CAPS & Universal Design Essentials, Rehabilitation Specialist

Preparing for Aging in Place shouldn’t begin at age 65 or 70. The time to prepare is when you’re 40, 50, or 60 — before life’s circumstances make the decisions for you. I would also like to see adults 35-39 starting to prepare. The message: Aging in Place should begin with preparation, not a crisis.

The Aging in Place Conversation Has Been Missing Millions of Americans for decades, the Aging in Place movement has concentrated much of its attention on America’s growing senior population. As millions of Baby Boomers reach retirement age, the need for accessible housing, home modifications, supportive services, and independent living solutions continues to increase.

What if the people who most need to hear the message aren’t necessarily seniors, but their middle-aged children, family caregivers, and younger adults who are approaching retirement themselves?

That is precisely what became apparent through my experiences educating communities about Aging in Place.

After completing the Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) and Universal Design Essentials training, I was introduced to the tremendous opportunity to assist America’s growing population of older adults. At the time, approximately 73 million seniors (65+) were identified as a potential population needing Aging in Place information and assistance. (US Census 2020) That figure represented an enormous opportunity to help individuals remain independent, comfortable, and safe in their homes.

However, something unexpected happened when I began presenting educational programs. An Unexpected Discovery: The Audience Was Younger Than Expected as I developed and presented my educational programs, Making Your House, Your Home: Preparing for Aging in Place and Making Your House, Your Home: The 8 Keys to Aging in Place, I anticipated audiences consisting primarily of adults age 60 and older. Instead, I began noticing a different pattern.

A significant number of attendees were middle-aged adults, adult children of aging parents, family caregivers, and representatives of community organizations.

These individuals were not necessarily attending because they needed immediate home modifications for themselves. Many were looking for answers about their parents, relatives, or clients.

They wanted to know how to help their loved ones remain independent, avoid unnecessary institutional care, reduce fall risks, and make their homes safer.

But their attendance revealed something even more important. While they were learning how to prepare their parents’ homes for aging, they were also approaching the age when they should begin preparing their own homes and lifestyles. This realization changed the direction of our educational efforts. We began recognizing that the middle-aged population was not simply an audience of caregivers. They represented an additional generation that could benefit from proactive Aging in Place planning.

Aging in Place Is Not Just a Senior Issue

When most people hear the phrase “Aging in Place,” they picture an elderly person using a walker, installing grab bars, or requiring assistance with everyday activities. However, Aging in Place is much broader than adapting a home to accommodate physical limitations.

It is about creating an environment and lifestyle that support independence, safety, accessibility, comfort, and quality of life throughout the aging process.

And those preparations should begin long before a person experiences mobility problems, chronic health conditions, or other age-related challenges.

Consider the homeowner who is 48 years old and planning a major bathroom renovation. Wouldn’t it make sense to include a curb-less shower, improved lighting, slip resistant flooring, and structural reinforcement for future grab bars during the renovation rather than paying to modify the same bathroom again 15 or 20 years later?

Or consider the couple in their early 50s purchasing what they believe will be their final home. Shouldn’t they consider whether that home has a first-floor bedroom, an accessible entrance, manage able maintenance requirements, and proximity to essential services? These are not decisions that should wait until someone reaches 60, 65 or 75 or experiences a medical emergency.

They are decisions that should be considered during middle age.

Willie A. Price has more than 20+ years of real estate: management, inspections, consulting and training/education experience. He has been certified or licensed in various fields from: FEMA, HUD: REAC to Residential and Commercial Property inspections, LEAD & Asbestos, BPI Weatherization: Residential and Commercial, Rehabilitation Specialist, Construction and Property (RAM) Management and recently in the specialty fields of Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) and Universal Design Essentials to assist older adults with preparing for Aging in Place. For questions, speaking, workshops or other information contact WNYAginginplace@gmail.com.