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Speaker 2 00:00:33 You're listening to parents projects.
Speaker 3 00:00:36 Hey guys. And welcome to this week's release of the video podcast. We are going to try things a little different, and we are streaming live for our membership on our Facebook clubhouse, uh, that the parent project is clubhouse as well as out to our YouTube channel. So thanks for joining us on today's show. Uh, I've got Todd crass of ADL solutions. Uh, ADL solutions is your one-stop shop for aging in place, which if a members have been falling through the week has been a major focus for us here at parent projects. The Todd's going to give us some wonderful tips, uh, for what we can do as adult children and advocates of the age as they set in and prepare to build their Alamo.
Speaker 2 00:01:38 You're listening to parent project, a family media and technology group production. Now here's your host, Tony CBRE's
Speaker 3 00:01:47 And we'll welcome back into the podcast. Uh, we've got Todd crest here, Todd, welcome into, uh, this week's edition of the parent project podcast joining us. And I believe you are joining us from your offices down in the east valley. Is that right?
Speaker 4 00:02:00 That's correct. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 3 00:02:03 Awesome. It's it's great to see you. Uh, so talk to your experience, uh, particularly with ADL solutions, uh, and, and seeing, uh, from the time problems are just starting to happen at work. Insurance starts to happen for a family member, or maybe even the senior themselves, uh, all the way down to, uh, referrals. Uh, the fact that you've got a business that includes occupational therapists and other folks, uh, talk to us about ADL solution van. What, what are you, how, how big does that umbrella reach and what is the privy that you see in the marketplace?
Speaker 4 00:02:40 Well, um, so ADL solutions were what we consider ourselves a total solutions company. Uh, we have, uh, people like myself or occupational therapists, physical therapists that go out and do assessments. Uh, we do that free of charge for family. So we'll go out to someone's home, identify needs and areas that, um, could be modified, whether it's putting a grab bar, um, or even adding an addition onto a home. Most of it's ramps, door widenings, grab bars. Um, we also provide assistive equipment. So, um, we're a DME provider, which is durable medical equipment. Um, as you start dealing with people with disabilities or anyone that ages, um, that term will become familiar. Um, that's walkers, canes, crutches transfer devices. Um, and then we have a construction side that actually does the modification. So we basically can stick with people from, Hey, I've got a problem. They raised their hand, we go out and help them identify and try to come up with some solutions. Um, and then we can help install it. Or at least if they have a family friend or a handyman that they like, we can make sure that we're using the right equipment, things like that to get it done. Right.
Speaker 3 00:03:52 So when, when a family reaches out and they've got a concern of yours, it's a family member that reaches out to you guys. What what's usually the, what's one of the most common questions that they check off with or start with?
Speaker 4 00:04:06 Well, I mean, honestly it ranges greatly. Uh, we deal with people that, um, maybe they've they're, they're out of state and they said, Hey, my mother or father has fallen. Uh, I'm concerned about them. I'm going to be in town. Can you meet me out there? Or, um, can you go check on them and let me know, and we'll have that conversation. Um, and a lot of times we're dealing with people, unfortunately, after they've had a fall and they're coming out of a rehab center and they're like, oh my gosh, you got to get things in place. Um, so it's all different levels of, you know, people's awareness of when their parents may or may not need some help.
Speaker 3 00:04:44 Um, what are some things, especially I really can understand. And I, and I know I've seen and senior move management, uh, as we worked through that, I seen that, right? So they're in a rehab facility, they've got to come out, uh, and they've got, you know, you got a week left before the time's up. They expect to spend them out, back into the home. What, what are some of the first things, what are some of the most valuable things you could do? I'm standing in my parent's house. I'm trying to figure out what's next, you know, where to even start with this, what, what would you recommend to that family member? Who's who really wants to keep an Alamo idea. They really want their parents to come back home, but you're, you're looking at something that just gives you, uh, uh, not the best feeling in the world. What would you recommend?
Speaker 4 00:05:30 Well, most rehab centers will actually have a care manager, case manager that will do a home visit prior to releasing them. Um, and kind of go through a lot of that. You know, you need this or that, but those are typically, um, and it all depends what the level of, of their care is needed when they come home. Some people are coming home with a wheelchair, with a Walker, uh, and probably getting in-home therapy where they're gonna progress, hopefully, um, and not deteriorate. So most of it's, um, simple ramps getting maybe through that garage threshold or the front door, and then if they want to get out on the back patio. So the first thing we always look at are doorways, um, getting over the thresholds, are they wide enough? Are there any barriers? A lot of those, I call the laundry room, the room of doors, there's a door coming in the garage and another one closing it off. So those can be challenges. First is entryways, you know, uh, and then simple things like grab bars. If they can transfer themselves, then a grab bar is really needed. Um, go ahead.
