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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-18-20 Public Comment - C. Bartholomew - Housing OpportunityFrom:Tanya Andreasen To:Agenda; Martin Matsen; Jeff Mihelich Subject:FW: Important Housing Opportunity/Option Date:Wednesday, November 18, 2020 10:06:01 AM Attachments:Innovative Designs for Accesibility.pdf     From: Cheryl Bartholomew <fitseniors@gmail.com>  Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2020 9:45 AM To: Cheryl Bartholomew <fitseniors@gmail.com> Subject: Important Housing Opportunity/Option Hello, my name is Cheryl Bartholomew. I moved to Bozeman from Virginia10 years ago to be close to my grandchildren. My background includes 25years as an elementary school teacher followed by a career in Senior Fitnessand Wellness. I worked as an independent contractor serving various seniorfitness venues and was hired as Director of Fitness and Lifestyle for a 400condo senior living community in Arlington VA before moving to Montana.In 2005 I was selected as an at large delegate to the White House Conferenceon Aging (WHCoA) which helps set the standards for the next 10 years of thecurrent administration with regard to the needs of the older adultpopulation. My WHCoA platform was senior fitness/ wellness. I served as asenior fitness consultant to Brookfield Residential Homes when they builttheir first Active Adult Community in Gainesville, VA. I advised them onthe design and senior fitness equipment for their Aqua/ fitness clubhouse.Since moving to Bozeman, I have been an advocate for creating a more agefriendly community and currently serve as the Chairperson for Age FriendlyBozeman, a local chapter of the AARP/ WHO Network of LivableCommunities. In 2017 in a proclamation from former Mayor Carson Taylor,Bozeman became the 201st city to commit to this national movement. Wewere the first city in Montana to officially join this national/ world wide agefriendly movement. Today I write to appeal to you to consider pursuing and supporting an ActiveAdult Community as an important option to age friendly, universallydesigned homes that can accommodate a range of affordable dwellings andprovide a "safe haven" for the aging Baby Boomer generation. Thepandemic has raised concerns for Boomers regarding long term and assistedliving facilities becoming potential petri dishes for infections, in addition totheir inability to provide the best lifestyle options for those who wish toremain engaged in life and their community. Although the van vehicles owned by many senior living communities promiseto fulfill the transportation needs of their residents, they fall short of meetingthe demands of the more active lifestyle and interests of the current Boomergeneration. Unfortunately, many senior living communities are oftenunderstaffed and continue to offer an antiquated "lifestyle model" adoptedin the early 80's when people retired and wanted to take it easy in their"Golden Years". Many of the "passive activities" such as Bingo, card games, in house movies and entertainment, evolved and still exist today,discouraging interaction outside the walls of the community. Things havechanged very little since then. Although senior living community websitesimply more interactive and social activities, the reality is that those optionsdon't always exist in every community and are often dependent upon budget,staff and utilization of space within their facility. The truth is that seniorliving communities were suffering from a "drought" even before Covid hit,because their agenda, food, and activities remain highly influenced by thepreferences of the Greatest Generation, not the current aging BabyBoomers. This pandemic has proved tragic for many of the seniors at themercy of these communities who may try to do the right thing, but their"business model", staff restrictions and sometimes lack of qualified/ trainedpersonnel can lead to unintended consequences. They are unregulated andsadly their internal policies can lead to isolation, depression and the inabilityto live one's life to the fullest extent. These communities are typicallyexpensive and the cost escalates with the degree of care needed. Active Adult Communities were created for the modern aging population.They typically encourage their homeowners to actively engage in life whilefostering the seven dimensions of wellness ( physical, intellectual, social,spiritual, emotional, vocational and environmental) in their programofferings. The residents often initiate clubs that reflect the interests,experiences and expertise of those who live in the community. Someone wholoves plants may start and lead a garden club; a homemaker who enjoysexperimenting with recipes can start a chef's club or cooking class, orsomeone who is technologically gifted can decide to instruct others on how touse the latest computer, phone or social media apps/ programs to remain intouch with loved ones, to continue life long learning or to simply learn newskills to adapt to changing times and circumstances. That is how older adultsremain engaged in life and continue to be productive citizens. Having apurpose in life is critical to self efficacy and self worth. Residents of anActive Adult Community have options to become involved in volunteering,mentoring, elections, schools, and much more, and they thrive on "givingback" to their community. It is a very different scenario from therestrictions/ limitations that exist in senior living communities. So what are the options for those who do not want and/or can't afford thelifestyle senior living communities offer? What is available for persons witha modern perspective on how quality of life is defined? Generally speakingthere are housing options for those who qualify for low income housing, butwhat about the middle income or fixed income older adults who may have torestrict their lifestyle in order to afford to remain in their homes as they age.Homeowners often discover that changes in their health status such asmobility issues or chronic pain, present challenges that prevent them fromfunctioning independently. They may consider renovating their currenthome to make it age friendly, but that is often more costly than moving. They may be forced to move in with family or may reluctantly consider livingin a "senior apartment complex" which may or may not be more affordable,but seldom offers the necessary design features to meet their functionalneeds. Senior apartments are too often just ADA compliant, but not universally designed to promote independence. These are just a few of thereasons it is imperative