The Connection Bernards-Ridge Edition Dec 2018/Jan 2019

www.theconnectionsnj.com • • • • $,3 0RELOLW\ 3OXV LQIR#DLSPRELOLW\SOXV FRP 6RXWKHUQ %RXOHYDUG &KDWKDP 1- DLSPRELOLW\SOXV FRP AIP MOBILITY PLUS 466 Southern Blvd Chatham, NJ 07928 973-607-3211 Aipmobilityplus.com By: Katrina Musto When Bob Chittenden received a call from his sister stating their mother who was based in Idaho had just experienced a heart attack, there was no way of knowing how much their life was about to change. After 20 years of being a consultant to physicians, hospitals and medical laborato- ries across the country as a healthcare exec- utive, Chittenden thought this could be managed easily and quickly. He could not have been more wrong. “There was no way to know at that time how hard it is to secure and manage appro- priate support services once a loved one leaves the hospital,” he explained, adding, “just getting into and out of the house (once a person has limited mobility), is life changing.” Trying to coordinate all the services required for a person with limited mobility so they can continue to live safely and independently at home, is a challenge. “The market is fragmented at best,” he explained. From that experience, Chittenden was motivated to create a convenient, easy to use, one-stop shop for family caregivers providing aging-in-place care, whether they live in the next room or across the country. Together in October 2017 with John Villaresi, a licensed general contractor (and assistant coach on Chittenden’s son’s baseball team), AIP Mobility Plus was started in Chatham. AIP Mobility Plus specializes in accessi- bility/safety modification projects both large and small throughout New Jersey. They are staffed with a Certified Aging-In- Place Specialist (CAPS), a Licensed General Contractor, Occupational Therapist and an MIT-trained computer scientist. Their popu- lar items are their in-home elevators, stair lifts, ramps and grab bars. AIP Mobility Plus focuses on improving the quality of life for many who are facing extreme chal- lenges in their daily lives. “Aging-In-Place” is a term used to describe a person’s ability to remain living at home as one ages for as long, and as independently, as possible. “We found that with many people, including my mother, to Age-In-Place WELL means you plan out your future years as early as possible before it becomes urgent and life changing,” Chit- tenden said. According to the AARP, 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 65 every day and 90% of them do not want to move out of their homes as they age. “We want people to continue living in their familiar environ- ment, maintain lifelong social networks with neighbors, friends, church and fami- ly,” he said. With the exorbitant costs of assisted living and nursing home care, for many it is becoming a necessity, not a choice, to remain at home as they age. A ramp, stair lift or a few grab bars will still cost less than an average $8,500/month in a nursing home. Every situation is different because of various types and styles of homes and every individual has their own special needs. They focus their efforts on the following three areas in the home that present barriers to safety and independence: access in and out of the home; getting up and down the stairs; and managing in the bathroom. Many clients are facing a certain level of stress due to an accident or illness that has occurred suddenly, so they call because they need a professional service that under- stands their needs and can act fast and effectively. “We want to provide clear, con- cise information that helps to reduce some of their stress, not add to it,” Chittenden stated. Not every client need is the same. One client lived in a two-story house with all the challenges in mobility and independence. They had a pet bird that had become a huge part of the family, so much that they took the bird up to the bedroom every night when they went to sleep. The stairs had become a challenge for them and carrying a birdcage up and down the stairs had become an issue. “They called us to present the options and in their case it was a stair lift or in-home elevator, “Chittenden recalled. “We have an elevator that sup- ports itself without the need for a shaft which makes it relatively inexpensive and can fit almost anywhere in the home. They decided to go with it. It's our first elevator installation to basically provide a safe way to keep a family and a bird safely together!” AIP Mobility Plus Assists with Aging PAGE 64