There are over 40 million adults over the age of 65 in the US right now. By 2020 more than half of the US population will be over 65. This is changing the way homebuilders and remodelers look at design and the concept of aging in place.
Chelsea Morris and Jeffrey DeMure from JDA Architects spoke at our Remodelers Council this afternoon. They addressed the changing needs of homebuyers and what they’re doing to match these needs. They’ve partnered with Eskaton Senior Residences and Services to put together a program called Livable Design. It provides a third party verified designation that meets the needs, or is adaptable to the needs of the aging population.
There were some pretty interesting things mentioned that I never would have thought of like replacing standard bathroom towel bars with fall rated bars. This could help a senior in a falling situation and could also be a great feature for younger families with children who like to hang from towel bars or yank on their towels causing the bars to fall.
Check out the Livable Design website for more information.
