Those who know me will be surprised I am tired of talking. Not tired of talking exactly. Tired of talking without results.
To reduce my frustration I am now issuing a challenge when I give presentations. I ask for a show of hands for those will commit to making the changes, taking the steps- DO the stuff I talk about – in the next 6-12 months.
There is all that data about how people want to remain in their own home even when they need assistance. Whether it is 86% or 90% is not really important. There is also the Clarity study showing people fear losing their independence more than they fear death!
What YOU DO about it is really important to YOU!
What should you do?
Take responsibility. Take steps to increase the chances that what you say you want happens. Take steps to Financial Security. Exercise and manage your health. Refit/Modify your home to reduce chances of injury and make caregiving safe and ergonomic. Encourage community infrastructure so you can access services easily and systematically. Advocate for subsidies and incentives that encourage home mods and coordinated business models.
In short: Do stuff that will help you avoid a fall, maintain your independence and keep control of your life and your home. Take my challenge! DO THIS STUFF YOURSELF. Set an example. It will work for you and those who follow your lead.
NOW HEAR THIS: I am not talking academically or intellectually. I am not making the distinction between professionals in aging, design, construction, products, healthcare, business and the few who are not in those categories. This is not for retired folks only. I am talking to YOU. No age qualification needed. This is the right advice for everyone. I have done my house. Now YOU DO YOURS! Take responsibility for the future you say you want. Not your parents, not your clients. Not someone else or even the person next to you. YOU!
Louis Tenenbaum, one of the nation's leading authorities on aging in place, is the founder of HomesRenewed, a coalition of business, consumers and nonprofits, driving policy and investment to increase the number of age-friendly homes.
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Thank you Louis for being so up front and forward thinking on this topic, and for your willingness to ask people to “step up to the plate” as we discussed in my interviewing you. FYI, that is now available for you to send people to, as a new blog post (and on my podcasts page) – send them to
http://empoweringthematuremind.com/interview-playback-aging-in-place-w-mr-louis-tenebaum-05-23-2012/
Thanks again for all you do!
Aaron D. Murphy, Architect / CAPS
When I was in my mid-twenties, I got sick. I couldn’t use my shower. Two years later, I put a grab bar in my shower. I love my grab bar! It has made such a difference. I am ablebodied, rarely use it, but when I feel tired or not as steady as I like, it is there.
I think access is for all people, all the time. What struck me is that the only reason I knew about the option of a grab bar is that I worked professionally in the disability field.
Great challenge and great work you are doing.