When participants look at their communities, the following websites related to housing have been recommended as resources:
Never before have we had so many housing options to consider as we get older. For most of us, the main goal is to be able to live in our own homes as long as possible. As we age, however, we may find that physical limitations make our homes inaccessible to us. Thus, home modification in our current home, or looking for "Universal Design" features in a house we build or buy, is an important consideration. You may have heard terms like "barrier-free" and "universal design". These are principals of design where the goal is to use products and space that can be easily used by people of varying abilities. And this includes people who are short, tall, someone with arthritis, someone in a wheelchair, and even children.
http://www.aarp.org/universalhome/home.html AARP (the American Association of Retired Persons) has a detailed web site showing universal design features in a number of homes. The room-by-room tour shows the features that might not be noticed by the casual viewer.
http://www.hometime.com/projects/howto/access/pc2aces1.htm
The Hometime Television Show is another site that explains the Universal Design
concept and shows some examples, as well as links to resources.
For a good publication which gives many practical ideas on what you can change
in your own home, consider The Do-Able Renewable Home distributed by AARP,
at 601 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20049; phone 202-434-2277. Also available
from AARP is "Home Solutions: Options to Meet Changing Needs" (stock
number D17044).
http://www.kabc.org/02albook.pdf Kansas Advocates for Better Care has a good description of the new structure of housing options for those of us who need some assistance in our daily lives, and don't want to or can't live in our houses any longer. These include assisted living, "Homes Plus" and other innovative options.
Although it is a costly alternative most people choose only when they are unable to remain at home, nursing facilities are an important part of the housing continuum. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (now known as CMS) has recently instituted a service available by web or by telephone which gives information on the quality of the facilities in your community. To reach them, call 1-800-633-4227 or go to their website at http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/home.asp. The name of the program is Nursing Home Compare. Ratings can change, and should be checked on a regular basis.
For an overview of current research, check the publication, Accessibility and Visitability Features in Single-Family Homes: A review of state and local activity by Andrew Kochera of the AARP Public Policy Institute March 2002. The publication includes sections on accessible design, architectural features, federal guidelines, state and local single family accessibility and visitability laws, builder requirements, and tax and fee incentives. It is available online at: http://research.aarp.org/il/2002_03_homes_1.html.
The Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing has information on a wide range of housing programs and possible funding sources. Their web page provides helpful information, and it will take some time to learn about the vast number of resources they have available for communities! Go to: http://kdoch.state.ks.us/busdev/housing_info.jsp