FACT SHEET
Among older Americans, being placed in a nursing home is one of life’s greatest fears. Survey after survey shows that Americans want to age in place. AARP’s May 2000 survey, Fixing to Stay, only confirms this. The overwhelming majority (82%) of mid-life and older Americans want to remain living independently in their own homes. In sum, these individuals want to remain a part of the communities where they have raised children, made friends, and joined churches. They do not want to be cast aside simply because they have reached a certain age and may experience some of the physical and visual symptoms that are a natural part of getting older.
In 1998, there were 34.4 million individuals aged 65 and older in the U.S. By 2025, the U.S. Census Bureau predicts that this group will grow by 80%. This means that 62 million aging Americans will potentially require new homes, renovations to their existing homes, or age-appropriate assistive devices in the next quarter century. This need for home modifications, coupled with advances in home-based medical technologies, is creating a huge gap in the demand for new seniors’ housing options and the ability to deliver such options.
How does the housing industry currently address aging America’s needs? Is this a collaborative effort between the builders and the seniors themselves or, alternatively, does this involve cooperation between the building and medical communities?
This roundtable will examine how the building, remodeling and product manufacturing communities are currently addressing the needs of seniors and will suggest ways to prepare for the future population explosion. Specifically, participants will discuss:
The housing industry supply chain;
How builders and remodelers identify and obtain products, technologies and designs for seniors; and
Ways to more effectively meet the needs of America’s seniors today and in the decades ahead.
Participants will also explore whether the needs of seniors differ from the needs of the rest of the population. Do seniors need specialized products and designs or are they like everyone else?
For more information, contact : Deborah S. Adler at: dsadler@nahbrc.org
