Tag Archives: #safehome

On August 31, 2021 Our World Changed Forever.

On August 31 2021 I became a widow. It is not like I didn’t know it was coming . My Jim had been ill for over 3 years this time. Any one who spent time with him spoke about what a positive man he was. Although he was on dialysis 3 days week and undergoing chemotherapy, he was certain he was going to pull through. Or at least he told us he was.

We were two months short of celebrating our 54th anniversary. Yes, we were babies when we married. We grew up together. He was my best friend and we talked about everything.Daily, I think of something that I need to ask him or something that I want to share with him.

Unfortunately, many of you know how empty your heart and life is when you loose a spouse. We used to be Vicki and Jim or Jim and Vicki. Now it’s just Vicki.

I don’t know how you would come home to any empty house. It would be devastating. My care giving  responsibilities did not go away. Gratefully I was not alone. I still have two of the people that I care the most about to love me and be with me. Because we all shared this home Dot, Bryan and I could mourn together and support each other.

We along with Franci our home aid, were all be all able to be with Jim when he was not in treatment.. One of us was always with him. He dozed as he watched Soccer with Bryan.  Most nights he would drop in on Dot to say goodnight as he went to bed. He and I had good talks during our nap times We had planned on this being our “Forever Home” and it was for Jim and will be for the rest of us.

The elevators in the house and garage allowed him to stay here when he was so weak that he couldn’t walk up steps. I was able to help him shower and he did need the lift chairs toward the end. He loved being on the upper deck and could easily use his walker to access his favorite spot.

I am so glad that he and I planned ahead and renovated this house. I really didn’t expect him to go first. I am so grateful that we “finished” our home and were able to enjoy it together.

 

I started writing this blog to share our experiences  of 3 generations living together under 1 roof. I’ve been away for a while and I hope start working (interior deign) and writing more as the months go by. If you get anything positive from reading under1roof.live, please share this with a friend.

\               Vicki

Is it time for your Forever Home?

                                    YOUR  FOREVER HOME INTERIOR DESIGN

            AND RENOVATION SERVICE

Six years ago, I met my biggest challenge in my 30 years as an Interior Designer – the need to renovate house into a comfortable, safe and accessible home that met the long term needs of my multi-generational family. Easier said than done! At that time it was not “fashionable” to create a home that was comfortable-safe-healthy as well as beautiful. I relied on my own experiments, research, input from our son with (ALS) disabilities and trusted tradespeople to guide me.

About a year after moving into our renovated home, I learned of a new “design movement” called Living In Place. Their goal is  that all homes be comfortable, healthy and safe for all people who live or visit there no matter their age or circumstance!

I became one of the first graduates of their program in 2015 and am now one of 35 international ambassadors dedicated to promoting this design philosophy to the public, medical and building communities.

Change is life’s only certainty. Everyone deserves a comfortable-healthy-safe home that can Consequently, my perspective on design has evolved. I have always prided myself on my ability to meet the needs of my clients. Now, my personal experiences and new found knowledge allow me to provide so much more.  I can help  their home support them through an unexpected injury, a debilitating diagnosis or the inevitable challenges that come with age. With the help of the Living in Place Institute the stigma of “Aging in Place” design is being replaced with a more proactive “Living in Place” mindset. Through its intensive certification program designers are taught the importance of incorporating long-term adaptive features discreetly into everyday décor; preparing the home for both the unexpected and the inevitable changes in life.

Jim and I want this to be our “forever” home and because of pre-planning and a few simple adaptations, that is now possible. I want to be able to provide the same for you – to create a proactive plan for your home to work for you as long as you want it to.

In the spring of 2020, I joined forces with my good friend  CKD, ASID, kitchen and bath designer, Wendy Mayes in an office space at 3211 East Douglas Avenue so that we could collaborate together to make more homes comfortable safe and healthy for everyone. there.https://studiodesignsforlife.com/about/

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