I just completed my training and am now a certified Aging- in- Place (AIP) Specialist; this is a certification issued by National Association of Home Builders. You might wonder…what the heck does that mean for a Care Manager? What it means for me is that I can put together an even better team to help clients evaluate what modifications are most necessary for their safety and quality of life while remaining in their homes for as long as possible and enjoy it! Builders, architects, interior designers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and care managers made up the demographics of the class. I find the most challenging element in a successful age-in-place model is the pre planning stages which is usually skipped altogether as most persons wait for a dramatic change in health to bring about minimum aging in place modifications.
It’s a very important consideration for care managers and family members to talk with clients about, especially when it comes to taking out that reverse mortgage to help an older adult pay for their long term care. What are the objectives for where one intends to live for the long haul? If it is to ‘stay in the home’ until skilled nursing is the only option, then it would be of benefit to have a consultation of costs involved to do some modifications that address that person’s direct quality of life – independence, ease of movement and access to areas in the home, safety, and various technology that can monitor and assist an older adult or person with disabilities in navigating their environment. It’s an exciting field and is just the beginning of a burgeoning business as the baby boomer population begins to ‘renovate’ their lives for the second half.
