#69 - Interview With Dennis Lippy and Rick Thaxton of Accessible Living Atlanta
Manage episode 523853230 series 3578196
Got a comment or idea? Send us a text.
A safer home shouldn’t look clinical, and it shouldn’t wait until after a fall. We invited Rick Thaxton and Dennis Lippy of Accessible Living Atlanta to share how they build beautiful, practical spaces that protect independence at any age, and why designing for caregivers is just as critical as designing for the person receiving care. From modern grab bars that blend into your bathroom to ceiling lifts that prevent back injuries, we walk through the upgrades that matter most and the small, low-cost steps that deliver outsized safety: better lighting, continuous handrails, decluttering, and zero-entry showers placed and sized for real bodies and real routines.
We also dig into the logistics families face. Zoning and ADUs for multigenerational homes, vertical platform lifts when ramps won’t fit, stacked closets that future-proof townhomes for elevators, and the funding landscape that too often surprises people, because Medicare doesn’t pay for home modifications. Rick and Dennis share how to tap VA benefits, state Medicaid waivers, and condition-specific grants, plus why it pays to involve an occupational therapist to align body mechanics with the built environment. The takeaway is clear: plan early, personalize to the home and the person, and build with aesthetics in mind so accessibility boosts resale instead of harming it.
Technology helps but isn’t a silver bullet, especially for bathroom falls, so layering solutions is key: non-slip surfaces, reachable controls, motion lighting, and thoughtful layouts that minimize transfers. Whether you’re supporting a parent, living with a progressive condition, or simply want a future-ready space, this conversation offers a practical roadmap to safer, smarter living. If this episode sparks ideas, share it with a friend, subscribe for more expert conversations, and leave a review to tell us which home upgrade you’ll tackle first.
Thanks for listening!
Sign up to our Homeowners Newsletter - it's a weekly newsletter filled with expert tips and advice on how to age safely and more comfortably in your own home.
If you provide services for modifying homes for disabled or seniors aging in place, sign up to our directory and expand your business.
Chapters
1. Meet Accessible Living Atlanta (00:00:00)
2. From CAPS to full accessibility focus (00:03:02)
3. Market growth and emotional barriers (00:05:52)
4. Independence for all ages (00:10:17)
5. Caregiver safety and ceiling lifts (00:12:52)
6. ADUs, zoning, and multigenerational living (00:16:02)
7. Top home mods: grab bars, lighting, rails (00:19:12)
8. Funding myths, waivers, and grants (00:24:42)
9. Being more than builders: advocacy and resources (00:28:32)
10. Training teams and urgent turnarounds (00:31:42)
11. OT partnership and personalized design (00:34:32)
12. Universal design trends and resale value (00:38:42)
13. Practical fixes and beautiful outcomes (00:43:52)
14. Checklists, prevention, and early planning (00:48:12)
15. Tech gaps, fall detection, and the Nobi lamp (00:53:02)
16. Community models, concierge help, and next steps (00:57:32)
70 episodes