5-09-08
AARP, AOTA, Home Builders Join Forces on Aging-in-Place
Nearly 9 out of 10 Americans age 50 and older say they want to stay in their homes and community for as long as possible, according to The AARP Home Fit Guide, a new 25-page booklet for consumers on home safety and livability.
AARP, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) are continuing a collaboration that provides solutions to address this growing societal need.
Many of the solutions are described in the Home Fit Guide, which covers everything from home safety tips to hiring a contractor. Occupational therapy is also prominently featured for its role in assessing the fit between the individual and his or her home environment. AOTA staff was invited to review and comment on the draft guide prior to its completion.
Also, AARP, AOTA, and the NAHB jointly presented a short course titled "Creating Partners for Aging-in-Place" at AOTA’s 2008 Annual Conference in Long Beach. The course was enthusiastically received by the 150 practitioners who attended the session.
AARP, AOTA, and NAHB have provided similar presentations at the NAHB Remodelers Show and the International Conference on Aging, Disability, and Independence (ICADI), and plan presentations at the AARP and NAHB conferences.
Another fruitful area of collaboration has been around the NAHB’s Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) designation. The credential identifies building professionals, designers, occupational therapists, and others who have completed 3 days of training including design/build solutions for aging and accessibility; marketing and communications strategies for aging and accessibility; and business management for building professionals. Occupational therapists have assisted in the recent revision of the CAPS courses and currently 3% of CAPS designees are occupational therapy practitioners.
AARP has also played a role in the development of the CAPS program and has used its wide reach to inform consumers about CAPS professionals. AARP recently offered 10 scholarships to occupational therapists for CAPS courses they are hosting in Washington, DC.
You can get a copy of The AARP Home Fit Guide: Information and Tips to Keep Your Home in Top Shape for Comfort, Safety, and Livability by visiting www.aarp.org/family/housing and clicking on the Home Fit link in the Downloads section at the bottom left of the page. Or call 1-800-OUR AARP, or e-mail Fullfillment@aarp.org and mention the title and stock number of the publication (The AARP Home Fit Guide, stock number D18959).