Asheville – Two things discourage most people about getting older: losing their independence and the prospect of not being able to stay in their home. As an in-home occupational therapist for eight years, Leah Fox has heard clients talk about both over and over again.
This inspired her to resesarch the different ways aging at home could be made possible while maximizing independence and found solutions were readily available. That prompted her to start her own business, Fox Home Consulting.
“The medical community’s answer to aging in the home is to bring in durable medical equipment,” she said. “I look at making sensible, safe, and aesthetically pleasing modifications by considering the whole environment and what people are doing.”
Fox can quickly see red flags in a home that a person getting up in years may still be navigating perfectly. Some throw rugs are a hazard, bathroom fixtures could be too low, and cupboards could be too high. More fiscally-daunting challenges might include remodeling the bathroom, making hallways and doors wider, and figuring out ways to negotiate stairs.
Fox recalled one time when she helped an elderly woman who had trouble getting to the basement to do her laundry. Her children wanted a bathroom remodel, but Fox suggested a thriftier option: moving the washer and dryer into the bathroom and adding no-slip flooring and stylish grab bars.
“It saved them $10,000,” she said.
“What I’m really good at is enhancing quality of life and taking the worry out of the aging process,” Fox said. She sees her role as “coming into a space with fresh eyes.”
She likes to say to clients, “We all know how to babyproof a house, but what’s the next step?” She encourages people who want to age in place to consider their residence their “forever home” and tells them, “Houses should age with us.”
The process starts with a detailed discussion about health concerns and limitations. The next step is a thorough inspection of the home with the client, where the focus is on hazards and areas of future worries. Fox then provides the customer with suggestions that she categorizes as quick fixes, installations, and renovations. Fox Home Consulting has a list of contractors and handymen who can help make the changes happen.
One client, Thalia Morris, was making responsible decisions to age in place. She scaled down to a one-story home, but it still had problems. Fox learned about Morris’ needs, thoroughly assessed her home, and presented her with recommendations that were practical and appealing. “She suggested a variety of changes that could be made in phases and within my budget,” Morris said.
They included widening the front steps to make them less steep and creating a second entrance by converting a window to a door and fitting it with a ramp, giving Morris stair-free access to her home. Cost-effective upgrades included installing a new vanity and toilet, along with converting the tub to a walk-in shower. Then, knocking out a wall between two small bedrooms created a spacious suite that had the best view in the house.
“Even though I’m an aging person, I can’t know the stages of aging because I’m not there yet,” Morris said. “Leah helped me see the changes I might need in the future.”
Another client loved to bake but had stopped. In a quick kitchen tour, Fox discovered why. All the baking supplies were either in the lower cabinets or overhead. The woman had shoulder pain that kept her from reaching above her head, and fears of falling discouraged her from bending over.
Fox was able to suggest ways to reorganize the kitchen so everyday items were within a comfortable reach. Then, drawers were installed to replace cabinets. “Within two weeks, she was baking again,” Fox said. “What made me happy was that the sparkle had returned to her eyes.”
She finds that many postpone simple changes that would make aging in place easier, and in some cases, possible. “The thing I hear most from people is, ‘That’s a great idea, but we’re not there yet.’” To that, she replies, “Great. When you are there, it will be too late.” She said if people start planning their forever home before they need to, they’ll have time to “work out the kinks and get it right before they’re under the gun.”
Fox Home Consulting (foxhomeconsulting.com) services Buncombe and Haywood counties but has also worked with clientele in Mitchell and Yancey counties.