Lake Country Builders is an active member of the NAIPC.

The National Aging in Place Council is a senior support network. We work together to solve your problems. NAIPC was founded on the belief that an overwhelming majority of older Americans want to remain in their homes for as long as possible, but lack awareness of home and community-based services that make independent living possible. The Minneapolis, Minnesota organization is one of fourteen throughout the country.

Most Americans do not make a plan to age in place, although you should start thinking about one before you plan to retire. Creating a plan can prevent unexpected events from turning into crises that compromise one's ability to live independently. Most people spend more time and effort planning a vacation then their aging future!

Just as many of us made a plan to go to college, we should have a plan to age. In planning for college, we knew what school we would attend, approximately what we would spend on books and tuition, where we would live and what we would do for transportation. A plan to age needs to be just as detailed and just as common.

If that is your goal, we urge you to take advantage of our senior support network. Our members are experts in healthcare, financial services, elder law, design and home remodeling. We are dedicated to helping meet the needs of our aging population, and assist you so that you can remain independent in the housing of your choice.

Your Senior Support Network

They call them the Golden Years - and they should be just that. Your work is mostly behind you, your children are grown up and your life should be comfortable. We are here to help you.
 
Aging in Place is your senior support network. We are a collaborative group of professional service providers who are thinking about your future and your happiness.

The NAIPC will assist you to stay in your residence whatever the developments in your lives, to take care of your spouse or partner, to plan your finances, to have an open and cooperative relationship with your grown children and to find solutions for any inconvenience or problem you may confront.
 
Sample of our many and diverse Service Providers:
Daily Money Managers

Elder Law

Emergency Response Services

Financial Planning

Healthcare

Home Accessibility Consultants

In-Home Care

Insurance Services

Interior Design/Home Remodeling: Lake Country Builders

Lifestyle Transition Services

Occupational Therapy

Products

Public/Non-profit Resources

Real Estate Services

Reverse Mortgages/Home Financing

Why do most people have their dishwasher, an appliance used multiple times a day, low to the ground?  You have to bend over multiple times to load and unload the dishwasher, making it hard to use.  Why not put it someplace more accessible and user friendly? 

The National Aging in Place Chapter of Minneapolis, Minnesota (NAIPC) is a new group  Lake Country Builders is a member of and participates in. The chapter has grown to over 3 dozen members. The membership has broken into "sub committees". June 11th, Lake Country Builders sub committee is part of an "ageless presentation" on Universal Living and Universal Design with the mission of helping people "Stay at Home" as they age or acquire disabilities. We will focus on the top 10 remodel ideas that help seniors and their care givers in their own homes. If you have aging parents or are concerned about someone else, attend the meeting. Improvements and remodeling for accessible living builds equity in your home and is less costly than a few months in a care facility. In many cases, universal design/"Stay at Home" improvements are funded by insurance companies, government agencies etc... Call Lake Country Builders, the "Stay at Home" experts for a free initial consultation today!

When remodeling your kitchen so you can stay at home, you still want your accessible kitchen to be beautiful and functional. Valcucine’s “Hability” is just that.  “Hability” was design to be practical for anyone who may use it.  Valcucine and Marco Miscioscia, an architect and designer, focused on providing a handicapped accessible kitchen solution that is ergonomic and safe, yet still youthful and gorgeous.  www.valcucine.com

Below are some aspects to keep in mind when remodeling or designing a beautiful and accessible kitchen in the Twin Cities.

• The barrier-free work space is designed to be multi-functional and useable for more than one person.
• The stovetop is set back so it can be used safely.
• A pull down faucet is easy to use and adds additional flexible. 

·         The oven is high enough that it can be safely reached by someone in a wheelchair.

Kohler Co. is leading the way in universal design. I thought this article found on their website best explains how the bathroom is the first room that most people aging in place remodel.

With a goal to remain in their own homes as long as possible, savvy seniors and smart baby boomers are remodeling their baths to support “aging in place” well into their advanced years. It’s part of a concept called universal design, which advocates creating living spaces that accommodate people regardless of their age or physical abilities.

"Active older adults are beginning to decide to stay in their homes for the long term," says Susan Duncan, RN, president of The ABCs of Accessibility Inc., an interior design firm specializing in universal design. "They're looking ahead, and planting the seeds, to figure out how to stay at home."

The last thing health-conscious active adults want are bathrooms that suggest old age or that look remotely institutional. Fortunately, there are features that can help you stay comfortable while enhancing your bathroom's beauty and elegance. Here are some ideas:

Adaptable products

Keep in mind that your bath products must be able to adapt to your changing needs, yet must also be suitable for people of all ages. That’s where the “universal” in universal design comes in.

A spacious, curbless shower with a handshower can be a necessity for an older adult using a mobility device or needing assistance, says Louis Tenenbaum, a consultant on aging in place in Potomac, MD. Handshowers with slidebars are even more versatile, as they can be mounted low enough to accommodate both seated and standing users.

