home matters brossoie

Home Matters:Building Community Capacity to

Support Aging in Place in Rural Southwest VA

Nancy Brossoie, PhD Center for Gerontology

Virginia TechVirginia Governor’s Conference on Aging

May 2, 2016

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HOME MATTERS:Building Community Capacity to Support Aging in Place in Rural Southwest VA

Nancy Brossoie, PhD Center for Gerontology Virginia Tech

Virginia Governor’s Conference on Aging

May 2, 2016

2Community Partners

Aging in Place Leadership Team Nancy Brossoie Center for Gerontology, Virginia Tech Carol Davis Sustainability Office, Town of Blacksburg Patti Drescher VA Dept. of Rehabilitative Services Shelley Fortier Habitat for Humanity of the New River Valley Matt Hanratty Housing & Neighborhood Services, Town of Blacksburg

Tina King New River Valley Agency on Aging Kim Thurlow Community Foundation of the New River Valley Elisabeth Willis Housing & Community Development, Town of Blacksburg

Jennifer Wilsie New River Valley Planning District Commission VISTA volunteers

3A Grassroots Effort!

Aging in Place

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The ability to live in one’s own home and community safely,

independently,

& comfortably

regardless of age, income,

or ability level.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Definition Guiding our Work

Virginia & New River Valley

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Virginia pop. 8,000,000 NRV pop. 185,000

≤ 25% age 65+

We take care of our own!

1460 square miles

Housing in the NRVHousing stock is old

• 50% built 40+ years ago

• Newer homes typically house students and working families

Homes of older residents likely to • Require modifications

• Require repairs

• Require energy efficiency upgrades

6Our Main Focus

2014 Aging in Place Workshop

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• ½ day charette • 80 attendees

Goal: Design future housing stock & neighborhoods

2014 Workshop Findings

Home Matters!

• Setting

• Designed for the environment

• Energy-efficient

• Affordable

• Accessible

• inside and outside

• to the community and services

• Promote quality of life

• productive and healthy habits

8https://www.communityhousingpartners.org/files/906.pdf

Rural Design #1

2014 Workshop Recommendations:Local Government

• Expedite and streamline permitting processes for home modifications

• Explore zoning revisions that enable homeowners to create accessory dwelling units (e.g., granny flat)

• Revise zoning laws to permit services, amenities, and transportation to be located near housing developments


2014 Workshop Recommendations:Community Planners

• Incorporate the concept of livable communities across the lifespan into local and regional planning discussions

• Create and promote use of shared spaces such as community gardens, trails, workshops, and business incubators

• Develop an aging in place action plan for the NRV


2014 Workshop Recommendations:Builders & Architects

• Incorporate Universal Design and accessibility features into new construction to reduce future modification costs to accommodate physical impairments and disabilities

• Explore community-based aging in place models that can offer access to services to community members at low costs

• Incorporate design elements that preserve neighborhood character


2014 Workshop Recommendations:Local Government, Planners, Builders, & Architects

• Collaborate!

• Create programs that facilitate home repairs and modifications at low cost to participants

• Work to incorporate lifespan friendly design principles in new construction

• Provide incentives to homeowners & builders


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• ½ day session

• 125 attendees

78% local

2015 Aging in Place Workshop

Aging in Place Training

Breakout Discussion Sessions • Policymakers and Regulators • Developers, Builders, Lenders • Residents & Eldercare Workforce

Goal: Identify challenges to improving housing stock

Funded by VA Geriatric Training and Education Award

2015 Workshop Outcomes:Aging in Place

Increased understanding & awareness • Interconnected roles of housing, health, services,

transportation, & social connections in supporting aging in place

Initiated community discussion

• How to think about aging in place

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2015 Workshop Outcomes: Challenges for policymakers, builders, & homeowners

Zoning regulations vary • Support local building/development plan

• Vary between multi-family and single-family dwellings

Building code requirements are $$ and extensive • ADA, EPA, safety compliance

Housing affordability • Lack of affordable home modification/ repair programs

• New builds are often less expensive than remodeling

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Next Steps:Building a Lifespan Friendly Communities

Inspire focus and momentum and serve as an invitation for other community members to participate in making aging in place a reality in the NRV.

Six priority action items focus on • Home • Services • Community

17https://cfnrv.org/images/page/AginginPlaceActionPlan.pdf

Action Step #1:Local Housing Needs Survey (2016)

Goal: Identify actual housing needs and wants of older residents

Survey residents age 50+ • Current condition of structure

• Accessibility into and within house

• Changes/accommodations made

• Current and future needs and wants

Lead Agency: • Center for Gerontology, VT


Action Step #2:Home Modification & Repair Program (2015-17)

Goal: Offer low cost/free home modifications/repairs

• Serve low-income adults with unmet housing needs

• Use energy efficient and sustainable materials

• Connect recipients with other services

Lead Agencies: • Sustainability Office, Town of Blacksburg • Community Foundation of the NRV • Habitat for Humanity of the NRV

• Center for Gerontology, VT


Lifespan Friendly Homes:2 Year Funding

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Goal: 24 homes – up to $5,000 budget each

Funded by Partners for Places - Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities

Action Step #3:Centralized Local Service Connector (2016-17)

Goal: Connect housing programs to health, recreation, & transportation programs through a centralized resource

Lead Agency: • NRV Agency on Aging

Community Partners: • Dept. of Rehabilitative Services • Habitat for Humanity of the NRV • Housing & Community Development, Blacksburg


Action Step #4:Establish a Local TimeBank (2016)

Goal: Promote free service exchange between residents

• Residents give & receive assistance

• 1 hour service = 1 time credit

• All exchanges are equated to time

• Format developed by TimeBanksTM

Lead Agency:

• Housing & Community Development,

Blacksburg


Action Step #5:Age-Friendly Community Certification (2017)

Goal: Receive AFC certification for the region

• Build upon region-wide livability initiative (2011-2013) & housing survey (2016)

• Build upon Aging in Place housing efforts • Develop partnerships in 3 large communities • Solicit support using “life-span friendly design”


Action Step #6:Encourage Land-Use Policies, Regulations and Markets for Lifespan Friendly Homes

(2017)


Goal: Improve local and state policy and regulations to facilitate development of lifespan friendly homes and communities

Start the conversation and educate • Persons buying, renting, or building a home

• Realtors and lenders

• Developers and builders

• Local planning and zoning staff

Lobby for change in state building code and pool resources to seek state and federal planning grants to review and amend local development regulations.

Ongoing Agenda:Moving the Aging in Place Initiative Forward

Maintaining dialog and collaboration across sectors • Need for multilayered authorization to proceed

• Look for person and position

Pursuing funding

• Americorps VISTA position

Evaluating team and leadership

• Workgroups or advisory boards

Aligning AiP efforts with lifespan-friendly housing

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Building & Sustaining Community Capacity: A Strengths-Based Approach

Secure

Resources

Utilize

Metrics

Advance

Age- Friendl

y Policies Practic

Engage Across Sectors

Build Public

Will

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http://www.giaging.org/documents/160107__Sustainability_Principles.pdf

Grantmakers in Aging (Oct, 2015) Guiding Principles for the Sustainability of Age-Friendly Community Efforts

Our Strengths:Listen to Older Residents

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Our Strengths:Respect Cultural & Social Differences

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Our Strengths :Seek Vertical and Horizontal Relationships

Vertical

Collaborations

Horizontal

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Our Strengths :Provide Education and Outreach

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Our Strengths :Use a Lifespan Perspective

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Nancy Brossoie, PhD For more information contact [email protected]

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Thank you!

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