| Abstrakt: |
As the population of the world ages, changes to the built environment are needed to accommodate the growing number of people over the age of sixty-five. In the United States (US), living independently in one's own home is preferred and yet only 1 percent of homes are conducive to aging in place. Although Universal Design in new residential construction has been introduced in the US to address the needs of an aging population, its implementation comes too late to adequately meet the demand created by millions of aging Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, and Millennials. The demand for age-friendly housing is increasing faster than the supply, leading many to the option of home renovation. Organizations such as the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) provide guidance on home renovation for agefriendly living. NAHB has produced an "Aging-In-Place Remodeling Checklist" to assist homeowners who want to modify their immediate environment to remove barriers or hazards. This study investigates the usefulness of the NAHB Checklist as it was applied in a home renovation test case. The study and renovation resulted in ten new age-friendly solutions (not on the Checklist), including the use of technology. The study suggests that the NAHB Checklist can be improved and that designers can play an important role in developing and implementing solutions that contribute to an optimal environment for aging in place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
