Visitablity

Buildings and communities can be designed with visitability in mind. This means that they are accessible to people with varying abilities—for instance, people with reduced mobility or people who might have difficulties clearing obstacles.

Visitability is achieved through inclusive design in housing. A few simple features, such as entryways without steps, 32-inch-wide doorways, 36-inch-wide hallways, and an accessible bathroom on the main floor, are essential for a person with mobility impairments.

The benefits from such design include increased opportunities for social interaction and an easier time conducting daily activities. Adding these features during construction costs very little and eliminates the need to renovate existing homes or move to new ones—conserving energy and materials and preserving social networks. At CoHo Ecovillage, visitablity features were included in the original design, paving the way for A Home in Community to develop its first project there.

Links to More Information

• The American Association of Retired People (AARP) published a white paper about visitability.

• The Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access provides reports and other information about designing for visitability.

• Concrete Change is an international network with a goal of making all new homes visitable.

• The Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University provides information, technical assistance, and research on accessible and universal design in housing, commercial and public facilities, outdoor environments, and products.

• Expertise has developed a guide to help caregivers and those living with disabilities understand the available federal grants and other resources that can help create a home that is accessible. The entire guide is available at: http://www.expertise.com/home-and-garden/home-remodeling-for-disability-and-special-needs.

Intentional Communities

An intentional community is a planned residential community designed to have a much higher degree of teamwork than other communities. The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, political, religious, or spiritual vision and often follow an alternative lifestyle. They usually share responsibilities and resources.

Examples of Intentional communities include collective households, cohousing communities, ecovillages, communes, survivalist retreats, kibbutzim, ashrams, and housing cooperatives. New members of an intentional community are generally selected by the community's existing membership, based on the vision and values of the collective group.

The purposes of intentional communities vary. They may include sharing resources, creating family-oriented neighborhoods and living ecologically sustainable lifestyles (ecovillages). Many intentional communities focus on the importance of living and sharing life together, as opposed to the perceived trend of isolation in Western culture.

Links to More Information

• The Fellowship for Intentional Community serves the growing communities' movement, providing resources for starting a community, finding a community home, living in community, and creating more community in your life.

• The Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) offers inspiring examples of how people and communities can live healthy, cooperative, genuinely happy, and meaningful lifestyles -- beacons of hope that will help in the transition to a more sustainable future on Earth.

• The Northwest Intentional Communities Association provides a directory of intentional communities in the Pacific Northwest.

• Meadowdance Community Group provides an article on “What is an intentional community?”

• The U.S. Cohousing Association offers numerous resources and contacts for building and living in a cohousing community.

Aging in Place

The Center for Disease Control 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." Homes and communities that are well-suited for aging in place incorporate universal design principles and offer livability features such as telecare, communication assistance, health and wellness monitoring, and home safety and security.

Cohousing embraces the village concept, calling on the collective abilities of the community to respond to the challenges of aging. It builds a shared sense of community through social activities, including collective dinners, book clubs, celebrations, and educational activities. All of these features help provide a healthy place for people to grow older, but to be fully effective, even a village requires thoughtful features.

CoHo Ecovillage was conceived and constructed with universal design concepts to support successful aging in place. The homes, built in 2007, include features that allow easy access and help prevent injuries. For example:

• Ground-floor units have flat entryways.

• Bathrooms contain grab bars and hand-held flexible shower heads.

• Stairways have railings and light switches at both ends of the stairs.

• Unobstructed pathways reduce dangers to an older person.

Links to More Information

• Healthy Places Terminology defines related term and links to many other resources.

• Promoting Aging in Place: Policies and Practices that Work was a forum sponsored by the AARP that examined policies and practices for aging in place.

• National Aging in Place Council links to diverse service providers in various specialties and offers practical advice.

• Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist (CAPS) provides training in the unique needs of older people, home modifications, common remodeling projects, and removal of barriers.