Speaker 3 00:06:33 No, I just, you know, what it reminded me of is, is when we're even in our lives, when we move into someplace or we're always told, you know, don't do everything right away. I live in a house a little bit as it works through it. So what I'm hearing you kind of worked through is folks at the doors, it was main point of entry. That's going to get you started off of that and then allow, allow them, you know, you can allow it to flush out and to kind of see how they worked through it. Am I, am I tracking, does that sound right?
Speaker 4 00:06:59 Yeah. I mean, a lot of therapy I get what's ironic to me is I get calls from, from, uh, it'll either be a spouse or it'll be a, um, an advocate. Hey, I gotta have all this stuff in place before he comes home. And I really, I understand that. And a lot of it, you do need cause you need to get them in the door, but I don't like to put, grab bars and specific things in until the patient is home. We'd like to have their involvement. It's, it's really important for someone, especially some of these people have been in maybe a rehab center for months. They're used to doing it a certain way, the ground bars on the right, at the facility, it was like this or that. Um, and then they come home and if we put something that they're not, they didn't buy into, or they're not used to, it becomes a challenge.
Speaker 4 00:07:44 And, um, what I've found with seniors, um, they're very resistant to help a lot of times. And the more buy-in you can get with all the caregivers, including the patient, um, it just goes so much smoother. So I try to tell people, you bring them home for a day. That first day is usually a pretty tough day because they are going through a lot. They're getting transferred. There's whole health coming in, typically, um, how have me in the next day, we'll come in, we'll assess what you need and we'll get them done the next day. So, you know, just be careful those first couple of days, but let's make sure we get it in the right spot that they believe they need it.
Speaker 3 00:08:20 I liked the pacing of the project. There is always this feeling of immediacy. Sometimes in that speed, we miss really important things. And then we have to go to rework and rework can really frustrate and slow down the process. Long-term, we've learned in that senior management side of the house. So, um, I think that's a, that's a great one. Just sometimes taking a break, stepping back. And once you're, especially once you're in being able to see how they use it. Well, that's, um, you know, speaking of cups of coffee, I think it's just kind of sitting back and, uh, slowing things down to take in, take everything in, you know, I'm going to take this opportunity here. We're going to take a break for our sponsors of this week with, uh, the refuge coffee company.
Speaker 5 00:09:04 Hey guys, this is Tony at the parent project podcast. And if you are powered by coffee, the way that I'm powered by coffee, I think you'll appreciate knowing a way that you can help the last, last and least of us that didn't have a great transition. You see the refuge coffee company is a social enterprise operated by Catholic charities of central and Northern Arizona, where they use this coffee in this business model to help homeless veterans at the Manor house, transitional community. Get back on their feet, help a veteran, turn a handout into a hand up by giving them the opportunity to earn your business purchase coffee [email protected]. That's the refuge, a z.com. If you order six or more bags, shipping will be free. And if you tell them that parent project sent you, I'm going to send you a travel coffee mug. Thank you again. And let's get back to the show.
Speaker 3 00:09:58 We've still got Todd Cress here with ADL solutions. And, uh, so Todd, you've got your family member back to the house. You've gotten them through thresholds. You're getting an understanding of, of things that need to be done. What let's also take into the account. Maybe they didn't come out of the house in the first place. It's that family member who really understands that they want to leave their parents in the home as long as possible, but to your comment there, which I think is like a lot of our, our members, they don't live here, so there's someplace else. So now they have to remotely manage a contractor and deal with a contractor from someplace else. You're a brilliant contractor. You guys have been doing this for a long time. You train contractors and how to assemble and to put these things into, to do so safely, help us understand is what can families do to make them better clients when they're trying to run in and solve this problem with you or with other contractors?