Consider adjustable or customizable cabinets --a vanity cabinet with a removable base or pocket doors can easily allow for a wheelchair. Cabinets and counters wall-mounted on shelf brackets can be adjusted for height or removed to add space for mobility, says Cynthia Leibrock of Easy Access to Health in Livermore, CO.

Another option is a wall-mounted sink. This style works great for aging seniors, since the space can accommodate a wheelchair or other mobility device.

Invisible integration

It’s easy to anticipate your future needs with some simple choices. Consider accentuating the open space under and around the vanity area with elegant glass countertops, floating drawers and under-sink lighting. Installing side-by-side sinks at two heights can accommodate people of different statures or seated users.

Integrate hidden structural changes during renovation to give you the option of adding features later, when you need them. For instance, plywood reinforcements in bathroom walls give you the option of installing grab bars anywhere in the room at any time.

Universal appeal

Products designed to be easy to use for everyone can offer specific benefits to seniors, particularly those who have problems with their joints or balance. Mary Jo Peterson, a design consultant in Brookfield, Connecticut, and a strong advocate of universal design, points toKOHLER Comfort Height® toilets as a prime example. She says that seniors often opt for toilets with this chair-height, which is comfortable for most average-height adults, while helping seniors avoid excessive bending.

"Over and over again, older people have this 'aha!' experience with Comfort Height toilets," notes Peterson. "They say, 'Oh, much better. Much easier!'"

Faucets are another important consideration. Older adults—or anyone with arthritis or reduced hand dexterity--might find a smooth, round faucet knob difficult to use, Peterson says. Kohler has a large selection of faucets, including the Purist® bathroom sink faucet with a low gooseneck spout and low-lever handles, that are easy to maneuver. What's more, they're beautiful--an essential requirement for aging baby boomers.

Access for all

Some of us need just a little more help in the bath. The innovative Elevance® Rising Wall bath offers a fully immersive, authentic bathing experience for people with mobility issues. Yet unlike other, more institutional options, Elevance is attractive and stylish.

Helping People with Dementia to Stay at Home:

Recently,  Lake Country Builders interviewed for a project involving Alzheimers residents. I found myself in unfamiliar territory and wondered what is  Alzheimers and how is it different from other unfamiliar diseases such as Dementia? Below is a summary of research and information for our weekly Stay At Home Blog:

It can happen at any age -that's what people don't realize.  People in their 50's die from it all of the time.  There are 38 types of Dementia and Alzheimer's. Alzheimers and Dementia are basically two generic names given to them all. You cannot know which type of Dementia someone has unless they have their brain opened after death. Most often, this doesn’t happen and the disease remains mysterious and misunderstood.

 With dementia, it is progressive and more and more brain goes missing- at some point your body starts to forget certain life things- like how to turn on a faucet, how to brush your teeth, go to the bathroom.

 In fact, death occurs because your body will forget how to breathe, etc. Pretty scary stuff!

Dementia is one of the biggest health and social care challenges of our generation. Yet, as  reports  show, we are failing to address it effectively.  

The next question worth wondering is, Can people with Alzheimers and Dementia remain in their homes with this disease?

While staying at home is not right for everyone we know many people want to remain in the familiar surroundings they are used to with family or loved ones. Only with the right support and improvements in the home will this be possible.

Many people are happier if they can remain independent and in their own homes as long as possible.

Helping people with dementia to live at home and preventing them from needing to go into hospitals could save 127 million a year, according to a report launched by Healthcare at Home today.

To achieve this, it may be necessary to make some adaptions to their homes or to use new equipment and/or assistive technology that has been designed to enable people with dementia to remain independent for longer or make it easier for others to give support.

There are several options for extending care at home:

• In-home help refers to caregivers that you can hire to provide assistance for your loved one. In-home help ranges from help a few hours a week to live-in help, depending on your needs. You’ll want to evaluate what sort of tasks you’d like help with, how much you can afford to spend, and what hours you need. Getting help with basic tasks like housekeeping, shopping, or other errands can also help you provide more focused care for your loved one.
• Day programs, also called adult day care, are programs that typically operate weekdays and offer a variety of activities and socialization opportunities. They also provide the chance for the caregiver to continue working or attend to other needs. There are some programs that specialize in dementia care.
• Respite care. Respite care is short-term care where your loved one stays in a facility temporarily. This gives the caregiver a block of time to rest, travel or attend to other things. This gives time for in home improvements to be made by a certified remodeler and when the person in need returns to their home-they are more comfortable and happy.

***Call Lake Country Builders, Stay At Home division for a team evaluation of your site at 952-474-7121.

Baby boomers, or the 75 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964, are getting older, with the first wave of boomers turning 65 in 2011. Baby boomers will have a very different sort of retirement, though. They're more likely to work longer, start a second career, volunteer or take classes than their parents' generation. And ­while previous generations headed for Florida and nursing homes, baby boomers want to stay put.

