Aging in Place Home Assessments
Living independently during our golden years can be an enjoyable and rewarding time of life. As an older adult, you can maintain your dignity, quality of life, and independence while living at home as long as your living needs are met so you are safe, healthy, and happy. The Council on Aging can help you do this with our Aging in Place Home Assessment Program.
Aging in Place simply means to be able to remain in your own home as you get older and your needs and abilities change. By making some simple home modifications, you can live more comfortably and safely, so you can move freely about your home and continue your everyday activities.
An Aging in Place Home Assessment is conducted by the Council on Aging’s Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS). The assessment is focused on safety, accessibility, and fall prevention. The entrance, kitchen, and bathroom are primary areas of concentration, although other areas are also assessed. During the home assessment, our CAPS will be looking at things such as flooring, lighting, counter height, faucets, height of the toilet, ability to enter the shower/tub, lighting at entrance ways, hand rails, chair height, use of throw rugs, client medications that may cause light-headedness or dizziness, how the client goes about completing their daily activities, and so much more. Once the home assessment is complete, our CAPS will write a report outlining his/her recommendations on ways to improve safety, accessibility, and functionality in the home. This report will be shared and reviewed with the client. In many situations, making a few minor home modifications will increase safety, usability of the home, and independence.
The next step of the home assessment process is to coordinate simple home modifications with the Council on Aging chore workers (if the clients wishes to do so). The Council on Aging chore workers can help with simple modifications such as: install handrails and grab bars, build simple wheelchair ramps, provide outside seasonal needs such as pull weeds, trim shrubs, wash windows, etc., and other miscellaneous minor home repairs that fall within their skill level. The chore workers provide the labor, but any supplies needed are the responsibility of the client. There is no charge for chore services, but donations are graciously accepted and encouraged to help support the program.
The Council on Aging outreach worker will also work with the client to see if any small durable medical equipment is needed from the Council’s Loan Closet or through another local medical equipment provider.
What is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist? A Certified Aging in Place Specialist helps people who want to make their homes a home for a lifetime. CAPS professionals have been taught the strategies and techniques for designing and building aesthetically enriching, barrier free environments. For the older adult population, this may mean the difference between being able to stay in their home or moving in with family, assisted living or nursing home. But please know, that the Council on Aging is here to provide recommendations only. Any decisions on updates or living arrangements are completely up to the client.
If you would like more information on the Aging in Place Home Assessment Program, please call Mary Maas at 419-523-4121 or toll-free 1-877-796-1760.
The Aging in Place Home Assessment Program is brought to you through a local partnership between the Putnam County Council on Aging and the Putnam County Health Department. This program is made possible through the Putnam County Health Department Public Health Workforce Grant; Funded through the Ohio Department of Health and the Federal Cooperative Agreement for Emergency Response: Public Health Crisis Response.
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