Many older Americans, especially those of the Baby Boom generation, desire to remain in their own homes rather than moving to one of the many retirement facilities in Seattle.

There are over 80 million baby boomers between the ages of 41 and 59 years old, but retirement homes may not be their only option.

Angie Creal, a for-profit retirement home executive, says the average rent for a room in their for-profit facilities, including two meals a day and weekly housekeeping, is about $3,000 a month. Non-profits offer an average rent rate from $3,000 to $4,500 a month including three meals, telephone, housekeeping, utilities and cable.

As baby boomers choose to stay in their homes, they often find they aren't as mobile as they used to be. Stairs become harder to climb, bathrooms become less accessible and doorways are just not wide enough (especially in wheelchairs).

An answer would be to remodel the home that one feels most comfortable living in and change it to suit their special needs. But how cost-efficient would it be to build or retrofit a home to fit these needs?

The National Association of Home Builders have created a program that trains contractors to become Certified Aging in Place Specialists who would use Universal Design, around since the 1970s, to adjust the needs of individuals in their own homes.

"Universal Design is an inclusionary design that considers a wide range of human needs and abilities throughout a lifespan," wrote Rosemarie Rossetti in Nation's Building News. "It has helped family members with limited mobility, hearing or vision, but it serves the entire population, not just those with physical disabilities. Features that have been included in the design are invisible, but they enhance the functionality and usability in the long term."

Features of the system include wider doorways and hallways, extra floor spacing for maneuverability, step-less grades (subtle, less obvious ramps), and walk-in showers.

When told about the possibilities of Universal Design in their homes today, people at Ballard Senior Center reacted positively.

"Why doesn't the city get on board with this idea instead of some of their other dumb ideas?" said one senior. "If they are, why don't more of us know about this? What an idea to actually make things better for singles, disabled, families and seniors too. Some people are really using their brains to help a lot of people. How affordable are these places?"

Paul Levin, owner and Certified Aging in Place Specialist of Levin Constructions Inc., said the changes were not that expensive.

"When you are performing a remodel of a home, most features of Universal Design do not add to the cost (of a general remodel or construction) especially if you are already moving walls or replacing items," Levin said. "We are simply making things bigger, wider and easier to use."

Aging experts and mortgage lenders say that, of the nearly 28 million American home owners 62 and older, about 48 percent are candidates of reverse mortgages, which means they could get an average of $72,128 to help pay for home assistance or remodeling to make homes safer and more comfortable.

"A (Universal Design) home will be more marketable in the future, because with a house like this people won't need to make changes to their homes as they get older to make it more livable, giving a greater number of people who are interested in a house like this," said Mike Vowels, a Seattle contractor. "Even if you don't have any future needs, you'll have a house that is more marketable - so no matter what you can't miss."

Vowels is able to see both sides of the track when it comes to Universal Design. He is an experienced contractor and lives in a home that was redesigned. Due to a skiing injury in 1985 he is confined to a wheelchair.

"If you were to walk in my house and I wasn't there you would never figure out that I have an elevator in my house because it looks like they were probably closets on all floors of my house. (Universal Design) makes a house timeless in its use. Not like a milk carton it won't have an expiration date."

The fact a Universally Designed home look no different than any other house in the neighborhood takes away the stigma of a home that was made especially for someone with a disability.

There are 1,329 active Certified Aging in Place Specialists who use Universal Design in the United States and 64 in Washington state. To find a certified contractor near you visit http://www.nahb.org/directory.aspx?sectionID=995&directoryID=188#.

Allison Espiritu may be reached at 932.0300 or allisone@robinsonnews.com