Designing Homes for Aging in Place: The Imperative of ‘Visitability’
Embracing Inclusivity and Mobility in Home Design for Aging Populations
As our society ages, the way we think about housing is undergoing a profound transformation. According to the most recent Home and Community Preferences survey by AARP, nearly 8 in 10 adults aged 50 and older express a preference to stay in their current homes or communities as they age. This number rises to about 9 in 10 for adults aged 65 and older. It’s a misconception that most people want to migrate to Florida when they retire, as Rodney Harrell of AARP’s Public Policy Institute puts it. The majority of us desire to remain where we’ve built our communities.
However, the reality is that the living environments of many individuals will need to adapt to changing mobility needs. By the time people reach the age of 70, 35% will have limited mobility, and this percentage increases for those aged 85 and older. Falls become increasingly common with aging, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that falls can significantly impact the health and independence of older adults.
One critical issue is that very little of the current housing stock is designed to accommodate those with mobility challenges. While the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) addresses accessibility in public spaces and businesses, and the Fair Housing Act covers multifamily housing, designing single-family homes for aging in place remains largely voluntary, except for a few exceptional cases.
Fortunately, designing homes with aging in place in mind isn’t as challenging as it might seem. The most significant obstacles are stairs and steps, followed by challenges related to the bathroom. A 2020 report from the U.S. Census Bureau titled “Old Housing, New Needs: Are U.S. Homes Ready for an Aging Population?” found that only 1 in 10 homes could be considered “aging-ready.” These homes address the two core needs for aging in place: single-floor living and bathroom accessibility, achieved through features like zero-step entries, first-floor bedrooms, and accessible first-floor bathrooms.
The terms “aging-ready” and “universal design” have been coined to describe homes that cater to limited mobility. However, a breakthrough term is now on the horizon—visitability. Advocates for the “visitability” movement have been tirelessly working to make three key features standard in all new home construction:
- An entrance with a flush threshold.
- Ground-floor doorways and hallways with minimum clearance for wheelchair access.
- A ground-floor powder room large enough for a wheelchair user.
The spirit of visitability conveys that it’s not just unwise but unacceptable that new homes continue to be built with gross barriers when it’s relatively easy to build basic access into the majority of new homes. A website produced by the National Council on Independent Living, Visitability.org, emphasizes that our social lives shouldn’t be impeded by mobility issues, and people should be able to visit others easily.
Some jurisdictions have already taken proactive steps. Pima County, Arizona, and the entire state of Vermont mandate visitability in their building codes. The Inclusive Home Design Act, which would require visitability for single-family homes and townhouses constructed with the help of federal funds, has been introduced multiple times, most recently in 2022, though it has yet to become law.
The message is clear: creating homes that are accessible, inclusive, and designed for aging in place is not just a matter of convenience; it’s a matter of necessity. As our population continues to age, the imperative of visitability becomes increasingly evident. It’s a call to embrace inclusivity and mobility in home design, ensuring that everyone can continue to enjoy the comfort and familiarity of their homes as they age.
Author: James Murphy, Realtor, SRES
COLDWELL BANKER | REALTY
Serving Greater Boston | South Shore | South Coast & Cape Cod
Source: BUILDER.COM