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Washington, D.C.— The NAHB Remodelors Council CAPS Board of Governors reported at its Spring Board Meeting in May that it anticipates another record number of graduates in 2006.
Through May, the Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) program has 268 new graduates; the program had a record 294 graduates for the entire year 2005. The program was started in 2002 and had 53 initial graduates, followed by 175 in 2003 and 284 in 2004 — 1,074 total CAPS graduates through May 2006.
The CAPS program is designed to teach strategies and techniques for designing and building aesthetically enriching, barrier-free living environments. The program goes beyond design to address the codes and standards, common remodeling expenditures and projects, product ideas, and resources needed to provide comprehensive and practical aging-in-place solutions.
There are 91 CAPS classes scheduled for 2006. In addition, the NAHB University of Housing is working with Remodelors Council members to revise the CAPS courses in 2007.
CAPS has received significant media coverage recently, including a front-page article in USA Today and a segment on CBS' "Evening News."
Many statistics point in the direction of further growth for the aging-in-place trend. The 2000 Census reports that 4 percent of U.S. households (3.9 million) now have three or more generations living together. A 2004 study by the AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving reported that 9 million adults are living with a parent age 50 or older.
For more information about the CAPS program, log on to www.NAHB.com.
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