"Conversion to meet the Needs of the Elderly"
financial assistence programme and brochure
Elderly couple in front of a house
(Source: Getty Images)
Who doesn’t want to live in the comfort of their own home for as long as possible and grow old there? But as people get older, their housing requirements change significantly. They find it more and more difficult to climb the stairs. Cooking or opening windows is not as easy as it used to be. However, by thinking ahead and adapting their home to make it more suitable for elderly persons to live in, they will create optimum conditions that will enable them to stay in their own home for as long as possible. The Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development’s programme entitled "Conversion to meet the Needs of the Elderly" provides financial assistance to people wishing to adapt their home to make it more suitable for elderly persons and more fit for everyday use.
Increasing demand for housing that meets the needs of the elderly
The financial assistance programme’s target groups are owner-occupiers, tenants or landlords who have the housing needs of their ageing tenants in mind. Since May 2010, grants for owner-occupiers and tenants have also been available alongside low-interest loans. The programme reflects an important social trend – forecasts predict that in 30 years’ time, almost eight million people in Germany will be over 80 years old. That is roughly twice as many as today. The demand for housing that meets the needs of the elderly will thus rise sharply in the future.
Redesigning residential environments in a holistic manner
The Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development is providing financial assistance to 20 pilot projects throughout Germany. This not only involves converting residential buildings to meet the needs of the elderly, but also focuses on residential environments and the infrastructure. Is the housing served by public transport? Is it near shops, restaurants and doctors? The pilot projects are designed to extend, interlink and professionalize the range of services that provide advice on conversion to meet the needs of the elderly. The lessons learned from these projects will be scientifically analyzed. They will help to evolve and optimize existing financial assistance programmes.