At a session on aging and technology during the Aging in Place Conference, organized by the UM Health System Housing Bureau for Seniors, I learned how computers, sensors and video cameras are being used to monitor the well being of older adults living alone. Paul McAninch, of Presbyterian Villages of Michigan, added that 25%-33% of people of over 65 will fall each year in their homes, and that this is the leading cause of people entering nursing homes or suffering premature death. How to Avoid Falling can be found at the Ann Arbor District Library.

Professor Martha E. Pollack, Dean of the UM School of Information, discussed other monitoring technologies that are still being developed. Both speakers recommended looking for more information through the Center for Aging Services Technologies.

Don’t let physical limitations prevent you from gardening. Make your garden grow using new methods. You have lots of options to consider such as window boxes, raised beds and vertical gardens. Check out our selection of books on accessible gardening including The Able Gardener, The Enabling Garden: Creating Barrier-free Gardens and Accessible Gardening For People With Physical Disabilities.

If you don’t have the ability or desire to create your own accessible garden, consider participating in the Discovery Garden, a part of Project Grow, where accessible gardens are available for use by seniors and wheelchair-bound gardeners.

Americans are not accustomed to designing single-family homes for the probability that someone close to them will have mobility problems in the future. At a recent meeting of Senior Advocates of Washtenaw (SAW), a workgroup of Blueprint for Aging, Carolyn Grawi, Sue Hart and David Esau introduced the concept of visitablility. The goal is for anyone living in or visiting your home to be able to enter, move about, and use the bathroom.

AADL is barrier-free, and has books that address this concept: Design for Assisted Living, Design for Dignity, Beautiful Barrier-Free, and Building Design for Handicapped and Aged Persons. Go to concretechange.org for more information.

Ann Arbor District Library has several recent books and DVDs on topics relating to persons with disabilities, as well as an extensive large type collection and books on tape and CD. Two new book titles, for example, are Remodeling for Easy Access Living and Barrier-Free Travel. Visit the online catalogue at aadl.org, for a keyword search under disabilities, to see all these titles (specify large type within material type, if desired).

AADL Select Sites, at aadl.org, features a list of frequently asked for Websites about a variety of disability issues. Just click on Services, Answers, AADL Select Sites, and Persons With Disabilities.