As the Baby Boomer generation hits their 60s, the market for aging-in-place
remodeling is bigger than ever and the CAPS designation and education
from NAHB can start remodelers out on the right foot. By Therese Crahan
Millions of Baby Boomers --
a generation comprised of
nearly 80 million Americans
-- will turn 65 years old this
year and millions more will
cross this significant threshold in the next 15 years.
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)
is helping remodelers prepare for a new marketing
opportunity which targets this generation by
teaching them how to profit from the aging-in-place
home modification business and also demonstrate
their professional commitment to consumers.
The Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist
(CAPS) educational designation, the product of
a partnership between NAHB and AARP with
the assistance of the Federal Administration on
Aging, is 10 years old in 2012 and continues to
be the industry benchmark for Universal Design
in the remodeling industry. In 2011, NAHB
introduced a new course, Universal Design /
Build, which expands on the CAPS curriculum
and extends the focus of the improvements to
new homes and more extensive additions and
renovations.
About 80 percent of all Americans 55 years
or older own their own homes, the highest rate
of homeownership of any age group in the
country. This generation is typically healthier and
wealthier than previous generations of similar
age and wants their homes to reflect their active,
independent and upscale lifestyles.
When the CAPS educational designation was
introduced, AARP found that nine out of 10
people age 50 and older said that they want to
remain in their homes and communities for as
long as possible. Baby Boomers own 48 percent
of all homes; 70 percent of those able to make
changes have made at least one modification
to make their homes easier to live in; 85 percent
have made simple changes to their homes; 67
percent of those making changes or modifications
to their homes believe doing so will allow them to
live there longer than they would have otherwise
been able to - most for another 10 or more
years. With these numbers, it was a no-brainer
for remodelers to take a look at expanding their
business focus into aging-in-place remodeling.
Aging-in-place allows people to remain in their
home safely, independently and comfortably,
regardless of age, income or ability level. It
means the pleasure of remaining in a familiar
environment throughout one's maturing years,
and the ability to enjoy the familiar daily rituals
and the special events that enrich all our lives.
It means the reassurance of being able to call
a house a home for a lifetime. Projects for the
aging-in-place remodeling segment range from
installation of bath and shower grab bars and
adjustment of countertop heights to the creation
of multi-functional first-floor master suites and the
installation of private elevators.
The creation of the CAPS designation
coincided with an increase in availability of
these products so they are no longer as hard to
find. The CAPS designation helps professional
remodelers "separate the wheat from the chaff"
-- their experience and expertise in Universal
Design gives them a leg up in choosing the
correct products for their clients.
An NAHB survey of remodelers in late 2010
showed that the most common aging in place
remodeling projects include:
Grab bars at 80 percent; installing higher
toilets at 78 percent; curb-less showers -- 59
percent; wider doorways at 55 percent; ramps
or lower thresholds at 45 percent; and added
lighting/task lighting at 42 percent
68 percent of remodelers surveyed have done
some aging in place remodeling and while a
great majority of clients are 55 to 64 years old,
23 percent of remodelers report their clients are
45 to 54 years of age. More than 70 percent of
remodelers are seeing increases in requests for
aging-in-place features with the most common
reason for to undertake aging-in-place work is
acute age-related disabilities (68 percent);followed
by the desire of the home owner to plan ahead
for future needs (44 percent).
The CAPS three-day curriculum focuses on
the strategies and techniques for designing
and building aesthetically enriching, barrierfree
living environments. The CAPS program
goes beyond design to address the codes and
standards, common remodeling expenditures
and projects, product ideas and resources
needed to provide comprehensive and practical
aging-in-place solutions.
Though originally targeted for remodelers,
occupational and physical therapists, nurses,
architects, interior designers and even government
officials who deal with home modifications for
disabled veterans seek the designation. It is also
taught at several colleges.
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