(a)
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(1)
Thousands of California seniors are living with mobility and health problems and these numbers will increase as the state’s population ages. Statistics show that 50 percent of people over the age of 80 years are disabled in some manner.
(2)
Most housing was not designed for people who are disabled, have lost strength, flexibility, or balance through aging, and who necessarily have become fearful or extremely cautious in their daily activities to avoid injury. Front steps, staircases, narrow doorways, low electric sockets, low light levels, round door handles, high kitchen cabinets, and bathrooms without grab bars or moveable shower heads pose hazards for the elderly. One in three Americans over the age of 65 years suffers a fall each year, often in the home, which can cause serious injury and depression.
(3)
Studies show that basic home modifications to improve safety and make it easier to maneuver about the home can forestall hospitalization and nursing home care as seniors grow more fragile. “Aging in place” is a new concept that can result in less injury, retaining elders in their homes, and offers a significant cost savings to health care insurers, families, and public agencies.
(b)
It is the intent of the Legislature that the development of the “aging in place” concept be recognized and supported by the state, that funding for education and making home improvements be facilitated through public and private sources, and that recommendations for changes in home modification policies and information for home modification projects and products be developed.