5 minute read
Aging in Place
By Lori R. Storm, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, CAMEx, CCAM
There are members in associations who have increasing difficulty navigating through the world. And board members may ask whether it is the association’s responsibility to provide assistance to owners. Managers may be concerned that the association is overreaching if it takes any action.
But it is important to ask some serious questions when seniors are a part of an HOA community. “What is the role of the association?” “Do changes need to be made that reflect the demographics of the population in the HOA now?” And if the answer is yes, “What types of changes are appropriate?”
How are associations affected when they have seniors in the community? As owners continue to age in place, they may have trouble staying in compliance with the CC&Rs and the rules because of the challenges of aging. Their support circle may be gone, family living far away. They may be struggling with financial challenges that prevents them from upkeep on their homes. They may be physically unable to take care of things the way they could in previous years.
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Does Mr. Jones struggle to open the clubhouse door while wrestling with his walker?
Have owners stopped coming to board meetings because they don’t understand what is going on?
As people become more frail, additional outside assistance becomes necessary, affecting rule compliance as well. Associations may consider granting variances from rules to allow these residents to continue living in the community. An association can find creative ways to enable seniors to live harmoniously in the neighborhood.
Take this example from Happy Acres HOA. Mrs. Smith stopped taking care of her front yard landscaping. The board sent a series of compliance letters to Mrs. Smith, asking her to clean up her yard. After due process, they began fining her monthly for refusing to comply. Her yard became worse, the neighbors and the board became increasingly frustrated, and nothing changed.
Finally, after thousands of dollars in unpaid fines accumulated, someone volunteered to go over and speak to Mrs. Smith. Only then did they find out that she had mental and physical health issues and was unable to care for her landscape. The board took a step back and decided that a different approach to the problem needed to be devised. They were able to come up with a solution that satisfied the needs of the community while respecting the limitations of the owner.
Now, if an association has been in existence for Aging in Place Continued from page 8
decades, and especially if it is age-restricted, it is likely to have a significant portion of residents who are seniors. In this type of community especially, the board should review whether they are taking steps to help people remain in their homes or are discouraging this.
While it is not the responsibility of the association to care for elderly residents, it is important that it looks closely at whether it provides a sense of community that enhances the experience of and is responsive to the general ownership group. In just the same way that an association would provide materials in Spanish if a significant portion of the community was Spanish-speaking, so too would the association want to ensure it is catering to the needs of its population.
Here are some practical ways to show commitment to making a community work for its residents. First, make sure that the services provided are appropriate. Here are some items that might make sense: • Microphones and speakers at board meetings to aid those who are hard of hearing. • Agendas and newsletters printed in large font. • Automatic door openers at the clubhouse or someone who will act as door monitor for board meetings for people who have mobility issues such as walkers, wheelchairs or canes.
Resources Publishing a list (in a large font, please!) of local agencies and websites that can assist seniors and their families navigate this time in their lives can be a huge step in helping folks remain independent and remain positive members of your community.
Some local agencies provide grants or assistance for seniors who need landscaping or home repairs done. Providing these resources to seniors in the community can be a much more effective approach to issue of compliance. • Type “Area Agency on Aging” along with the name of your city into your web browser to bring up what is available to you. • Aging.ca.gov/programs_and_services/ • Aging.ca.gov/find_services_in_my_county • Aginginplace.org
• Encouraging neighbors to exchange house keys and emergency contacts and set up regular check ins with each other help keep the community intact. Further consideration should be made for an association that has a large population of seniors. It can provide general accommodations to people as they age by modifying rules to allow for their changing needs. Parking in driveways and on streets may become necessary for to allow for resident caregivers and special equipment or other deliveries, such as oxygen or groceries. People may not be able to park a second car in their garage if the space they need to enter or exit their car is extended. Special attention should be paid to items in the common area that can cause problems for the elderly. • Do residents have to step up a curb to access the mailbox? Maybe it is time to add a cutout or a ramp. • Any trip hazards become magnified for people who have balance issues. • Speeding cars can be especially problematic for people with low vision or mobility issues. As the population ages and life expectancy continues to increase, all associations will need to address the issues surrounding an aging demographic in their HOAs. In order for communities to thrive and be successful, boards should start the discussion about what steps are appropriate for their neighborhoods and their members.
