For their most recent National Poll on Healthy Aging, conducted in 2022, University of Michigan researchers asked adults between the age of 50 and 80 years old how they feel about spending their sunset years in their own home. As it turns out, 88% of seniors prefer to age in place. In order to do this, older adults and family caregivers may seek out a certified aging in place specialist (CAPS) who can assist with home renovations and remodels that will make a senior’s home safe for them to age in place.
“A certified aging in place specialist (CAPS) is the most widely recognized designation in the home remodeling community,” explains Marian Berman, CAPS and co-founder of Living in Place Solutions in Catonsville, Maryland. “This certification will open many doors for somebody who is trying to add to their career.” Not to mention, as Berman points out, “What better gift can you give somebody than autonomy?”
If you’re considering becoming a certified aging in place specialist, here’s everything you need to know about acquiring this coveted designation, what skills you’ll need in order to perform this new role and how much you can expect to earn.
“This certification will open many doors for somebody who is trying to add to their career. … [And] what better gift can you give somebody than autonomy?”
— Marian Berman, CAPS and co-founder of Living in Place Solutions
What exactly is a certified aging in place specialist?
A certified aging in place specialist is a professional trained in meeting the needs of older adults by assisting with aging in place home renovations and remodels. Once certified, they can work with a senior or their family caregiver to make the space livable and safe for an aging adult.
“A CAPS can identify and understand the unique needs of an aging adult when it comes to modifying their home,” explains Fritzi Gros-Daillon, CAPS and CEO of Household Guardians in San Francisco, California. “This includes understanding the benefits of making environmental changes as well as designing a safe living space that will allow people to age comfortably at home.”
According to Gros-Daillon, becoming a certified aging in place specialist will allow you to provide valuable advice on home modifications that can benefit elderly individuals and make their homes more accessible for mobility devices such as wheelchairs or walkers.
“My responsibility to my homeowners is to listen, make suggestions and design a home that will be accessible, functional and aesthetically pleasing so they can live independently for their lifetime,” says Curt Kiriu, a CAPS and President of CK Independent Living Builders in Mililani, Hawaii.
To become a certified aging in place specialist, you’ll need to complete a three-day course offered by a National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) licensed instructor either online or in-person, explains Gros-Daillon. The total cost to obtain your certification is approximately $1,000, according to the NAHB.
“The NAHB is recognized as the educational leader in its industry and the credibility of a CAPS logo on a website or business card shows that you are a leader in your profession,” explains Kiriu.
What you can expect to do as a certified aging in place specialist
The main responsibilities you’ll take on as a certified aging in place specialist:
Meet with an older adult and/or their family caregiver
“The first thing we do as a CAPS is meet with the client in their home and discuss their needs and desires to improve their living space to make it safe and livable,” Berman says.
You’ll tour the home from the outside in using a critical eye to view any potential fall risks or hazards. “A house should be safe for anybody who comes into it — whether it’s a toddler who is at great risk of falling, a teenager who’s going through that awkward, clumsy stage or a fellow senior friend who may have a handicap,” Berman says.
Provide a detailed report of the home modifications
After the initial meeting, a certified aging in place specialist will compile a list of any necessary remodels or modifications needed for the client’s home. This will include anything from changes in lighting to installing grab bars to widening doorways and much more. “As a CAPS, we are trained to see the problem and solve the problem,” Berman explains.
Hire contractors to complete the remodels
If the client wants to proceed with the modification plans, a certified aging in place specialist will provide a list of contractors, designers, electricians and any other professionals needed to complete the tasks. “Another bonus to hiring a CAPS is that we personally vet our contractors ahead of time to ensure they meet our professional standards,” Berman says.
“The initial assessment process with your client takes a couple of hours, and you have to make people comfortable with you walking around in their home.”
— Marian Berman
Skills you’ll need to become a certified aging in place specialist
Truly anyone can become a certified aging in place specialist without any prior qualifications. However, Berman suggests that being a “people person” is to your benefit. “The initial assessment process with your client takes a couple of hours and you have to make people comfortable with you walking around in their home,” notes Berman.
To that point, Gros-Daillon tells her clients that she wears unique glasses during home inspections in hopes to not insult the homeowner. “I tell seniors that I wear special glasses that don’t see dust or dirt — just potential fall risks and ways to make their home more livable for all who enter,” notes Gros-Daillon.
What you can expect to make as a certified aging in place specialist
Due to the huge demand for professionals with this designation, you’ll have the ability to set a competitive fee for your services. “On average, an initial meeting and assessment with a CAPS can cost anywhere from $199 to $399, depending on the location and demographic,” says Gros-Daillon.
Berman charges $250 for an assessment and report of the suggested modifications, then $150 per hour thereafter for our add-on services.
A few of the add-on services that a senior can hire a certified aging in place specialist to do, according to Berman:
Declutter the living spaces
This entails ensuring all medications are stored safely and in a well-lit place, so there are no mix-ups when taking daily medication. Or making sure all pathways are clear of obstructions so that a walker, wheelchair or someone unsteady on their feet can pass through easily.
Do simple home improvements
This may include rearranging furniture, so that it is positioned in a safer, more efficient way. Or replacing or removing fall hazards from the home — such as area rugs and doorway thresholds.
Switch out lighting
Motion-sensored lighting in hallways and staircases assist in safer middle-of-the-night trips to the bathroom. Additionally, swapping regular light bulbs with brighter LEDs help seniors with vision impairments see more easily.
Install grab bars
Smaller renovations don’t require a contractor. For example, a certified aging in place specialist can replace traditional towel bars with grab bars that are made to help someone maintain their balance in sometimes slippery areas such as bathrooms.
How to get hired as a CAPS
After receiving your CAPS designation, you are searchable through the NAHB database by clients looking to hire a certified aging in place specialist. Gros-Daillon suggests teaming up with health care professionals, remodelers, interior designers, occupational therapists and contractors who need a CAPS on their team to give expert advice on creating safe and accessible senior living spaces.
A handout explaining how a certified aging in place specialist can provide valuable assistance to each of these professionals can go a long way in building relationships across industries.
In addition, all 50 states have a department of aging, which is a great place to start connecting with seniors, says Berman. One way to introduce yourself and your business to seniors is by holding community meetings at local churches, Bingo nights or libraries or by putting an ad in your town’s local newspaper.
The bottom line on becoming a certified aging in place specialist
As a CAPS professional, you’ll be able to use aging in place and universal design methods — many learned in certified aging in place specialist classes — to design and modify a home specific to the homeowner’s needs, giving the homeowner the choice to age in place as their lifestyle changes, explains Kiriu.
Ultimately, adding another certification to your resume as a senior caregiver will always be beneficial. According to the NAHB, there are currently just over 3,000 CAPS in the United States.
“We need more people with this certification,” emphasizes Berman. “There’s certainly a niche that needs to be filled. The more CAPS professionals there are, the safer the population is.”
