Colorado Real Estate Journal - Octover 7, 2015

Question of the Month



Q: Aging in place is an option that seniors increasingly desire and it is important for those of us in the senior real estate niche to understand this further. What resources and strategies do you employ to assist seniors in achieving their goal of aging in place?



Damian Rosenberg


As a locally owned, skilled home health care provider, PASCO’s (Personal Assistance Services of Colorado) entire mission is founded on keeping people living in the comfort of wherever they call home for as long as possible. Inspired by the independent living movement, where self-determination, self-respect and equal opportunities are the core foundations, PASCO has been providing long-term home health for over 23 years to persons with disabilities, older adults and children, with our first client (who came aboard in 1992) still receiving daily services.

Working primarily with Medicaid recipients, PASCO has an excellent reputation in the community as a hard-working (legislatively, tireless advocacy), ethical (always doing the right thing), innovative (always looking to make things better for client and employee: Family Caregiver program, telephony, etc.) and reliable (24/7 comprehensive backup and on-call) agency. Equally important, PASCO is an excellent employer, with generous benefits (above industry average pay, overtime, profitsharing, health/life insurance, sick/ vacation leave), continuing educational opportunities, advancement within the organization and numerous events throughout the year, all of which are partially responsible for PASCO’s long-tenured staff. These commitments have directly led to the ever-important continuity of care, directly benefiting clients and employees alike.

By offering a variety of services to people who qualify, PASCO ensures that aging adults who wish to remain in their homes can do so safely and happily, knowing that their needs are being met. There are a few options for a senior looking to “age in place” with our agency. Besides the actual hands-on services provided (nursing, CNA), PASCO is well established in the area, with numerous resources and friends in the industry. The road is a tricky one for many, and helping guide families/ clients is an obligation.

Working closely with PASCO’s experienced staffers, we will find a good fit and see to it that there is mutual compatibility, continuum of care and an aide (certified nursing attendant) who is carefully screened and competency tested.

PASCO will pay for a family member, neighbor or friend (as well as a backup) to become a CNA whereby completion of a (three- to five-week) class will lead to employment with the agency and all the benefits that employment entails. The Family Caregiver Program has been a life preserver for many families (resources, respite) and a positive link to other people experiencing the same needs.

Furthermore PASCO can help seniors age in place by providing skilled nursing (registered nurses) at regular intervals to help with needs such as critical care, cardiology, oncology, geriatric care, catheter care, IV care, injections, diabetes care, medication box fills and wound care. These nurses are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They are culturally sensitive, critical thinkers and problem solvers, specifically trained and skilled and experienced in home care.

Something that best sums up our agency comes to us via our annual (third-party) companywide evaluation, which holds us as both a provider and employer accountable:

“PASCO puts clients and employees at such a high priority and, in doing so, it makes our lives easier. I greatly appreciate being part of a company that truly wants the best for its clientele and employees and makes every effort to demonstrate that fact. This provides a tremendously needed feeling of security, as well as a great sense of pride to work for an organization with such commitment and integrity.”

Jeff Martinez


Helping seniors stay in the comfort of their own home is an important endeavor. Countless studies show that seniors prefer to age in the comfort of their own homes and, when they do, their overall health and outlook is vastly improved.

“In the senior living space, we are aware of the desire of seniors to age in place, and in an affordable manner. I appreciate having the opportunity to increase our collective awareness of the resources provided in our community that help to fulfill this desire, thanks to our guest columnists. Having such understanding is important for all of us who play a role in real estate, senior related and otherwise!”
hayden@pymscapitalresources.com


But even with careful planning, it can be difficult for persons living on limited or fixed incomes to adequately maintain their homes. A small maintenance project deferred over time, such as a leaky gutter or roof, can lead to larger consequences later on, both in terms of cost and safety.

Brothers Redevelopment’s Home Maintenance & Repair Program helps seniors maintain their home by making both minor and urgent repairs. Working with local governments and foundations, we can complete projects that address in-home safety or mobility for seniors – sometimes at no cost to the homeowner.

