Helping Mom & Dad Stay in the Home They Love in & around Ann Arbor, MI

Helping Mom & Dad Stay in the Home They Love in Ann Arbor, MI
Preparing the Home for Senior living | David Bobby, August 2016

When many of our homes were built in the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s little thought was given to designing a home that would be friendly to the occupants as they aged or became less mobile or struggled with their health.  Most homes were not designed for senior living. How was it expected that people would age in their homes?  Who knew that there should be limited steps and doorways should be minimally 36” wide to allow for step walkers and wheelchairs.  Well, now we know.

The Most Dangerous Room in the House
The most dangerous place in the home is in the smallest room – the bathroom. Many elderly people have not been able to bathe properly in their own home for years.  They struggle to negotiate the high step required to get into their tub.  A greater risk is actually getting out of the tub, more than getting in.   The lowest tub step over is 15” but we have often found some tub step overs to be 17” to 20” high. This is where seniors have the falls – trying to getting in and out of the tub – even with installed safety bars.

Hitting Home
After my dad passed away, my mother lived alone.  She grew feeble in her later years and finally had a fall and fractured her hip. We had to move her bed and dressers and clothes to the main floor and we basically closed off the upstairs as she no longer could use it.

Grandma Bobby with David Bobby
Precious Memories: Grandma Bobby with David Bobby

Mom never regain the same mobility after the hip fracture and we still had a problem with her being able to stay in the home that she loved.  She still needed to use and have access to the basement.

The laundry was in the basement and she preferred to use the shower in the basement that was barrier-free.  The solution was simple enough once we got her to agree to it.  And that was installing a stair lift on the basement steps.   Once that was installed she could go up and down the stairs to the basement safely and seated.  She loved that stair lift.

I remember her having her laundry basket sitting on her lap and actuating the up/down button on the left armrest.  Once she was safely down she could get around just fine in the basement with use of her cane.

That stair lift allowed her to stay at home, in her home and age in place until she passed away on Mother’s Day 2015.

CAPS Certification
Early on Darian and I saw the value of becoming CAPS certified (Certified Aging in Place Specialists).  We attended a week of day-long classes and were required to pass daily tests to become properly certified.  This is a relatively new designation offered by and through the NAHB – National Association of Home Builders.

CAPS logo

Atlas Home Improvement: Certified Aging in Place Specialists

 

 

 

 

 

When Jacuzzi approached us to be their representative for all of Michigan for the Jacuzzi Walk in Tub they were especially happy that we were already CAPS certified – which they required from their authorized dealer network.

The aging of the Baby Boomer generation, who are turning age 65 at the rate of 10,000 every day, is a growing segment of our population.  The CAPS certification will help their adult children select qualified home remodeling specialists. Many people, as they see their senior years approaching, are choosing to make certain modifications to their homes. They want to stay in their homes and not have to go into assisted living or nursing homes.

Soaking in Jacuzzi Walk-in Tub
Extend independence in the safety and comfort of home.

Jacuzzi Walk – In Tub
The Jacuzzi brand Walk in Tub is truly the Cadillac of the industry.  With a pedigree that goes back to the 1930’s, Jacuzzi holds hundreds of patents relating to the therapeutic water jets.  These Walk in Tubs add life to your years –and years to your life.  Depending on the time of day and the features chosen, the tub can invigorate you for your day or quieten and settle your body for a sound and restorative sleep.  Every tub we install is tested before leaving our warehouse to give our customers the extra confidence that their tub will work perfectly.

Jacuzzi Walk-In Shower
As the years have passed at Atlas, we have grown our “Aging in Place” product line, including the unique, state of the art Jacuzzi Walk- In- Shower.  This unit features Jacuzzi jets that can operate without the need to be submerged in water. Now people can shower and direct the gentle but powerful Jacuzzi water jets on their lower back, shoulder or neck areas  to experience the therapeutic benefits of our walk-in shower.

EasyClimber Stair Lift
Easy Climber Stair Lifts are adaptable to various staircase styles.

 

Easy Climber Stair Lift
Many people are fearful of negotiating the stairs in their own homes.  They are often unsteady or have to go up and down the steps – on their bum – one step at a time!  We have found that our customers see the stair lift as a “need” product more than a “want” product. People have to have access to their upstairs or basement and need the stair lift to do it.  People don’t want to leave the home that they love and are willing to make some modifications so they can stay in their home.  That is where the stair lifts come in.  People can access their upstairs or the basement with ease and safety for the first time in a long time.

With the stair lift, people can extend independence in their own home: Imagine how nice it is to ascend and descend the stairs again – except this time – while safely seated.

