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Americans Modifying Homes To Remain Independent

Wed, 06/07/2000 - 12:00am — Karen Stevenson
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AARP has released the results of a new survey entitled "Fixing to Stay: A National Survey on Housing and Home Modification Issues." Respondents aged 45 and older were asked about their current housing situation, housing preferences, difficulty getting around the house, concerns about being able to remain in their home, modifying their home, changes they have made or would like to make to their home, reasons for making those modifications, and reasons for not having made home modifications.

Some key findings:

- Most Americans age 45 and over say they would like to remain in their current residence for as long as possible.

- 63% percent of survey participants believe that their current residence is where they will always live.

- 82% respondents would prefer not to move from their current home if they were to need help caring for themselves. Only 9% express a preference for moving to a facility where care is provided and 4% for moving to a relative's home.

- 8% of survey participants report that someone in the household has difficulty getting around their home, and the most common problem they report is climbing up and down stairs, generally due to arthritis, back problems, or knee problems.

- 25% of respondents expect that some member of their household will experience problems getting around their home within the next five years.

- 30% are concerned about having a home in which friends or family who may have disabilities can get around, being forced to move to a nursing home because they have trouble getting around their own home, being able to afford home modifications that will enable them to remain at home, having problems using features in their home as they get older, finding reliable contractors or handymen if they need to modify their home, or being able to provide care for a parent or relative.

- 86% have made at least one simple change to their home to make it easier for them to live there, such as installing nightlights, non-skid strips in the bathtub or shower, higher wattage light bulbs, lever faucet knobs, a telephone with large numbers and letters, carpets and rugs secured with double-sided tape, an emergency response system, lever doorknobs, or non-slip strips on their stairs.

- Of those who live in residences in which they are allowed to make modifications, 70% have made at least one major modification to make it easier for them as they get older, such as installing light switches at the top and bottom of dark stairwells, making changes or modifications to their home that would allow them to live on the first floor, adding handrails on both sides of their steps or stairs, or handrails or grab bars in their bathroom.

- 67% of respondents who have made home modifications think that those changes will allow them to live in their home longer than they would have been able to otherwise. Of this group, 75% believe the modifications will enable them to live in their home for another ten years or more.

- When asked why they have not modified their home, or have not modified it as much as they would have liked, respondents most often cite not being able to do it themselves, not being able to afford it, not trusting home contractors, not knowing how to make the changes, not having anyone to do it for them, and not knowing how to find a good home contractor.

- 52% express interest in receiving information about staying in their own home as they get older.

- 66% say they would support their state passing legislation requiring that more homes be built with the home modification features discussed in the survey.

AARP has released the results of a new survey entitled "Fixing to Stay: A National Survey on Housing and Home Modification Issues." Respondents aged 45 and older were asked about their current housing situation, housing preferences, difficulty getting around the house, concerns about being able to remain in their home, modifying their home, changes they have made or would like to make to their home, reasons for making those modifications, and reasons for not having made home modifications.

Some key findings:

- Most Americans age 45 and over say they would like to remain in their current residence for as long as possible.

- 63% percent of survey participants believe that their current residence is where they will always live.

- 82% respondents would prefer not to move from their current home if they were to need help caring for themselves. Only 9% express a preference for moving to a facility where care is provided and 4% for moving to a relative's home.

- 8% of survey participants report that someone in the household has difficulty getting around their home, and the most common problem they report is climbing up and down stairs, generally due to arthritis, back problems, or knee problems.

- 25% of respondents expect that some member of their household will experience problems getting around their home within the next five years.

- 30% are concerned about having a home in which friends or family who may have disabilities can get around, being forced to move to a nursing home because they have trouble getting around their own home, being able to afford home modifications that will enable them to remain at home, having problems using features in their home as they get older, finding reliable contractors or handymen if they need to modify their home, or being able to provide care for a parent or relative.

- 86% have made at least one simple change to their home to make it easier for them to live there, such as installing nightlights, non-skid strips in the bathtub or shower, higher wattage light bulbs, lever faucet knobs, a telephone with large numbers and letters, carpets and rugs secured with double-sided tape, an emergency response system, lever doorknobs, or non-slip strips on their stairs.

- Of those who live in residences in which they are allowed to make modifications, 70% have made at least one major modification to make it easier for them as they get older, such as installing light switches at the top and bottom of dark stairwells, making changes or modifications to their home that would allow them to live on the first floor, adding handrails on both sides of their steps or stairs, or handrails or grab bars in their bathroom.

- 67% of respondents who have made home modifications think that those changes will allow them to live in their home longer than they would have been able to otherwise. Of this group, 75% believe the modifications will enable them to live in their home for another ten years or more.

- When asked why they have not modified their home, or have not modified it as much as they would have liked, respondents most often cite not being able to do it themselves, not being able to afford it, not trusting home contractors, not knowing how to make the changes, not having anyone to do it for them, and not knowing how to find a good home contractor.

- 52% express interest in receiving information about staying in their own home as they get older.

- 66% say they would support their state passing legislation requiring that more homes be built with the home modification features discussed in the survey.