A few years back, when universal design was getting out of the thinking stage and into show houses, I asked a residential builder what he thought about front-loaded washers, no-step showers and grab bars in bathtubs.

For those who still don’t know what universal design is, the concept has a lot of parts, but the most important is that housing should be created so that the occupants can continue to live comfortably and well even when their personal situations -- health, for example, changes.

It is not just building ramps for wheelchair-access, but incorporates a whole host of ideas designed to encourage a “normal” life.

The builder’s reply: A nice idea, but you need to be subtle about it, because aging baby boomers don’t want to be reminded that they are aging. On the contrary, boomers think that if they take care of themselves, eat right and don’t smoke, they’ll live forever.

Come to think of it, after putting back a few pounds after losing 87 on the Atkins Diet (it was just a few, well, maybe 12), and still going warp speed on everything from writing articles, to books, to teaching, to planning conferences and being involved in all sorts of outside work activities, I’ve come to believe that I’ll live to at least tomorrow, if not Saturday.

With arthritis taking making using my fingers slightly more painful (except for typing, however -- it never seems to bother me), I’m grateful for the levers on the interior doors and the shower. The growing problem with manual dexterity, which makes it tougher to take notes with a pen or pencil, is mitigated somewhat by the use of a digital tape recorder that fits basically in the palm of my hand.

The digital recorder has increased my workload, however, since I have to download the interview into the tape recorder and add stops to easily find portions of the interview I need immediately. My full-time employer now requires me to tell my interviewees that I am recording them -- as if they couldn’t figure that out by looking at what I’m holding in my hand -- and then make podcasts out of these chats.

You cannot just age gracefully. You have to multitask to retirement.

Then there is AARP, which has been around so long that we no longer use “the” in front of it nor do we define it as the American Association of Retired Persons. It is difficult to convince yourself that you aren’t getting older when the invitation to join AARP shows up in the mailbox with your 50th birthday cards.

Oh, sure, membership guarantees discounts at hotels and when renting cars, but my AAA card offers the same amenities and anyone with $125 to spend each year can have one of those and still lie about his or her age.

Unlike the residential builder I interviewed about universal design, AARP believes that the industry should be offering houses and developments that “improve the daily comfort, ease and safety of their residents and highlight the critical elements needed for a livable community.”

To encourage such enterprise, the National Association of Home Builders and AARP will present an annual “liveable communities award” to remodelers, builders and developers for projects that incorporate design elements that accommodate the needs of all residents with all levels of physical ability from children through grandparents.

In addition, the projects must afford easy access to community services and features such as retail, restaurants, medical, social and cultural activities, as well as viable transportation options, as well as improved energy efficiency and enhanced site design.

"Whether you're a toddler, a teen with a backpack, a dad cooking dinner, or a great grandparent using a walker, insightful home and community design can greatly improve your day,” said AARP CEO Bill Novelli.

There will be winners in each category for both a large project and small project in each category. Size will define large and small builder and developer projects. Cost will determine remodelers' categories. Winning projects must have been completed and opened or eligible for occupancy between Jan. 1, 2005, and June 1, 2007.

Judging criteria vary from category to category, but points will be awarded based on universal-design features, ease of maintenance and energy efficiency, exterior design and landscaping and site design, incorporation of livable community design features, and stakeholder involvement, which means how the wishes of the people who will live in these communities or employ the remodeling contractor are met in creation of the project.

Applications for the first awards will be due June 1. Winners will be announced in the 2008 January-February issue of AARP’s magazine. For more information on the awards or to download an application, link to aarp.org/livablecommunitiesaward.

Published: February 22, 2007

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Al Heavens writes about real estate and home repair and improvement. He is the author of What No One Ever Tells You About Renovating Your Home: Real-Life Advice For Hassle-free, Cost-Effective Remodeling.