Why Aging in Place and Lifestyle Renovations are So Important
The CDC defines aging in place as “the ability to live in one’s own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level.”
My name is Tracey Kirstein and I’ve recently joined the Brad-Core Humanism in Building Team. As a physical therapist for 37 years, with the past 9 years dedicated to homecare visits, I’ve seen the many challenges that patients and their caregivers face while recovering from injuries, surgeries, or learning to adapt to chronic illness/pain. Although huge gains can be made in their functional mobility, often challenges that persist are associated with their physical home environment. In other words, their homes are no longer able to meet the demands of their comfort, safety and accessibility.
As I became more and more clear about this inherent limitation of my role as a clinician, I began to research and determine what the market was providing for in-home modifications and renovations – specifically geared to lifestyle changes. What I found was Brad-Core. After meeting with Brad-Core’s president and founder, Brad Ruder, and sharing our common goals of providing solutions for living and thriving in place, I decided to pivot from my clinical career and begin a new phase, starting with earning my Aging in Place Certification. After that, joining the Brad-Core Humanism in Building team as their Abilities Specialist/Aging in Place Coordinator was a natural fit. So many solutions are now possible!
What does it mean to “live and thrive in place”?
I have always been committed to providing the best long-term outcomes for my patients while Brad has certainly done the same for his clients. Our unified goal is to create the most viable living spaces, while understanding that each person and each living environment has its own unique features and constraints.
The Covid-19 pandemic certainly took the world by surprise. It has made the role that our homes play much more complex and involved. Home is now the office, the classroom, the entertainment center, the conference room and sometimes even the doctor’s office. This can be true for multiple generations living in one home. Many find themselves needing to create a new workspace either for themselves, a partner, a parent or child(ren), building a home theatre or gym, or changing living spaces from up a flight of stairs to the main floor, or all of these things for greater accessibility.
Although the end of this pandemic is hopefully nearing, its long-lasting effects will remain. We want to be able to stay in our own homes and flourish at every point in our lives. I’m often reminded of the quote by John J. Beckley, who said:
“Most people don’t plan to fail; they fail to plan.”
The need to make radical changes to our lifestyles with the onset of Covid-19, coupled with the reality that people rarely plan ahead for aging in place, fully supports my urgent advice to plan NOW. Avoid the impact of a crisis, when decisions are often rushed and not optimal.
I’m ready to connect and work with you to plan for any and all modifications or renovations you may be thinking about. Call me, Tracey Kirstein, at 201-486-6141 or email tkirstein@brad-core.com and let’s begin with a free comprehensive home assessment.