As aging baby boomers continue to drive housing changes, remodelers are responding to market demands with more specialized training and knowledge than ever before. The National Association of Home Builders Remodelors Council has announced that 1,000 remodelers are now trained and ready through its Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) designation program to help homeowners who need to improve the accessibility of their homes.
CAPS is the only national program that teaches remodelers the unique home modification skills for those who wish to “age in place” or continue living safely, independently and comfortably in their homes regardless of age or ability level.
“The tremendous growth of the CAPS designation means more Americans than ever can modify their homes for safe and independent living, avoiding an unwanted move to an assisted living facility,” said Remodelors Council Chairman Vince Butler, CGR, CAPS, GMB, a remodeler from Clifton, Va. “The vast majority of the mid-life and older population prefers to live in the familiar surroundings of their homes, and CAPS delivers that promise.”
In collaboration with AARP, the NAHB Research Center and NAHB’s 50+ and Remodelors councils launched the CAPS designation in 2002 with 53 graduates. So far this year, 294 remodeling professionals, architects, designers, and health care workers have completed the program already surpassing the 284 total graduates in 2005.
“Advances in accessibility design are additional factors in the growth of CAPS, as nobody wants their house to look like nursing home,” said Butler. “Most aging-in-place modifications blend seamlessly into a home so visitors will never know the real purpose of the renovation.”