Executive certification in home modifications The University of Southern California runs online courses related to home modifications through their Fall Prevention Center of Excellence (Fall Prevention Center of Excellence, 2017). It consists of a series of five courses, all provided online. It is encouraged to take the courses in the proper order, though not required. Additionally, clinicians may choose to take individual courses if they do not wish to obtain the full certification. Courses run approximately 3 to 4 weeks and are offered at various times during the year; interested students must wait until the course is offered in the appropriate time frame before enrollment. Topics include home assessments, communication skills, contractor identification, project and product identification and evaluation, funding sources, raising community awareness, and the ethics of home modifications. These courses are also designed for occupational or physical therapists, remodelers, interior designers, architects, contractors, builders, policymakers, and people who represent older-adult-related community organizations. Students must pass a final exam at the completion of the five courses before obtaining the certification. Environments for Aging (EFA) The Environments for Aging conference occurs annually at different locations across the country, run by the Society for the Advancement of Gerontological Environments (SAGE; EFA, 2017). EFA focuses on an interprofessional approach; all professionals ranging from healthcare practitioners, healthcare managers, and designers of various disciplines are welcome at the conference. Not only is physical design addressed, but the conference also hosts a large expo of innovative products and vendors supporting aging in place. Physical therapists are welcome to submit to present at the annual conference. EFA also sponsors a quarterly magazine, free to those who become subscribers. It celebrates innovations in the design of a variety of environments for older adults, and comes in print and electronic versions. National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) The National Association of Home Builders hosts the CAPS certification courses. In addition to CAPS, they offer other continuing education courses that would support aging in place and the continuing education requirement of maintaining the CAPS certification (NAHB, 2017a). People may obtain additional certifications in UD. NAHB also offers additional business courses geared toward the building and construction industry. Other options include reading BuilderBooks, which are continuing education publications from NAHB on every builder- related topic. National Kitchen + Bath Association (NKBA) The National Kitchen + Bath Association is a large trade association of professionals who specialize in the remodeling of kitchens and bathrooms (NKBA, 2017). They offer courses on aging-in-place-friendly designs for the kitchen and bath through their NKBA Certification + Design certification. The NKBA also runs trade shows where clinicians can meet vendors and designers and examine new products. On the website, people, including nonmembers, can access a kitchen and bathroom planning handbook that provides suggestions on placement of various kitchen and bathroom features. Local home and garden shows Home and garden shows can be a treasure trove of design, modification, and equipment ideas. There is typically a small fee for entry into the show. Inside will be a variety of vendors with current and innovative products for all rooms of the home. Clinicians receive exposure to the latest and greatest of products and ideas of when to recommend them to patients. Home and garden shows can also be invaluable networking opportunities.
able to reside in the home, rather than just an aging-in-place market. They provide access to an electronic home safety checklist upon certification developed by the Living in Place Institute and require background and liability checks of all those holding the certification (Chabot, 2017). There is a greater focus on products and design as opposed to the CAPS certification. They also address some pediatric concerns and special considerations for congenital conditions in addition to the typical age-related concerns. Clinicians become CLIPP certified after passing an exam at the end of the course. There is a requirement to complete continuing education units or perform other professional development activities every two years to maintain the designation. CLIPP clinicians have the choice to utilize the electronic assessment after payment of an additional annual fee and completion of background checks. Non-CLIPP professionals are not allowed to utilize this resource; part of the CLIPP training involves the proper use of the assessment in order to accurately assess a home for safety and make the appropriate recommendations. Recently, the Living in Place Institute has begun hosting free 1-hour webinars on various topics, all of which are advertised on their website. Other resources While physical therapists have many discipline-specific resources at their disposal, other organizations have information, courses, and networking opportunities to enhance the physical therapist’s practice. American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) The American Association of Retired Persons is dedicated to the creation of livable communities for all people, but especially older adults. One specific community program provided by AARP is the HomeFit program (AARP, 2017). Volunteers often provide a community presentation on how to utilize a HomeFit guide, after which participants can go home and assess their own living environment for safety. AARP’s HomeFit website provides helpful modification hints to increase safety and also presents information on utilizing CAPS certified professionals to complete required official safety assessments and modifications. They provide information for specific needs and conditions and suggestions to modify the home for little money. The program and website are geared toward consumers, homeowners, and older adults, but can serve as a great resource for clinicians and for patient education materials. American Institute of Architects (AIA) The American Institute of Architects has their own version of a special interest section, known as the Design for Aging Knowledge Community (AIA, 2017). Most resources are for AIA members; however, they have small articles, pictures, blueprints, and advertisements for conferences, design competitions, and shows that would be of interest to someone wishing to learn more about design for aging in place. There are also Design for Aging publications that showcase various designs for independent living, assisted living, long-term care, and continuing care communities. While not specifically therapy related, for someone wishing to consult with design professionals as a business model, these resources would help educate you on the viewpoints of potential clients. American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Another national association belonging to a potential customer or collaborator is the American Society of Interior Designers. They also have a special interest section, called a Knowledge Center, on Aging and Accessibility (ASID, 2017). Their Aging and Accessibility Knowledge Center has extensive resources on UD within designing environments, important terminology, and links to additional aging-in-place websites and resources. A variety of interesting articles is available on their website, written by interior designers on the topic of aging in place and the importance of design; they are accessible to anyone, including nonmembers.
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Book Code: PTNY3622B
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