In the four years that I have been writing Housing Matters I have endeavored to communicate the fact that while most of us want to live in our own homes for the rest of our lives, most of our homes are “Peter Pan” homes. In other words, homes designed for people that never grow old. I have written about how the projects we build at Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. create homes that are safe, beautiful and accessible for people of all ages and abilities. And yet I continue to frequently get a response from many people that goes something like this, “I’m not ready for that yet.” There is a sense among many people that somehow remodeling your home to make it safer and more comfortable for you as you as you age is somehow an admission of defeat. That belief couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Today there is a movement to educate people of this very thing. The Better Living Design Institute has been established to promote the idea that homes designed and built to be usable by all people benefits everyone. A home with a zero step entry is better for someone using a wheelchair, a mother with a baby stroller, the furniture movers, and frankly, everyone else. The remodeled bathroom with a custom tiled curbless shower creates a spa like environment that anyone can enjoy. I read a quote that sums it up well by Mary Jo Peterson, a CAPS certified kitchen and bath designer. She said, “Don’t think in terms of ‘I need it.’, Think of it as ‘I deserve it.’ – and you do.”
A certification program is in the works, as well as a “BLD Approved” seal for products that exemplify the tenets of Better Living Design. You will be sure to read more about Better Living Design. In the meantime, for more information about Better Living Design or to learn more about the building, remodeling, and consulting services we offer, please call us at (540) 384-2064 or visit our website at www.solidrockenterprises.com.
