Increasing Confidence in Home Modifications for Aging in Place Using Architectural Visualization Technology

Denise McAllister Wilder (Registered Interior Designer Indiana)

Home modifications resulting from home assessments performed by occupational therapists are often not implemented. However, research shows pre-discharge home assessments reduce the risk of falls and subsequent readmission to the hospital. These modifications are meant to support safety and independence of an aging individual returning home after hospitalization or rehabilitation. Research also shows, even when implemented, less than 50% of those modifications are being used after one year. This study supposes that the method of communication by which recommendations are shared, contributes to a lack of confidence in their potential effectiveness by the aging client and related stakeholders. That lack of confidence may exist because textual descriptions accompanied with product specifications are difficult for lay people to visualize. This project studies how architectural visualization technology can increase confidence in proposed modifications resulting in increased implementation and long-term adaptation. A design and presentation tool utilizing Building Information Modeling and gaming software can inspire confidence in proposed modifications. The information gathering process used by interior designers and architects, known as programming, is thought to more realistically reflect client needs. The occupational therapists’ model investigates the user’s ability to perform specific tasks. Research indicates patients fear not being allowed to return home if they perform inadequately on self-assessment questionnaires so may not be totally honest about their needs. The creation of an architectural visualization model based on architectural programing is believed to result in a more accurate reflection of the aging persons’ needs and a better visual depiction of the proposed home modifications.

More than twenty-five years of experience in both commercial and residential design combined with the experience of suffering extensive injuries as a result of a head on automobile collision gives the primary researcher an inside view of the power and sustainability of home modifications. The presented method, which uses architectural visualization to communicate potential home modifications, can empower aging adults to stay in their homes by making safe home modifications. The decision tomake modifications to safely stay in one’s home rather than to contribute to the continuing new construction of retirement communities and assisted living centers adds to the sustainability of existing neighborhoods. These retirement living projects essentially segregate the elderly from the rest of their community which means the effort to support aging in place is a sustainable choice for residential housing in our communities.