Accommodation, Part 1

Accommodation, Part 1

Original Air Date: February 15, 1998

How to stay independent in your living environment-whether in your own home or with family.
How to "age-proof" your home.
How to readjust and cope with the changing family dynamic.
A look at the future of supportive housing.

What does an environmental gerontologist do?

An environmental gerontologist is an interior designer with expertise in design that helps people age in place, and designs the residence so that it looks good (not institutional) at the same time.
The goal is to "age-proof" the living space so that nobody coming into the home knows it's been done.
What does "aging in place" mean?
- It means being able to stay in a residence we decide we want to remain in for as long as we're alive.
  What's a granny flat?
  - Technically, a granny flat is a prefabricated structure that can be set up on a family's property as an independent residence for an elderly relative. The term, however, is also used in Canada to describe an independent unit within a home, as well. The "real" granny flats aren't that common in Canada thanks to restrictive bylaws and small lot sizes in urban/suburban centres.
    What other options are available for independent living?
    - Duplexes: elderly parents live in one half, adult children in the other.
    - Home sharing: some areas have matching services that will connect a senior with a tenant who will do errands, housework, etc., in exchange for reduced rent.
    - Communal living: four or five seniors sharing a home.
    - Senior apartments: ranging from totally independent settings to different levels of assisted/supportive living (i.e. Senior Link).
      When should a person who intends to age in place start planning?
      - Now is the time to be thinking about where you're going to live and what you're going to do. If you were to have a stroke, you could still make the necessary changes to your home after the fact, but it's unnecessary added pressure.
      - Additionally, the type of structural changes necessary to age in place make life easier for people of any age with mobility or sensory problems-i.e. the 20-year-old who breaks his leg skiing.
        Why is pre-planning so important?
        
        Because down the road it will allow us to save our energy to do the "fun" things, the things we want to be expending our energy on. You don't want to exhaust yourself just trying to get a mug out of the cupboard or plug in a lamp.
        The safety issue: falls are extremely dangerous for seniors. Don't wait until you've suffered an injury and then are forced to make changes to facilitate the injury.
        What age-related physical changes normally occur, and what type of age-proofing do they require?
        
        Sight: the lenses of our eyes thicken and yellow with time. As a result, we need much brighter and more light. As well, we lose our depth perception, so contrasting colors on stairs, etc., are important.
        Hearing: for seniors who are losing their hearing, a home with a lot of hard surfaces means a lot of background noise, making hearing even more difficult.
        Mobility: stove controls on the front of the stove (eliminates reaching across hot burners);
        non-slip surfaces in kitchens and bathrooms;
        easy-grip handles on doors and cupboards;
        lever handles on kitchen and bathroom sink fixtures.
        In your experience, how successful are arrangements like granny flats or auxiliary apartments?
        
        She says the best arrangements are those that allow the parties to maintain total independence. "Separate is successful." You need your own space. Parents and children might have meals together, but that's it. Proximity is important, but we all want independence and privacy.

Top of page

What does "independent living" mean to seniors?

For seniors, independence means being able to do what they want to do-when they want to do it-and not having to look to someone else to facilitate for them.
It also means being able to shut the door and have their own "space," being able to come and go "at their own speed" and having a place to keep their belongings.
Is there a trend away from institutional living for seniors?
- Yes. For the last 10-15 years, governments have been promoting a trend away from institutionalization and toward families and the community taking on more responsibility for seniors.
- The rationale is that keeping people in the community is both cheaper for the public purse and better for people.
  Why is independent living better for people?
  - Most seniors are active, vital, independent people. Placing them in a facility just because they're old means they lose their independence. Once institutionalized, they have somebody else telling them when to get up, when to eat and when to go to bed.
    What should you consider when deciding whether to have a parent move in with you?
    - Draw up a balance sheet and look at the pros and cons.
    - Think about what your relationship with the person has been like over the years. Can you be together with that person for long periods without getting on each other's nerves...and having nowhere to "hide"?
    - How will you maintain your space and your privacy? Both parties need to think about what they'll be giving up in terms of privacy.
    - How do all members of the family, children included, feel about it?
    - Do you understand how long this set-up might continue? It could be years and years.
    - What, if any, are the person's care requirements? Is the amount of whatever care might be needed more than the family will be willing and able to give (especially any quasi-nursing-type care)?
    - What about your health? Will this set-up be detrimental to you?
    - What's the financial situation of both parties? Are both parties able to contribute equitably?
      Are there different considerations for an adult child moving back in with Mom?
      - Yes. There can be problems over how much of her "turf" she's willing to relinquish, or to what extent she'll compromise her way of doing things.
        Is there reciprocity in these arrangements?
        
        Definitely. It's not just younger family members giving support to the seniors. Seniors can contribute a lot, both financially (helping out with bills, etc.), providing moral support, companionship and, in situations where there are young children or grandchildren, assisting with child care.
        What do you do if you can't convince an elderly relative that they're "living dangerously" and should move to a safer environment?
        
        Nothing. Unless the person has been declared incompetent, there's absolutely nothing you can do about it. Seniors are consenting adults, and have every right to decide where they will live.
        What's the most important advice for seniors considering changing living arrangements?
        
        If possible, stay where you are.
        If you move, will you have "lifestyle continuity"-the ability to continue doing the things that are important to you or to have contact with friends and others you enjoy being with?
        Before you make a permanent move, try it out. Don't sell your home or give up your apartment until you've had a trial period to see if this proposed arrangement is going to work for everyone concerned.
        
        Top of page
        Where did the idea for Senior Link's type of supportive housing originate?
        
        In the mid-1970s, Canada had the highest rate of senior institutionalization in the Western world. Seniors were going needlessly into chronic care facilities/nursing homes.
        Senior Link was modeled after the homes in Britain.
        Their residence was the first supportive housing built in Canada without government funding.
        Why is this type of supportive housing is the wave of the future?
        
        A lot of seniors' accommodation is "warehousing." Senior Link's version of supportive housing allows people to remain integrated-a part of their community (both their "building community" and the community at large).
        A better vision of the future is of mixed complexes, where people of all ages, and seniors with all types of support needs, cohabit in the same buildings.
        Across the board, approximately 14% of the residents in a given apartment building are seniors. Of that 14%, a quarter of them will likely need supportive housing at some point in their lives.
        Senior Link's type of supportive housing is portable: when a senior needs assistance, that unit he/she lives in becomes supportive housing. When that senior leaves the building, or no longer needs that type of assistance, that support ceases. Basically, the support is on a standby basis in the community for whomever requires it at a given time, not tied to a specific unit or building.
        What's the benefit to the individual?
        
        The person isn't "warehoused"; he/she remains part of a vibrant community. Senior Link's activities (like bingo or movie night) are open to the entire neighborhood community, not just residents of the building.
        Most people do not want to move when they know and like the area and the people where they live. With supportive housing, the person stays in their home, and the services change according to the needs of the individual throughout that person's life.
        What's the benefit to the community?
        
        It's cost-effective, utilizing existing buildings rather than necessitating the purchase of land or construction of new buildings.
        
        Top of page