Eygelshoven longer home project gets underway

Together with Zuyd Hogeschool, Kerkrade municipality has started the project Langer Thuis in Eygelshoven. Together with the residents of Eygelshoven, the municipality of Kerkrade wants to see what can be done so that everyone can continue to live at home for as long as possible. Zuyd Hogeschool supports the approach and research from the lectorate Supportive Technology in Health. "In recent years there has been an increasing focus on life-course living. A lifetime-proof home is suitable to continue living in during all phases of your life, even when your current circumstances change due to, for example, children leaving home, wanting to make your home more sustainable, old age or a disability. Lifelong housing is becoming increasingly popular as people get older than before and are less likely to qualify for a nursing or care home place. In addition, people often want to continue living in their own homes for as long as possible," said Alderman Jongen (Public Health).

Lecturer Ramon Daniels (Zuyd University of Applied Sciences): "Lifespan-proof living is therefore becoming increasingly important. Small changes in the home can already make a big difference. If you want to make your home more sustainable, why not make it life-course-proof right away? Moreover, you immediately increase the comfort in the house. A win-win situation".

"Therefore, as a municipality, we are fully engaged in this project. Together with the housing corporations, we have performance agreements in which this is addressed. In new construction, this is now taken into account as standard," said Alderman Weijers (Housing/Housing).
 

New website

As part of the Longer Home project, a new website has also been developed, available at www.levensloopbestendigwonenkerkrade.nl

The purpose of this website is to inform people about the options around life-proofing their homes.

On the new website, by answering a series of questions, people can test how life-proof their homes are and watch videos related to life-proof living. In addition, companies involved in life-proof living can apply for a free listing on the website. This way, homeowners can quickly find these companies.

Finally, people can request a consultation through the new website.
 

Consultation

Residents interested in making their homes life-proof can request a free, no-obligation consultation on the new website. The counseling session will consist of a physical home visit lasting 1.5 hours, with corona measures of course being observed. During this hour and a half, the residents' wishes will be discussed. The house will also be Map : rooms will be measured and photographs will be taken. Finally, a report will be drawn up. Should residents then be interested in the next step, they will be referred to the appropriate agencies.
 

Pilot

Currently, this is a pilot focused on Eygelshoven. This neighborhood was chosen because a high percentage of owner-occupiers live here in the 40-70 age group. Moreover, the gray pressure in this district is increasing significantly and the aging in social rental housing here is lower than the aging in owner-occupied housing. The pilot will last until December 31, 2021. If the result is positive, we will look into the possibilities of continuing the cooperation with Zuyd University of Applied Sciences and drawing the project throughout Kerkrade.
 

Questions regarding this project or lifetime living can be asked through the website.