Aging adults are a subpopulation of the disability community that grows every year, and ensuring they can live independently and with self-determination is a crucial part of our mission. Helping communities promote “aging in place” is vital to achieving independent living for older adults in general, but especially those who live with disabilities. “Aging in place” is a concept that focuses on enabling older adults to remain in their existing homes and communities as they age, instead of pushing them to relocate to nursing homes or other residential options. Aging in place considers both the individual needs of aging adults, such as modifications to a residence, and the community-wide changes that support inclusion, such as widening sidewalks and providing transportation options.
Post-Americans with Disabilities Act, many of these changes have taken the form of accommodations—increasing resources and services within a community to help people adapt to challenges associated with aging. However, we can also take a more proactive approach and begin modifying our communities in a way that considers the diversity of people’s needs and challenges at the forefront instead of adapting as an afterthought. Together, individuals and community leaders can ensure older adults and those with disabilities have the same opportunities to influence their living arrangements and care team as any other person.
At the individual level in Michigan, one way for aging residents within certain income and asset criteria to receive accommodations is the MI Choice Waiver program. This program allows older adults to have caregivers and other service providers visit them at home instead of relocating to a nursing home or assisted living facility. Services can include support with chores, home-delivered meals, counseling, nursing, and more. Individuals who do not qualify for Medicaid have other options for receiving accommodations that support aging in place. Many local municipalities have specialized services for older residents that can be found here or by connecting with your local Area Agency on Aging. Also, your nearest Center for Independent Living can provide resources, information, and referral services for aging adults with disabilities in their service areas.
More proactively, organizations like ours are working to make environments and communities more accessible by considering older people and people with disabilities at the start. Concepts like universal design invite us to consider a world beyond the requirements of the accommodations-focused Americans with Disabilities Act and instead, use inclusion and access to inspire our development. This world has playgrounds and sidewalks that accommodate wheelchairs and mobility aids, wayfinding tools, and a variety of other design features that promote the universal use of spaces and amenities by everyone within a community. Universal design captures the spirit of Independent Living and applies it to the physical aspects of our neighborhoods and communities.
Some of the core principles of universal design include equitable and flexible use that allow users to interact with an environment without unique accommodations, and amenities that are simple and easy to use from both cognitive and physical perspectives. In practice, this can include automatic doors that open using sensors, self-checkout machines or ATMs with visual, tactile, and audio feedback, or signage that uses pictures and/or tactile stimuli to communicate information. Other important aspects of this type of design include sufficient space to move around and interact with a feature, such as controls on the front of an appliance or wider doorways and hallways, and a tolerance for error, such as keys that can be inserted in a lock in multiple directions. Together, these attributes remove barriers to access and inclusion that disproportionately impact people with disabilities, aging adults, and aging adults with disabilities.
Ultimately, developing communities that are attractive to people of any age or disability status starts with changing our mindset—instead of starting with accommodations, can we design or redesign from the ground up in a way that considers the needs of the broadest spectrum of users? If not, how can we create the least obtrusive accommodations that still ensure people of all ages feel valued and included in their own communities? Ultimately, greater inclusivity and access allows people to invest in their communities for a lifetime, enhances our society and environment, and allows every person to maximize their potential.