Speaker 4 00:11:01 Um, yeah, I mean, obviously that's, that's a typical problem. Um, and I appreciate the kind words we have been doing this awhile. Um, the work we do, certainly isn't rocket science, any contractor can do it or even a handyman. Um, what what's important is that they understand the needs of the people they're dealing with and that's different than a normal contractor. A normal contractor just goes in and does a job, and they don't have to think about the needs now and the needs in the future. So a lot of it is, um, a good accessible contractor will ask, you know, okay, what, what's the situation, or they'll go to the home and they'll talk to the family and see where they're at now and where they're going to be. So really importantly, it's, it's trying to understand kind of the needs now, and maybe five, 10 years down the road so that you're not spending money on thing.
Speaker 4 00:11:53 And then in a year or so, it's obsolete, you have to do something else. Um, so I think a lot of it is finding somebody that's reputable. Um, you know, I, I work with a lot of contractors. We train them on accessibility and they call us for information and stuff. So we have a whole source of those guys, including our own company. Um, but I tell people, if you have a great contractor, a lot of them do, their parents have been using them for years. I have this guy down the street. That's great. Give him our number. We'll talk to him. We can talk to him about the right equipment, the right slopes, the way to attach a grab bar. If there's not a stud, a lot of little things like that, that, you know, some contractor that's been doing it for years probably doesn't know about.
Speaker 3 00:12:35 Right, right. That's fantastic. Um, and those are diamonds in the rough finding these contractors that will really kind of facilitate or leverage other, uh, other people to assist in getting this done. I can't think of a time where that was even more important now, shortages of labor, shortages of materials, the timing of getting labor and materials to show up at the exact same time to get a project done. Right. It seems to really complicate the construction industry in general or home improvement industries and others. Um, what are, I guess, some of the stuff self-help, what, what, what would you, um, what would you recommend would be things that most family members could start to do on an entry-level themselves to introduce the idea of safety equipment to a family member and what are, you know, if you can think of anything that are hands-off, you don't want to install this one because of, of, uh, you know, for safety concerns or something to that nature?
Speaker 4 00:13:38 Well, I mean, the simplest thing is a grab bar. Um, I wish, you know, I wish it was a code for every home to have a grab bar. I could use one, sometimes there's soap on the shower floor, um, the hot shower steamy, and I get a little disoriented, you know, and I want to grab something. Uh, it'd be nice to have something from that, you know, is going to hold on. So I'm a big avenue advocate for grab bars. They have nice decorative ones. They don't have to look institutional. Um, so grab bars are a mosque. Um, a lot of times it's getting on and off the toilet. Um, you know, a lot of homes, if it's an older home has a really low 15 and a half inch height, um, that's difficult to get up and down from. Um, those are more designed for little children.
Speaker 4 00:14:23 So, um, you can get a higher toilet, you can get a spacer that goes under the toilet. They have toilet seats that are risers that have rails. So, um, you know, the bathroom is considered the most dangerous room in the home. So that's where I would tell most people the focus, uh, for your parents, um, you know, getting in there at night, they get up in the middle of the night and they're trying to get to their bathroom. That's where most falls happen. So make sure carpets are out of the way. There's some things that can hold on to, um, you simple, I put in some simple motion sensor nightlights that are on the floor, light up as they start to walk. So they're not going through a dark hallway or a closet area or something like that. So those are real simple. Um, we talked about ramps, ramps are important. Um, I mean, I could go on for hours all the time
Speaker 4 00:15:13 To, um, you know, I don't really know of anything that I would say absolutely don't do it. Um, I just see a lot of people spend money on like a stairlift for instance. Um, that's a chair you sit on that takes you up the stairs. If they have a disability, um, you have to transfer at the bottom and at the top, and it becomes a really, it sounds like a great idea. Um, so that's something that can be kind of not useful over a period of time. So, and they're fairly expensive and obtrusive in the home. So people are really people talk to me about stair lifts. I talk them out of it a lot, depending on the situation there's other solutions. So, um, just think through, you know, not just your immediate need, but where are you going to be in a year or two, unless money's not an object and get whatever you need and change it later, you know?
Speaker 3 00:16:03 Well, but, but it still comes to the disruption in the space, right? It's, it's that other obstacle that you're sitting on the wall or in the, in the middle of these, these will shape a lot of things. I really like the suggestion of understanding the bathroom and, and maybe just understanding the journey between a bedroom and a bathroom is a, is a first focus. It can get super overwhelming to work your way through a house. And we have a, we have a safety, uh, assessment tool. Um, the university of Colorado Buffalo had done some years ago. And we've got a version of that for our members on our website that walked them from, I think that that's one of the key things. It walks them around the house is people work through outdoor areas, lighting, things like that, slip her up for rugs, come slip rugs. I cannot tell you how often, uh, the, one of the first things is senior move management group that you, you come in and it is finding all of those little three foot by five foot rugs, area rugs.
