From Reader’s Report, Shannon Chance, PhD, AIA, LEED-AP, July, 2011

Independent for Life “provides a comprehensive overview of demographic trends in American society as related to housing and supportive services. It explores the implications of demographic trends, identifies a wide range of issues that must be addressed as the US population ages, and describes a rage of newly emerging technologies and service programs. It provides helpful advice to individuals and families managing the care of loved ones; suggests new policies and products that could extend healthy and safe living at home; and discusses the economic feasiblity of various options (at the individual, state, and national level). The arguments presented by various contributors are thoughtful, insightful, well researched, and intelligently presented.”

Independent for Life
Advance Review, September, 2011
This book provides a wealth of useful information. It brings together an enormous amount of information from very different disciplines. Its features:

• The urgency of the situation
• Very practical and useful to-do lists
• That housing for future seniors cannot be based on the past
• The importance of social health
• Universal design and visitability
• Retrofitting suburbia
• Successful pilot projects
• An amazing variety of helpful technical aids
• Details on home remodeling
• Ageism and the US health system
• A surprisingly wide range of housing alternatives
• The costs of various alternatives
• The unmet needs for basic personal care
• Increasing numbers of African-American and Hispanic minorities joining the workforce just as increasing numbers of boomers, mostly Anglo, are retiring.