Kristin Miller and Joseph Lynch renovated their vacation home in the Bershires recently, after giving a lot of thought to their family’s needs.
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Kristin Miller and Joseph Lynch renovated their vacation home in the Bershires recently, after giving a lot of thought to their family’s needs.
Comments
I don't get it-- what happens if they can't drive?
People who have lost the use of their legs can drive perfectly well by having their cars outfitted with hand controls. If they don't feel like driving, they could always call a cab. Just because people become old and/or disabled doesn't mean they can't enjoy the countryside if they put their mind to it.
Elderly people who can no longer see or control their bodies well enough to drive are often stranded when they live in rural areas. It's not a question simply of locomotion. Age that brings mobility problems typically brings other issues that prevent driving. The location looks extremely rural. There may not be any taxi service.
This article should serve as a wake-up call for everyone. After all, we're all just temporally able-bodied. With all the attention being given to accessible living, how much thought is being paid to infrastructure? Is the heating system designed or retrofitted for a person who is visually impaired making and that heating systems can, for example, maintain water levels in a boiler (automatic feed)? Are the toilets HP height and are there grab rails on each side? (These features were noticeably missing in the picture shown.) The entry ways should be 42 inches wide. Is the hot water system pilotless, so if it goes out a blind person can flip a switch? And, what about lowering light switches and thermostats to be accessible by those using wheelchairs; making sure windows can be easily opened, and so on. Oh yes, and what about those special handles for outside doors? While country-living may be scenic and peaceful; has there been much thought about good services, transportation and medical care which may be scarce in the boonies? Are you always going to be able to drive to Boston?
Where is the discussion of location in this article? Sure these people will be able to age in place. But they'll be stuck there. A much more sensible way to do it is to downsize to a NORC as soon as you no longer need the big house & big yard. NORC stands for a "Naturally Occurring Retirement Community," i.e., a downtown main street. Real downtowns have everything an older person needs - stores, restaurants, library, you name it. Read "Walkable City" by Jeff Speck, a new book just published. It's on Amazon, of course, but preferably get it from your local bookstore.