Will your apartment or house meet your needs for a lifetime? Will a friend with mobility limitations be able to visit your home? Is your home an easy walk to the grocery store, the bus stop, a park, your place of worship or your neighborhood library?

As we age, many of us have had to or will have to be faced with two choices: either modify our existing residence, or move to meet our changing needs. Some people may, in effect, be trapped in their homes because of too many steps on the front porch, or a bathroom with a narrow doorway. Others may not feel safe walking in their neighborhood that has no sidewalks. Or our neighborhood pathways do not accommodate mobility devices. There may be no benches for resting, and no crossing lights that allow for a slower pace.

Sadly, millions of people are cut off from their communities or are forced to leave their homes because of limitations like this.

The Aging in Place Coalition, with support from the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA) and the Aging in Place Council, both Washington, DC-based organizations, is hosting a series of events during National Aging in Place Week, November 6-12, to highlight programs and services that enable seniors to live in their homes longer.

The Seattle area Aging in Place Coalition is sponsoring the third annual Aging in Place Resource Fair on Saturday, November 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Seattle Center House. The event is sponsored by the Seattle Center, the City of Seattle Human Services Department's Aging & Disability Services, the American Elevator Company, Reverse Mortgage of America, and Financial Freedom.

"The November 12th event at the Seattle Center House offers two venues for the community. The first is an educational forum with a variety of topics addressing creative financing, home modifications and community support programs. The second venue features hands-on exhibits from local business and service agencies demonstrating innovative products and services to assist our community," said Cassy Franklin of Reverse Mortgage of America and co-chair of the event. Angela Chapman of Chapman Solutions is also co-chair of this event.

The mission of the Aging in Place Coalition is to generate increased awareness of programs and support services including housing, transportation and recreation that enable seniors to successfully age in place and enjoy quality of life.

Through various media, the Coalition hopes to encourage seniors, recent retirees, and Baby Boomers to be proactive in thinking about their future long-term housing and care needs, and to provide them with ideas and information on how to do so.

A second and equally important objective is to build a lasting coalition of allied business and service professionals in each community to assist homeowners in pursuing their long-term needs. Homeowners will benefit if professionals from various disciplines are knowledgeable about one another, and better professional referral networks are established. 

Nationwide, NRMLA and the Aging in Place Council are spearheading educational seminars to encourage older adults to begin planning for their future long-term care needs. National Aging in Place Week has been a huge success with activities including:

• educational events in 32 cities (including Seattle, Buffalo, Charleston, SC; Boston, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles)
• a well attended Summit Meeting in Washington DC
• the publication of the NRMLA Guide to Aging In Place
• the launch of the www.SeniorSafeHome.com website. 

"We timed Aging in Place Week to encourage families to think about this topic before they get together for holiday visits. As families gather to celebrate the holidays, it's a perfect time to discuss livability issues," said Peter Bell, President of NRMLA.

If you are reading this before Sunday, November 6, tune into Tom Kelly's Real Estate Today call-in radio program, 11:00 a.m. - noon, PST, on KTTH-AM 770; or listen live on the net at www.businesstalkradio.net. He will spend the hour interviewing local expert Susan Duncan about the topic of making your home more accessible to meet your changing needs