Aging in Place in New York

The New York Times has an interesting article here describing apartment and co-op buildings in New York City that have gradually become heavily populated with elderly residents "aging in place."  The article goes through some of the resources that agencies are providing but notes that some co-op boards and landlords are resisting putting in guardrails and ramps.

 A service that provided large print books would be a wonderful addition.  Or trying to get some tech people to come in with tablet computers, which are wonderful for reading because the elderly can light them up, and increase the size of the print.

Also, federal Fair Housing Laws require that a landlord, or condo association, allow “reasonable modifications” for handicapped residents.  The idea is that residents who require a ramp or guardrails must be allowed to have them installed.  If the management wants more expensive ramps or guardrails, management needs to pay the difference.  But neither a condo association nor a landlord is allowed to say, “Oh, this lobby is too grand for handrails.”