April 30, 2018

I recently had the honor of being a panelist for the KBB webinar on “Enhancing the Look of Aging in Place.” Speaking on this topic is near and dear to my heart because I suffer from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). This has furthered my passion as a kitchen and bath designer to earn my credentials as a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS). During the webinar, I was able to briefly speak on a few points, but I would like to take the time now to expand on a few of those points, including being mindful of a client who requires updates for aging in place on a limited budget

What a lot of people fail to realize is that aging in place actually begins at birth. We as designers need to remember that when we think of aging in place, it includes people of any age, any ability and any budget. Some clients are simply planning for the future while they are undergoing an expensive remodel they have saved up for 20 years. The next client may be a 22-year-old wounded warrior who just returned home from overseas after fighting a war for our freedom. This soldier may have lost a limb or has a traumatic brain injury, and they are on a limited budget while relying on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for assistance.

The next client may be a professional athlete with sports injuries and an endless budget for all the bells and whistles. Tomorrow’s client maybe an elderly diabetic woman who lives alone and is surviving check-to-check off of her social security income. The next client may be a successful business owner who has lots of money to spend on a fancy remodel. Each of these clients is going to come with a different set of needs, as well as completely different budgets.

Three Aging-In-Place Scenarios
During the webinar, I briefly spoke about the three market segments for aging in place:

1. Aging in place without urgent needs.
2. Aging in place with progressive condition-based needs
3. Aging in place with traumatic change needs

Sometimes the clients who fall within these three different market segments also come with three different levels of budgetary restrictions for their remodel. Clients who fall within the segment of aging in place without urgent needs includes those who are not experiencing any immediate or significant health issues, but they have a preference for universal design. These clients may presently be in good health but want to plan ahead for the future and be proactive, and they have a bit more flexibility with their budget because they are planning ahead. They typically have saved up for their remodel and can pick and choose where they want to splurge.

The second market segment is aging in place with progressive condition-based needs. Clients in this segment include those who have a chronic or progressive condition that requires special modifications or attention to allow them to age in place. These clients know they must make certain design decisions that will affect the function and accessibility of their space for their progressing conditions. They are mindful of their budget and may be more cautious in choosing fancy materials because they know that function is most important.

The third segment is aging in place with traumatic change needs.  This includes those who have experienced an abrupt or traumatic change that necessitates modifications to allow them to age in place. An example of this may be a client who was fine yesterday but today had a stroke, fell and broke a hip, had a sports injury or was in a bad car accident that requires a life-altering surgery. These clients were clearly not expecting anything like this to happen to them but must now juggle healing and recovering with modifying their home to suit their unexpected and changing needs. Their money is tied up in medical bills as well as just keeping afloat in their everyday lives. They are not financially or emotionally prepared for a remodel. These clients are having to accept the fact that their whole life has just changed, and they are fearful for their future. Some clients even feel guilty that they are placing a physical and financial burden on their families because of their changing health needs.

Not all clients in need of aging-in-place updates are able to afford a full remodel. Some only need to add a few grab bars, install a comfort-height toilet or get a new handheld shower head. Some clients do not have a large budget to make these modifications to their home, and that is ok. We need to still treat those jobs just as any other and not discriminate or treat those clients poorly because their budget is lower than what we are used to; there are simple solutions for any budget. If we are not able to accommodate a particular client because their budget is too low, their project is not large enough for us or we are not able to meet their time restraints, then we need to be able to point them in the direction of a trusted professional who can. We may consider remodeling a luxury, but remember for some it can be necessary and/or unexpected.

– By Ebony Stephenson