Speaker 4 00:17:03 I hate to get rid of them.
Speaker 3 00:17:07 They, they, they do. Right. Um, but I tell you what just, is there a way to secure them? I mean, what's, what's a long, just as silly as it gets. What's the safest way to keep something like that in I understand that trip and fall stuff, slip away stuff. I did. I really got to go pretty dang quickly. Or what are your thoughts?
Speaker 4 00:17:25 Well, I mean, they are true hazards. They have there's, double-sided tape things you can do, but then when you want to clean you up, pull them up and that wears off. And, um, you know, it really, it depends the level, you know, if they're scooting their feet and not picking up their feet as well, it's, it's definitely a trip hazard and you know, if they're not paying attention, um, that's a lot of the times when people trip on and a lot of it's coming just into their kitchen or some place that they're not, you know, you don't normally think they're going to trip.
Speaker 3 00:17:57 Yeah. Yeah. Well that, um, that, that is a fantastic starting spot, uh, to get everybody just, just oriented some of those first early projects to work through. I think we're going to take a break in between these blocks up here and get one more word into helping manage your project, where their senior moves connect that.
Speaker 3 00:18:40 Hey, thanks for joining us back again. We've got Todd crest with ADL solutions, uh, and we've been going through your parent project, uh, to where to start how that works. We've tackled getting the families members home, uh, we've, we've tackled maybe just the first initial spot to start working your way through the house and dealing with, uh, the bathroom, the bedroom, some of those key areas and talks around that. Uh, let's maybe kind of a, a larger level Todd aging in place. Um, it is today in senior living, you know, senior living communities are giving a run for our money, but, uh, you know, I, I saw a lot of families really pull back and start hesitating after COVID led to some pretty severe restrictions and being able to, to visit your loved ones for almost a two year period, at least a good solid year. There was some pretty heavy restrictions and the isolation seemed to constant problems. What are, um, what's the impact that, that COVID where those things, what have you seen in your industry? How has that really impacted you guys and how should that, what should that impact have on families thinking about aging in place or, or, um, working with home safety?
Speaker 4 00:19:57 Well, I think obviously COVID, um, you know, a lot of people were just transitioning into these facilities, um, which I think is a great thing. I want people to be safe, happy, and healthy. Um, there's all degrees of that depending on their independence and what they can have on their own. Um, I think there's been studies over the years, you know, obviously I'm sure you've talked in your segments, how the baby boomers are kind of flooding the senior market right now, all services are being overwhelmed as far as, you know, facilities go and there's this whole transition to having independent, um, assisted and then memory care units in these facilities. And they're great places to be, but most people don't want to be there. Um, and like you said, COVID has made, um, uh, sometimes you feel like they're trapped there, if something like that would happen again.
Speaker 4 00:20:48 Um, and it's actually for the most part, less expensive to make some modifications, maybe get some home care, some people visiting every so often, um, at your home. So if it's done right, I think it can be a lot more affordable and probably everyone happy if it's done right at home, I've seen, you know, I've seen a steady pace of home modifications. I really haven't seen. And I think it's just how many people need help. I haven't seen a big change, like after COVID, we're doing a lot more home modifications. I mean, there's just a lot out there to do as it is. Um, but I'm sure a lot of families are there. I know I'm there with my parents. They're not ready to need a lot of home services, but I don't want to have them go into a place if they don't, if they don't need to.
Speaker 3 00:21:36 Right. Well, in the United States as more and more of these baby boomers are pushing in the expectation on that communities and what a community needs to do and what it should look like for that really, that really has stepped, uh, has stepped that up to entice them to lifestyle and, and, and living, living something to that nature. Um, isolation, if I would agree, you know, in my, in our family situation, I know that, um, my mother wants, she wants to stay put as long as she possibly can, uh, cause she has community that's around her and where that community works. And those are, um, as long as we can continue doing that safe, just like we want everybody safe, happy, and healthy for they're going to be that's fantastic. And what are, um, any major challenges or anybody in our, in our Phoenix market as, as we look, uh, maybe over the course of the next year, uh, any, anything that you see on the horizon that, that, uh, that businesses should be aware of builders in general, um, are there specialists, you know, uh, shortages of any specific types of materials or anything like that, that you're seeing out there?
