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Nearly all1 older adults want to age in the comfort of their own home. But that’s not always easy, since few U.S. homes are designed to support aging in place and many people face physical limitations as they age.
The Community Aging in Place – Advancing Better Living for Elders (CAPABLE) program aims to help seniors maintain their independence by addressing barriers to aging in place. Made possible by a grant from The Home Depot Foundation, this 2019 report examines key features of the CAPABLE program and how local Meals on Wheels providers might implement the model to address clients’ complex needs.
The Issue
- Most older adults want to age in place. A 2021 survey found that 85% of people over the age of 65 want to stay put for as long as possible.2
- However, seniors face two significant hurdles:
- Inaccessible Housing: As of 2016, only 1%3 of U.S. homes were designed with features to support aging in place, such as zero-step entrances and wheelchair accessibility. This makes it difficult for seniors to maintain their independence.
- Disabilities: In 2008-2012, nearly 39%4 of older adults experienced some type of disability. These health issues increase seniors’ risk of falling, which can lead to serious injuries and high health care costs.5
The Solution
Developed by the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, CAPABLE is an evidenced-based program designed to help seniors safely age in place.
Key features of CAPABLE include:
- Holistic Approach: The model6 combines the role of a nurse, occupational therapist and handyperson to address individual and environmental barriers to aging in place.
- The nurse uses structured, motivational interviewing to understand the client’s needs and preferences.
- The occupational therapist focuses on functional goals and suggests home modifications.
- The handyperson implements home repairs.
- Proven Outcomes: CAPABLE is a proven model for falls prevention, cost savings to health care systems, and most importantly, keeping older adults at home. That said, there is still work to be done in understanding how to scale this model.
Looking Ahead
Some local Meals on Wheels providers offer CAPABLE as a way of supporting seniors. However, more research and funding is needed to scale and sustain the program within community-based organizations.
Download Full Report
In reproducing any excerpts of this report, please provide a credit that recognizes Meals on Wheels America, such as: Meals on Wheels America. (2019). CAPABLE and Meals on Wheels: A Landscape Analysis. https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/research/capable-and-meals-on-wheels-a-landscape-analysis/
Produced with generous support from:
Citations
- AARP. 2021 Home and Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18+ Chartbook. Sep 2022. Data are from 2021 Home and Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus.
- AARP. 2021 Home and Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18+ Chartbook. Sep 2022. Data are from 2021 Home and Community Preferences Survey: A National Survey of Adults Age 18-Plus.
- Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. (2016). Projections & implications for housing a growing population: Older households 2015-2025. Harvard University.
- He, W., & Larsen, L. J. (2014). Older Americans with a disability: 2008-2012 American Community Survey reports, ACS-29. U.S. Census Bureau.
- Florence, C. S., Bergen, G., Atherly, A., Burns, E., Stevens, J., & Drake, C. (2018). Medical costs of fatal and nonfatal falls in older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 66(3), 693–698.
- Szanton, S. L., Thorpe, R. J., Boyd, C., et al. (2011). Community aging in place, advancing better living for elders: A bio-behavioral-environmental intervention to improve function and health-related quality of life in disabled older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 59(12), 2314–2320.