to make age friendly, universally designed homes anaffordable option with regard to housing choices. Quality universal design begins with certified aging in place specialists(CAPS) who are trained to build homes/ apartments that accommodate thediverse needs of the aging population by following specific standards andutilizing products that promote functional independence often until the endof life. No step entryways, waist height pull out shelving / storage units inkitchens, no lip wheelchair accessible showers / sinks in bathrooms are only afew examples of functional, all inclusive design. (See attachment for moreuniversal design concepts.) A universally designed home might include acaregivers suite that may be used for home health care, should the needarise. Home Health Care is usually much cheaper than skilled nursing carethat is the standard in many senior living communities. Features throughoutthe house are designed to alleviate functional challenges created by standardhome restrictions. Such homes DO NOT cost more to build when thedevelopers, architects, builders are educated in appropriate methods andconstruction materials to meet quality standards for age friendly homes. It'snot rocket science, but it may require incentivizing these professionals toleave the large home/ ranch market and to focus on smaller speciallydesigned homes. An Active Adult developer can make a huge difference andcontribution to housing options. I reached out to the VP of Brookfield Residential to inquire as to theiravailability to consider creating a community in Bozeman. While the interestis definitely there, but their projected communities for the next few yearswon't allow them to pursue the opportunity at this time, as it doesn' t fit theircurrent business profile. They are focused on more densely populated areas. The Vice President's advice (see below in blue) was that we find a localbuilder/ developer who is interested in creating a smaller scale Active AdultCommunity that has the capability to grow with the demand. So I am passingon the information she sent regarding developer guidelines to be explored,addressed and then pursued : Montana would be a great place for Active Adult housing but the push has to come from your building association, the municipality or a LANDOWNER that has a parcel big enough to develop. The primary infrastructure that a developer will look at is: 1) Medical care and hospitals – location, quality and ratings 2) Airport 3) Local public transportation 4) Cultural and educational opportunities 5) Local population stats/trends that would feed into a community of that type 6) Contractor availability 7) Building material availability locally or distance to transport it 8) Land opportunities and cost 9) Local, publicly provided senior services 10) Proximity to the builder’s corporate business operation/office The time to pursue this option is now! We need to be proactive. I would be happy to contribute information/ resources or simply share my vision based on my experience in the senior fitness and wellness arena over the past 20 + years. I can provide more information on universal design, age friendly homes/ renovation/ and 10 common myths about universal design. AARP Livable Communities website is a great place to find pertinent information on some of the above topics. Thank you for your time, attention and serious consideration to this age friendly housing option. I am available to answer questions and/or research relevant topics that could assist the city of Bozeman to pursue this important option. I look forward to your feedback and ideas as to how we can collaborate to move forward and build a quality Active Adult Community in Bozeman to better serve our older adult population. Respectfully, Cheryl Bartholomew Seniors 'N Sync, LLC Age Friendly Bozeman, Chairperson fitseniors@gmail.com 406-224-5865 Homes designed for accessibility. DEL WEBB HOMES WELCOME to the next great chapter in your life in a Del Webb home, where the possibilities are as limitless as your imagination. Del Webb offers an active-adult community with exceptional quality homes, designed for those who believe the physical limitations that come with age shouldn’t limit living choices or make day-to-day life difficult to manage. The Del Webb community offers like-minded adults a chance to connect through activities and similar interests. UNIVERSAL DESIGN AT DEL WEBB, we offer modifications designed to make it easier to manage all your day-to-day activities, giving you more time to enjoy the life you want. POTENTIAL MODIFICATIONS* • Widened door openings and hallways • Ramps to entry doors • Lowered closet shelving • Lowered countertops and cabinets • Lowered microwaves • Raised dishwashers • Grab bars at showers and toilets • Roll-under vanities • Roll-in showers • Bench seats in showers • Handheld shower sprayers *Features may vary by plan, community or market. COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES EACH DEL WEBB COMMUNITY is about making life accessible outside the home, too. Depending on your community or market, you’ll find clubs and activities for all interests and desires.* Community isn’t just a word, it’s a lifestyle. INNOVATIVE DESIGNS DEL WEBB HOMES are designed with the kinds of features that put the life you enjoy and comfort you desire within easy reach. So the simple life isn’t just a state of mind, but the focus of our design. TO FIND OUT MORE Talk to a Del Webb Representative or go online at delwebb.com At Del Webb communities, at least one resident of household must be 55 years of age or better, a limited number of residents may be younger, no one under 19 in permanent residence. Community association fees required. The developer may change home design, materials, features, methods of construction and price without prior notice. Due to normal construction tolerances, square footage may vary. Home modifications are subject to Company approval and are at the buyer’s expense. Del Webb does business in accordance with federal and state fair housing laws. Details available upon request.  EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITIES* • Art and woodworking clubs • Book clubs • Computer and lifelong learning classes • Dinner clubs • Music clubs • Wine tasting • Wellness and fitness classes (multiple levels) e.g., yoga, water aerobics, etc. *Activities offered vary by community and market. UNIQUE FEATURES* • Zero-entry showers • Multi-level kitchen countertops • Fixed stairways to attic storage space • Mini-master suites • Indoor/outdoor living spaces *May vary by plan, community or market.