Project Overview

Home is where health is. Ninety percent of seniors intend to live in their homes for at least the next 5-10 years, but only one percent of homes in the U.S. have been constructed with the key components needed to minimize the risk of injury and maximize quality of life as we age. Further, many seniors live with functional limitations and chronic conditions that limit their ability to conduct everyday activities like cooking or climbing stairs independently.

Whether a senior’s goal is to play the guitar again after losing their eyesight, navigate home and social life after a major amputation, or resume their duties as a deacon in their church community, CAPABLE transforms how people engage with the health system by asking their clients, “what is important to you?”

Beyond making an impact on quality of life, CAPABLE is also highly cost-effective. A recent study showed that every $3,000 invested in program costs yielded more than $20,000 in savings in medical costs.

CAPABLE is making a splash in the healthcare community, and people are taking notice: more and more programs want to adopt CAPABLE in their cities. As demand picks up, it will become more difficult for the founding team to give hands-on support to ensure that new adopters of CAPABLE are fully embracing the program’s core values and principles.

In Fall 2018 MICA’s Center for Social Design began working with CAPABLE to explore and design ways to communicate the CAPABLE story, onboard new affiliates, and set programs up for success.

Project Team