Business focuses on seniors' home safety

By Ed Waters Jr.

Apr. 12, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) --
With the demographics of the U.S. changing as baby boomers move into their senior years, a local business is preparing to meet growing demand. Handyman Senior Care Corp., 174 Thomas Johnson Drive, Suite 201-B, specializes in home improvements to accommodate seniors, a group expected to account for 20 percent of the U.S. population, or 71 million, by 2030. Joel Bowers, the firm's recruitment manager, predicts a booming business.

"There is already a great need and it will only increase with baby boomers. I look for the business to increase four or five fold," Bowers said.

"The baby boomers are very different from their parents. They want to stay in the home longer, stay active, even less likely to go to a nursing home," he said.

Bowers said the company can do most of the work, or has connections to subcontractors who can do major changes in a home.

"We do grab bars in bathrooms, higher toilet seats, benches in bathtubs, non-skid strips on hallways and stairs," said Bowers, who had his own painting and landscaping business for four and a half years. "I don't do the work anymore, just administration. We have technicians who do that," he said.

One of Bower's favorite services his company provides is a 500-point safety check of a home. "We do every room, outlets, doors, whatever could be a safety problem for a senior," he said.

If the house has an occupant with dementia, his technicians have another 75 points they look for.

"That's a good starting point. It gives the homeowner peace of mind, identifies any hazards," Bowers said.

"Our mission is to keep people in their homes longer. No one wants to leave and go to a nursing home or assisted living," he said. His firm covers Frederick, Carroll and Washington counties and has technicians in each location.

"The technicians generally have more than 20 years of experience each in home improvement," Bowers said.

Some technicians still have their own businesses and work on a schedule compatible to the client and themselves.

"We match the client's time schedule to a technician's. And the technician comes from that location," Bowers said. "If someone in Westminster needs our service, I don't send a technician from Middletown. The advantage is, not only are they close, the technician is a neighbor of the client and they may even know each other." His crew can do most projects, including plumbing and electrical changes. Major changes may require a subcontractor.

"We can do 90 percent of the work," he said. "But because of licensing requirements, we may need one of our contractors to do it. In most cases, if we are just changing something that is there, we can do it with our regular crew."

The business also builds ramps for the disabled, widens doorways and makes other changes if needed for safety or the needs of occupants. Handyman Senior Care Corp. can also take care of regular maintenance needs of clients.

"Many senior citizens and their families worry about keeping up with home repairs and maintenance to ensure safety and well-being in senior homes," Bowers said. "Also, family members of elderly citizens often spend much of their visiting time with families taking care of small repairs or maintenance items instead of focusing on their quality time with family."

Newstex ID: KRTB-0064-24523098