Home matters brossoie

1. Home Matters:
Building Community Capacity to
Support Aging in Place in
Rural Southwest VA
Nancy Brossoie, PhD
CenterforGerontology
VirginiaTech
VirginiaGovernor’sConferenceonAging
May2,2016
1
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

2. 2Community Partners

3. 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!

4. Aging in Place
4
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

5. Virginia & New River Valley
5
Virginia pop. 8,000,000
NRV pop. 185,000
≤ 25% age 65+
We take care of our own!
1460 square miles

6. Housing in the NRV
Housing 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

7. 2014 Aging in Place Workshop
7
• ½ day charette
• 80 attendees
Goal: Design future housing stock & neighborhoods

8. 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

9. Rural Design #1

10. 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
10https://www.communityhousingpartners.org/files/906.pdf

11. 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
11https://www.communityhousingpartners.org/files/906.pdf

12. 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
12https://www.communityhousingpartners.org/files/906.pdf

13. 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
13https://www.communityhousingpartners.org/files/906.pdf

14. 14
• 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

15. 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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16. 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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17. 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

18. 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
18https://cfnrv.org/images/page/AginginPlaceActionPlan.pdf

19. 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
19https://cfnrv.org/images/page/AginginPlaceActionPlan.pdf

20. Lifespan Friendly Homes:
2 Year Funding
20
Goal: 24 homes – up to $5,000 budget each
Funded by Partners for Places - Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities

21. 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
21https://cfnrv.org/images/page/AginginPlaceActionPlan.pdf

22. 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
22https://cfnrv.org/images/page/AginginPlaceActionPlan.pdf

23. 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”
23https://cfnrv.org/images/page/AginginPlaceActionPlan.pdf

24. Action Step #6:
Encourage Land-Use Policies, Regulations and Markets for Lifespan Friendly Homes
(2017)
24https://cfnrv.org/images/page/AginginPlaceActionPlan.pdf
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.

25. 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
25

26. Building & Sustaining Community Capacity:
A Strengths-Based Approach
Secure
Resourc
es
Utilize
Metrics
Advanc
e
Age-
Friendl
y
Policies
Engage
Across
Sectors
Build
Public
Will
26
http://www.giaging.org/documents/160107__Sustainability_Principles.pdf
Grantmakers in Aging (Oct, 2015) Guiding Principles for the Sustainability of Age-Friendly Community Efforts

27. Our Strengths:
Listen to Older Residents
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28. Our Strengths:
Respect Cultural & Social Differences
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29. Our Strengths :
Seek Vertical and Horizontal Relationships
Vertical
Collaborations
Horizontal
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30. Our Strengths :
Provide Education and Outreach
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31. Our Strengths :
Use a Lifespan Perspective
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32. Nancy Brossoie, PhD
For more information contact brossoie@vt.edu
32
Thank you!