NATIONAL CENTER FOR SENIORS’ HOUSING RESEARCH OPENS
A dream held dear by a large majority of older Americans – the dream of living comfortably, safely and independently in their own homes as they age – took a giant step closer to reality with the opening of the National Center for Seniors’ Housing Research last month. The Center is being funded by the U.S. Administration on Aging under the Title IV Discretionary Grant program and private sector funds.

“The overarching goal of the Center is to help Americans realize that dream, which AARP says is held by 82 percent of the population over age 50,” said Liza Bowles, president of the NAHB Research Center. “This new and heightened attention from the housing industry will help immensely in accommodating the lifestyles of today’s older Americans,” she added.

“With the Baby Boomers on the cusp of retirement, this Center could not have come at a better time,” said Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), who is credited with securing congressional funding for this initiative. “Providing safe homes and good information about products designed for seniors will ensure that the golden years are not tarnished,” Hoyer said.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the 60+ age group will double by 2025, meaning that the housing needs of over 80 million older Americans will have to be addressed. “This new Center was created to fill just these needs,” Hoyer said.

Among the Center’s first-year activities are:

Aging in Place: A Smart-Aging Residential Design Competition for Students. Open to building construction, architecture and engineering students nationwide, this competition is aimed at soliciting innovative ideas on smart-aging residential design. The use of innovative materials, products and systems will be strongly encouraged. Older Americans, as well as today’s and tomorrow’s builders and manufacturers, will ultimately benefit from the students’ efforts. (Submissions are due by November 17, 2000.)

Quality Standards: Standards will be developed to govern the quality and suitability of existing structures, renovations, and new units appropriate for senior living. The standards will be used to create a new awareness within the building industry about the special needs of seniors who want to continue living independently in their own homes. These standards will also give basic guidance to the aging network as they counsel older persons and their families about the possibilities and appropriateness of home modification projects, and advocate for quality workmanship.

Data Collection and Analysis: The Center will collect and analyze available data about existing products and assertive technologies available to seniors and their caregivers that enhance the potential of older persons to remain in their own homes. Products and technologies will be evaluated on their strengths and weaknesses, categorized by price and affordability, and correlated with various abilities and disabilities common to older persons.

National Housing Roudtables: The Center will conduct a series of national Roundtables to facilitate interactive discussions among representatives of the building industry, prospective consumers, aging network representatives, and adult children of aging parents. The first Roundtable is set for early august, and will examine how builders and remodelers are getting information and obtaining the products and materials they need to address the needs of their senior clients.

Remodeling Survey: The Center will collect and analyze data regarding the costs of remodeling specific areas of the home. This information will address the average cost of remodeling a home to make it livable for older persons, common modifications desired by persons with chronic health problems, and the process typically used in remodeling.

Information Dissemination: The results of the Center’s efforts will be broadly disseminated to the Aging Network and the housing industry through a telephone Hotline, an email list service, educational programs, a technical newsletter, a directory of building products and technologies to promote accessibility, safety and independence, and through other means.

An Advisory Committee will assist in providing counsel and insight into the Center’s activities. Committee members include: Leon Harper (AARP); Ilene Rosenthal (MD Department of Aging); Susan Klein (Philadelphia Corporation for Aging); John Pynoos (National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modification); Eric Belsky (Joint Center for Housing Studies); Lawrence Murr (Lawrence Murr Remodeling); Louis Tenenbaum (Access Remodeling); Greg Miedema (Dakota Buuilders); David Tyson (David A. Tyson, Inc.); Barry Rosengarten (Riverview Terrace, LLC); Nancy West (Leon N. Weiner & Associates, Inc.); and Kenneth Simons (Pulte Lifestyle Communities).

The Center, which is a cooperative effort between the NAHB Research Center and the Administration on Aging, will be housed in the NAHB Research Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. Two-thirds of the funding for the effort will come from public sector, while the private sector will contribute one-third.

Check out the Research Center website – www.nahbrc.org - for regular updates.