Glossary

Aging in Place: A broadly defined term that primarily refers to one of several living options:

  1. Staying in the same home throughout most of adulthood, which may necessitate home modifications.
  2. Remaining in the same neighborhood (though not always the same home) and maintaining one's community and routines for most of adult life, even as housing needs change.
  3. Living in a continuing care retirement community (CCRC), which provides access to higher levels of care as required; Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Skilled Nursing. Two types of CCRC's include a lifecare plan and a fee-for-service menu of options to residents.
  4. Moving to a favorite vacation or resort location, after one's children are grown, and establishing a sense of community. These locations often include golfing, tennis, other outdoor activities, and social events for active 55+ seniors.

Empty Nesters: Parents whose children have grown and left home, leaving the parents with a larger home than they desire.

Planning Feasibility: Determining if the property, building, etc., will accommodate and support the desired usage.

Programming: Identifying the functions, requirements, and constraints of a space before designing the environment.

Single Family Home Consultation: An on-site walkthrough of a home to assess the ability to make modifications or renovations to meet changing needs.

Turnkey Services: Design services that include specification, procurement, and installation of furniture, fixtures, and equipment for the built environment.

Universal Design: A design process that emphasizes the creation of accessible spaces and products that anyone can use without stigmatization. Example: the Access table, a joint creation of JSR and Patapsco Woodworks, is accessible to people in wheelchairs and standard chairs simultaneously.

Sandwich Generation: Adults in their 30s, 40s, 50s, or 60s faced with dual care giving roles-raising children while also caring for aging parents.