Brothers is a highly sought contractor for all manner of home repairs and improvements that help seniors minimize their chances for injury and gain greater independence – from the construction of wheelchair ramps to the installation of grab bars or stair rails, to the remodeling of bathrooms and kitchens to accommodate disability.

Brothers also can complete urgent repairs that improve the safety of a senior’s home, such as the installation of a new furnace or water heater. In doing so, we are able to help seniors stay in their homes longer and save thousands of dollars in home repairs – savings that they can redirect to cover the rising costs of groceries, medications and utility bills.

Our effort extends to the home’s exterior, too. Through our Annual Paint-A-Thon initiative, Brothers works with thousands of volunteers each summer to paint the homes of more than 100 fixed-income senior homeowners across the Front Range. The program paints smiles on seniors by preserving their most important investment and sealing their home against Colorado’s sometimes-harsh elements.

Our team of housing counselors can also help a senior leverage their home’s value through a reverse mortgage consultation. Our counselors will discuss with an elder whether a reverse mortgage is the right product for him – sharing how he can tap into his home’s equity to boost a fixed income, make substantial repairs or cover general expenses as he grows older.

If a senior decides it’s time to leave his home, Brothers can place him into one of our federally subsidized apartment communities. Income-qualified tenants will pay just 30 percent of their adjusted gross income in one of our communities – usually on a site with great amenities and easy access to transportation, shopping and community centers. With communities in Adams, Jefferson and Denver counties, Brothers has more than 600 apartments available for seniors to comfortably age in place.

Brothers Redevelopment is committed to helping the region address its most pressing housing challenges – aging in place among them.

Mary Tuuk, M.D.



The first step in achieving one’s goal of aging in place is a realistic evaluation of the home. Is it senior friendly? Will its current configuration allow an older adult to age in place?

If not, can improvements be made? For example: Can grab bars be added to the shower? Is there room for a shower bench? Are there stairs? Are doorways easy to navigate with a wheelchair or walker?

If the home is not easily adaptable to allow an older adult to age in place, it may be necessary to locate different housing with design standards outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act. Although moving can be difficult, the chances of being able to successfully age in place are greater if the home can accommodate the possibility of increasing disability over time.

Once the older adult has housing suitable for aging in place, it’s time to locate services that can be provided in the home to help seniors age in place. Many organizations offer assessments to identify areas of potential need and to assist older adults with finding community-based services to meet those needs. Services that come to the home – everything from grocery delivery to health care – may become a necessity as older adults become less mobile. Community organizations and senior care companies are great resources, while neighbors, friends and family often pitch in to drive older adults to the grocery store or appointments.

As years pass or unforeseen health or mobility issues arise, friends and neighbors find themselves with their own age-related issues, which limit the help they can provide. Working with a senior care manager, often found through senior care companies, older adults can get help with transportation and benefit from hands-on expertise to determine the resources best suited to meet the aging adult’s needs.

These essentials include:
Unskilled and skilled home care. Unskilled home care includes housekeeping, laundry, meals and some help with personal care, like bathing. Skilled home care provides nursing care, help taking medications, wound care and physical therapy after, for example, knee replacement surgery. Those who age at home likely will need both types of home care at some point.
Regularly available medical care. A necessity from my point of view is regular access to medical care through a primary care physician. As they age, older adults may need to receive more care in the home rather than in a clinic or doctor’s office. To meet the demand, more physicians are making house calls. For older adults with mobility issues, there are many barriers to traveling to a doctor’s office for an appointment. It can be difficult to get transportation; physical access to the office may be difficult; and even waiting in the doctor’s office for the appointment may raise issues. When the doctor goes to the older adult, there are many efficiencies to be gained, especially when the doctor sees multiple people in the same area.
Socialization. Regular interaction with others is critical to successfully aging in place. In general, older adults age more successfully when they have friends nearby. These friendships allow older adults to watch out and care for each other. This becomes a naturally occurring retirement community where residents support and watch out for one another.

If we can get these basic resources in place, it will go a long way toward helping older adults age in their own homes and live out the rest of their lives in comfort and safety.