Courtesy of Susan Hindman

We don’t consider the simple things in our homes becoming a challenge, like turning a doorknob, using an oven, or going up and down even a few steps—until a medical condition such as a stroke, heart attack, or hip replacement forces the issue. Suddenly it’s time to make adjustments to our houses. But if you wait until then, the decisions may have to be made quickly, and the results may be unattractive or costly.

The National Aging in Place Council (NAIPC) wants seniors, recent retirees, and baby boomers to think about this. Aging in place means staying in our homes as long as possible, but it requires being proactive, planning before the need occurs, as well as knowing what services are available. Aging in place also can’t be done without help from various services—including health care, transportation, and housing—that make independent living possible.

National Aging in Place Week, October 12-18, 2009, organized by the NAIPC, hopes to bring together groups providing those services and showcase them through educational community activities. The effort is to build “lasting coalitions of allied business professionals in communities across the U.S. to assist homeowners with pursuing their long-term care needs,” according to the group’s Web site.

The NAIPC identifies coalitions as including geriatric care managers, occupational therapists, architects, interior designers, remodeling contractors (including those who have obtained the Certified Aging in Place Specialist designation), home health care companies, insurance companies and brokerages, reverse mortgage lenders, elder law attorneys, and public and nonprofit organizations. Area professionals can meet and learn about each other, which helps create referral networks. They can pass that information along to consumers via local educational events and through the media.

Check out the NAIPC site, as well as your local media outlets, to see if Aging in Place Week events are planned for your community.