Speaker 4 00:22:44 Everything,
Speaker 4 00:22:48 You know, um, it it's, it's so far to predict, um, you know, I have about five different crews that do construction work. We do two or three showers a week doing barrier free showers. And I, every week I get different feedback. Um, this, I can't get this, I can't get that. We have an office in Flagstaff. Um, he can't get that. So it just seems like it's a rotating issue where, you know, just as something as simple as the black abs piping that you use for drains, all of a sudden in the last couple months is hard to find we're going to five different home depots or plumbing supplies stores to get the simple stuff that was plenty of before. Um, and pretty much any specialized item that's, um, like I, we do changing tables for schools, for young children and things. And, um, anybody that's building stuff, uh, like if you're ordering equipment and it's being built as you order that stuff's taken forever now because their supply chain is slowed down. Um, but literally, I mean, everything's gone up, it's hard to find stuff. It's very hard to predict the length of some projects because of materials. Um, it's hard to say what's not coming and what's going to be there. It's, it's kind of a crap shoot.
Speaker 3 00:24:07 So a little bit, you know, a little bit of patients, particularly if you've got a lot of custom, the more custom stuff that we might have out, or there's going to be built in making sure that we've got some patients and in four sites. So plan ahead for things like that.
Speaker 4 00:24:23 And we, so, um, a lot of the contractors that buy from us, um, call us the home Depot of accessibility. I'm certainly not that, but we carry, I carry every size, grab bar 12 inch up to 48. They come in different diameters inch and a quarter, an inch and a half. I have every size. Um, we have special flip-up bars, special transfer bars. We have ramps, aluminum and rubber, um, barrier, free showers. I mean, we, we inventory and stock a lot of this stuff. One because of our own projects and too, a lot of guys rely on us to have it. Um, it's pretty good, big cost for us to do, but we're trying to stay ahead of that supply curve because we see it coming and our suppliers will tell us, Hey, we're getting low on this. Um, so we try to keep the normal equipment when I say normal, normal accessible equipment in, I can't control what home Depot has and stuff, but, um, but yeah, so we try to keep our schedules pretty consistent, um, by inventorying and keeping our own stuff here.
Speaker 3 00:25:27 Well mean, look, your, um, your, your leadership and just in general in the industry and, and creating that focus and keeping that focus, uh, on the specialties that are needed in the aging population. That's awesome. And for those of us working through a parent project, uh, it means a lot to know that there's contractors like you out there. So I appreciate you taking time today to walk through the trade, to understand, take a little of the mystique out of it and help us kind of get our heads straight when we want to make it safe before they fall and get everybody into that, that good, safe, happy, healthy place to use your words. I really appreciate you being with this.
Speaker 4 00:26:06 Yeah, thanks for having me. We're here to help. So I'm just, we take all calls and we try to get out as quick as we can to help people out if they need it.
Speaker 3 00:26:15 Great. Great God. Uh, thank you. Get best way that people can get ahold of you guys, uh, if they need to.
Speaker 4 00:26:21 So, uh, the best way is just call the office. It's (480) 636-1816. You can also go to our website. I think it's down [email protected] that you can type in a message from there. Um, reach us that way or send us an email. So, um, pretty much we'll respond as quick as we get it.
Speaker 3 00:26:43 Awesome. And you are, uh, Phoenix, east valley, Phoenix, west valley. And
Speaker 4 00:26:50 So, uh, people in Tucson, people in Flagstaff, our major offices here, we're in Chandler, but we go all around the state, um, Numa, you know, all, all over, down in Nogalas with crews, doing stuff all over the place. So we'll, we'll get to you if you're in state of Arizona.
Speaker 3 00:27:07 Great. Well, I appreciate it. God bless you. God bless you and your business, uh, as you move ahead and thanks again for joining us. You're on Ontario. Thanks, bro.
Speaker 6 00:27:21 Well, that's it for the team this week and thanks for joining us. If you've enjoyed the content, remember to subscribe and to share this episode on the app that you're using right now, your reviews and your comments, they really help us expand our reach as well as our perspective. So if you have time also drop us a note, let us know how we're doing for tips and tools, to clarify your parent project, simplify communication with your stakeholders and verify the professionals that you choose. You can find us on YouTube, follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Thanks again for trusting us until our next episode, the hold and be healthy.
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