Posted on 03/04/2006 3:02:34 AM PST by Aussie Dasher
BABY boomers need to shrug off their "Peter Pan" mentality and prepare their homes for wheelchairs and lifting equipment, an aged care conference in Mildura has been told.
While improvements in health care meant people were able to live at home longer, house designs were not always supportive, according to strategic planner and social commentator Dr Keith Suter.
He said there had been a growth of Peter Pan-style developments.
"These are areas developed by baby boomers who think they will never grow old, and which will be unsuitable for them when they have problems later with hips etcetera."
Instead of looking at where to put the latest entertainment system or gym equipment, baby boomers should be looking for homes with fewer steps, bedrooms large enough for lifting equipment, hallways wide enough for wheel chairs and reinforced walls that could be fitted with grab rails.
"Homes that are obviously built for older people are harder to sell to boomers, but retro-fitting homes in Peter Pan precincts later will be expensive," Dr Suter said.
He said boomers should also look for safer environs with less hedge to discourage potential robberies, and streets with safe pedestrian crossings.
hehe! :-)
Hey, it's my way of dealing with my midlife crisis. It's my "fast car." Heeheeheee...
I can stop the car. You just can't stop where you are. BE SAFE!
I served my time overseas during the cold war under Reagan. Was with an F-4 unit waiting for the Soviets to "run" the Fulda Gap.
Party pooper!
This bay boomer retirement deal might get ugly, and I for one am not looking forward to this.
The DNC however, is looking forward to it. As is the AARP.
Sure I can. I can get on a plane and head home whenever the notion takes me. Or whenever the chile con queso and margarita cravings become overwhelming. ;-)
Thank you for your kind words and thank you for your service.
You mean the slackers and the whiners?
{ducking and running...}
Makes me glad I'm not a boomer, having been born in a pre boom year.
And yours as well! :-)
There are many causes for reduced mobility, and they can affect even young adults.
Strokes, traffic accidents, and job injuries can and do happen to young folks daily
Wife and I each broke a leg in seperate accidents. Even 3 steps into the house was a chore. As a result, we designed and built a very attractive, comfortable house that is 100% wheelchare accessable. The total aded cost was insignificant over standard construction.
"Peter Pans" also need to look at the bell curve of income. Your income peaks about the same time your physical condition just starts to go south. If you wait too long, moving or upgrading to an access friendly home may be unafordable.
My belief is an injury or old age should not run me out of my home.
My service was a pleasure - most of the time.
I understand the "most of the time" part, just from being a "lower than an REMF." (Civilian scum.) LOL
"Wanted to trade: Harley with wrecked front end for motorized wheel chair"
Come on baby, do the locomotion...
Thanks for the tagline.
Cheers!
48 here....I love the kids but my only complaint is that in the under 35 age group it is incredibly difficult amongst urban educated middle to upper middle class males to discern straight men from homosexuals. They dress similarly and have common spoeech patterns and appear so feminized. When my wife and I go out we are constantly amazed. Younger men look and act so vain and gay and papoose carrying mommy acting.
Now, they can bash my long haired dope smoking Led Zepplin-Stones-Lynyrd Skynyrd youth all they want but nobody ever confused queers back then.....at least not in the South.
Seems many young men today are such metero dandies. It's like they were all raised by Erica Jong and Susan Sontag.
And don't let them try to tell you they vote better then we do...they don't. The boomers even in the heady 60s and early 70s were never the solid leftist block the media has tried to portray and most did not protest the war.
I agree, I want a "Ranch" with no basement. But it's a hard sell.
Most of the time I was fortunate enough to be in a line platoon, but I had to serve my time in a desk job a couple times. I hated desk jobs.
You're a Toys-R-Us kid :)
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