A letter from Gary Bonomo, President of CDIFund

When my mother reached the point where she could no longer live alone, my family and I looked for 55-plus housing that would meet her needs while allowing her to maintain her independence.

Unfortunately, it became apparent that none of the homes we found offered a long-term solution that would accommodate her as she aged.

We figured other families were experiencing similar frustrations. I decided to build the Fox Hollow community of single-family homes. These houses are designed to embrace the aging process, allowing residents to age in place. Modifications can be made quickly and inexpensively, because the homes are designed and built so they can be altered as needed.

CDIFund’s architect works with homeowners to select universal design features tailored to their requirements. Regardless of physical needs, the home looks like any other upscale house. For active adults, the built-in dustpan is a high-end luxury, but for the 90-year-old mother, it’s a back-saver. The full-body driers built into the showers evoke a spa-like experience, but at later stages, if towel drying is difficult, the driers allow residents and visitors to maintain their hygiene, privacy and dignity.

Families have been frustrated for years when their elderly parents or grandparents reached a point where they couldn’t live alone, but they really didn’t need or want assisted living or a nursing home. The homes in Fox Hollow give people the option of having an elderly parent and a caregiver live in the home, each with his or her own suite.

Under the 2005 federal “money follows the person” legislation, Medicaid helps cover the cost of in-home care. The federal government realized it was less costly for taxpayers and more compassionate for people to provide them with care in their homes, rather than in convalescent homes. (Nationally, the average cost for a private room in a nursing home is $203 per day, $74,095 annually; the cost for a semi-private room is $176 per day, $64,240 annually. Home health aids’ rate nationally averages $19 an hour, while homemakers/companions’ rate averages $17 an hour.*)

Thanks to the shift in Medicaid from institutional, long-term care services for seniors to the “money follows the person” model, the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services will give states $1.75 billion over five years. The funds should offer seniors more choices, including home-based services.

I’m in my mid-50s, and I know that today’s baby boomers would avoid anything that smacked of senior housing. But people in their 50s and 60s may have parents who need assistance. And eventually, should baby boomers need the convenience of low-maintenance living, the home is ready. The wide doorways and 9-foot ceilings not only give the floor plan an open feeling; they ease mobility and improve air circulation.

As one vibrant Fox Hollow homeowner said, “I’ll never have to move again.”

Fox Hollow gives seniors and their families an alternative to institutional care. The houses are designed for one-floor living, but there’s a staircase to the basement and framework for an elevator, if it’s needed. An extra room can start off as a space with a lap pool and wet bar; within two days and at minimal expense, it can be converted into an in-law suite with kitchenette and separate entrance. Sometimes families don’t have much

notice when a loved one needs more intense care.

Before putting pencil to paper, I spent two years interviewing seniors about their ideal home. We tried to think of every need – from the desire for low-maintenance living so you’re free to travel and be active, to the preference for an energy efficient home to make the most of your retirement income. (Bulk purchasing power for the community lowers fuel costs and other common expenses. Our generation knows that we can’t rely on Social Security and Medicare, so CDIFund is in negotiations with several providers of living necessities – from homeowners’ insurance to food – to secure volume discount rates.)

Fox Hollow homes are built to surpass energy efficiency certification codes. They’re designed for maximum air circulation so that the air is not too dry in the winter or too moist in the summer.

Nobody likes to think about it, but many seniors told me they want to die in their own homes. If necessary, medical monitoring and telemedicine can be set up in the home. The same technology allows for video conferencing, so family and friends can stay in touch, regardless of where they live.

I’m not a builder. I’m a son, a husband, a father and a brother. My vision for Fox Hollow is to provide homes where people can live out their lives to the fullest, regardless of their age.

*The MetLife Market Survey of Nursing Home and Home Care Costs, 2005