In a 2000 survey conducted by the AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons), 71 percent of Americans aged 45 and older said that they "strongly agreed" that they wanted to stay in their homes. This phenomenon is known as aging in place, with familiar surroundings and objects replacing the institutional walls of a nursing home.

This very simple desire to stay in their own houses may change the way homes are designed. The home-building industry thinks that aging will be the second-biggest influen­ce on home design in the next few years, second only to finding enough skilled laborers to complete the work [source: NAHB]. While baby boomers don't want to move to a retirement home, they're aware that their home will need to accommodate the decreased mobility and ability that sometimes accompanies old age.

At the same time, boomers aren't ready for their house to look like a nursing home, even if they do already have aging parents living with them. Boomers want to plan for the possibility of being in a wheelchair without spending years in a home that looks like it was designed for a wheelchair. That's why so many baby boomers are embracing universal design, a design that allows function and aesthetics to coexist.

Universal design was developed by a wheelchair-bound architect who thought that buildings should be designed for everyone, regardless of ability or age. The concept has been around since the 1970s, but it has gained a crucial fan: the AARP. The AARP promotes universal design to its members, and as a result, 75 percent of contractors polled by the National Association of Home Builders report an increase in the number of requests for work related to aging in place [source: NAHB].

DID YOU KNOW THAT MOST FALLS HAPPEN IN THE HOME?  ONE IN EVERY THREE ADULTS AGE 65 AND OLDER TAKE A FALL  EACH YEAR.  AMONG OLDER ADULTS FALLS ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF INJURY DEATHS.  THIS WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO ORGANIZE   AND  EVALUATE  OUR  LIVING SPACES  SINCE MOST OF OUR TIME IS SPENT INDOORS.

THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF TRIPPING IS FROM CLUTTER.  HOW EASILY WE MAY TOSS A MAGAZINE OR PIECE OF CLOTHING ON THE FLOOR AND LEAVE SHOES WHERE WE TAKE THEM OFF.  DO YOU LEAVE PACKAGES OR A BAG SITTING IN A HALLWAY OR BY A DOOR ?  IT CAN BE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS THIS WHICH CAN BECOME A TRIPPING HAZARD IN YOUR HOME.

THROW RUGS ARE ALSO SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.  IT MAY LOOK GREAT,  BUT DOES IT LAY IN A TRAFFIC PATTERN THAT WOULD BE EASY TO TRIP OVER?

DO A QUICK  CHECK OF YOUR  COMPUTER CABLES, WIRES  AND ELECTRICAL CORDS. COULD THEY EASILY CATCH YOUR FOOTING?  

YOUR  PETS  CAN ALSO BE  A FACTOR IN TRIPPING.  THEY MEAN WELL, BUT I FIND MY CATS UNDERFOOT CONSTANTLY.  IF YOU ARE BUSY COOKING OR CLEANING,  DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND PUT THEM IN ANOTHER ROOM FOR AWHILE.  THEY DEPEND ON YOU TO NOT GET HURT.

WITH  THE DAYS SHORTER AND DARKER  CONSIDER CHANGING OUT  YOUR LIGHTBULBS TO A BRIGHTER WATTAGE.  ADD ADDITIONAL LIGHTING IN DARK HALLWAYS AND CORNERS.  MY 84 YEAR OLD MOTHER-IN-LAW  SPENT CHRISTMAS EVE NIGHT WITH US AND I USED PLUG-IN  STYLE NIGHTLIGHTS IN THE OUTLETS THAT LINE THE UPSTAIRS HALL AND STAIRWAY.  THAT EXTRA LIGHT WAS WONDERFUL.

AS WE GROW  OLDER WE TYPICALLY START TO LOOSE A LITTLE OF OUR  BALANCE.  KEEPING OUR HOMES SAFE AND CLUTTER FREE WILL KEEP US IN OUR HOMES LONGER AND LIVING INDEPENDENTLY.    

Universal design is based on ideas and products that can produce living environments that are safe, aesthetic, efficient, and usable to everyone, regardless of their age, ability, or status in life. Some examples are lever handle door knobs, flush door thresholds, visual floor transitions, top loading dishwasher, the dropped curb shower, sidewalk ramps, cabinets with pull-out shelves and kitchen counters at several heights. Universal design in Minnesota is becoming the “design norm” for seniors who are contemplating renovations to their existing or future living space to create a safe, accessible home environment.

The Minnesota local chapter of the NAICP (National Aging in Place Council) is a good resource for people interested in accessing ones needs for their home situation. The Council can provide guidance, resources and help in finances, physical needs, products and home upgrades. The local chapter can be found by contacting:
National Aging in Place Council (NAIPC)
1400 16th St NW Ste 420, Washington, DC, 20036
(202) 939-1770
http://www.ageinplace.org/practical_advice/consumer_advice_booklets.aspx