If you’d like to learn about options for yourself or someone you love, contact us at the number below. Our sales representatives are trained to provide the information you need to make the best decision for the right product.

Our mission is to provide an exceptional home improvement experience, exceeding expectations with each customer contact so they know our people and company are different – that we will listen and genuinely care about helping them.

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**Financing Terms: Subject to credit approval. Consult with our design team for more details.

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Labor Discount Terms: New orders only. Offer not valid on previous sales or estimates and cannot be combined with other offers. TV Valued up to $599. Expires on 3/31/24. CBL: 2102182001. Financing Terms: Subject to credit approval with minimum purchase made at initial appointment. Atlas Home Improvement is neither a broker nor a lender. Financing is provided by third-party lenders unaffiliated with Atlas Home Improvement, under terms and conditions arranged directly between the customer and such lender, all subject to credit requirements and satisfactory completion of finance documents. Interest is billed during the promotional period but is waived if paid in full within the promotional period. 0% APR if Equal payments are made over 36 months. Offers expires on 3/31/24. Consult with our design team for more details.

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"WOW! Our gutters look great! Josh And Kamrin arrived right on time and got quickly to work. They were very friendly and didn't mind our 6 year old grandson asking questions. I would recommend Atlas to our friends."

– Kathy S.

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"I have been impressed with Atlas home improvement they do things the way I would. Kelly was our installer and was unbelievably hard-working very conscientious and even went the extra mile and called in a grizzly Veteran plumber when presented with a problem. We have used Atlas before and will again soon!"

– Tony M.

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"Just a quick note to thank Atlas Home Improvement for the new Gutter Helmet install we received today . From the sales representative Hunter who answered all our question about the product and the company itself to the office personnel that scheduled and kept us informed about the date and times the install crew would arrive (Brook). Kevin and Rick did a great job installing and cleaning up afterwards . Thank you Rick for calling us the morning of install just to verify that indeed you would be arriving shortly . Undoubtably one of the best companies I have dealt with . Atlas made it so very easy to keep myself Safe and my home secure from gutter water damage ."

– Harold B.

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"This was our second experience with Atlas. The shower in our last home was truly a primary selling feature. We returned to Atlas because of the quality of the job and the professionalism of the install. We were happy to see the same installers we had at our other house three years ago arrive here today. Chad and Bill did an excellent job. We received the same professionalism and quality we expected. They arrived with all the materials they would need, no hidden surprises, quality materials. They truly live up to everything they promise!"

– Rob R.

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"Chris and Brandon did a great job on my Kitchen, I love how it looks! Chris had to come back to fix some things and he fixed all of it."

– Linda B.

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"Recently, Atlas Home Improvement finished the second phase of my bathroom remodel. Matt and Chad were here every morning on time, stated in their morning phone call. They were friendly, efficient, knew their job and the job site was always in order and clean. They even went out of their way to make sure I was aware of all aspects of the job. They were GREAT!!! This is a great company!!! Very clean and considerate while putting in my new shower. Time the sales consultant was wonderful and really listened to what I want and was never pushy or tried to sell me something I didn't want. David did a wonderful job installing my shower. Great product they sell. I recommend this company highly!"

– Donna P.

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"Dave put in a stair lift for me and I was very, very pleased with the whole experience. He assessed the situation with an eye on my safety and recommended changing the side of the staircase the lift was to be installed on. He did the installation quietly and quickly and without creating any mess. And he made sure I understood how the equipment worked and watched me test ride it. I could not have been more satisfied with the whole process. I would highly recommend Atlas to any senior looking to modify their home so that they can age in place."

– Dorrie R.

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"We were experiencing temperature problems with our brand new walk-in tub, in that the temperature would not get very hot. After a call to Atlas we were scheduled by the office staff for an appointment within 2 days, which we very much appreciated. Dave arrived on time and immediately diagnosed the problem - and he quickly fixed it. Dave was very professional, pleasant, friendly, and knowledgeable. Our problem has now been fixed! Thank you Atlas for having such a great installation, office, and repair staff."

– Norv S.

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"We had our shower completely re-done by Dave. It was a custom job that involved replacing a sub floor and some plumbing issues. They were friendly, hard workers, our shower turned out perfect! I strongly recommend Atlas Home Improvement they stand by their work!"

– Sherry G.

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"Our dealings with Atlas Home Improvement have been nothing but a delight. We had booked them through Home Depot Home Services which had a salesman come out and was easy to deal with and took his time to explain all of the steps to the process. Atlas delivered the exact way they had promised we were in the loop knowing when our materials were ordered when they came in and to finally setting up the appointment. The workmanship was 5 star excellent and we could not have been happier with our new shower enclosure it really made a difference!"

– Sharron R.

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