Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS)

The Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) credential program teaches the technical, business management, and customer service skills essential to competing in the fastest growing segment of the residential remodeling industry: home modifications for the aging-in-place.

As the senior population grows, many are exploring their housing options—but overwhelmingly, older adults prefer to remain in their own homes. This presents significant opportunities for remodelers, builders, contractors, and occupational therapists. The CAPS credential offers your potential clients what they need most: reassurance that you’ll help them make the choices that will help them stay in their homes safely and securely.

The CAPS credential helps you make your clients’ homes more comfortable and welcoming for everyone. Even if homeowners don’t think they need things like extra lighting or grab bars right now, chances are their future selves—or visiting friends and family—will appreciate those thoughtful touches. The goal is to help your clients live comfortably in their homes for as long as possible. CAPS helps you assist your clients in making the right choices, and it gives you more visibility in the remodeling market niche that’s continuing to grow in popularity.

• Marketing & Communicating Aging in Place Client (CAPS I)
• Design Concepts for Livable Homes and Aging in Place (CAPS II)
• Details and Solutions for Livable Homes and Aging in Place (CAPS III)

• Understand the concept, importance, and challenges of aging in place (AIP)
• Recognize three key AIP market segments and identify related business opportunities
• Explore access points and marketing strategies for reaching AIP clients
• Identify legal, contractual, and real-world functional considerations for AIP projects
• Understand how to collaborate effectively with allied professionals in the AIP space
• Learn design principles, product selection, and modification techniques for occupied homes
• Apply design concepts and solutions to support daily living activities in AIP homes
• Differentiate categories of design and tailor them to AIP market segments
• Develop and implement comprehensive AIP design plans, including installation techniques
• Integrate budget planning and phased construction into AIP project execution
• Identify and avoid common design and installation errors
• Apply targeted solutions for single-room modifications and full-home, multi-generational projects

Upon completion of all three courses, candidates can apply for their CAPS credential here.

Millions of Americans are living longer, more active lives and re-examining their assumptions on what growing older looks like. Many are choosing to remain in the home they love.

All ages can benefit from more usable and accessible home features, whether they're in a multi-generational setting, accommodating visitors, recovering from a temporary illness or injury, or providing caregiving.

Most homeowners will need to revitalize their home environment to achieve these goals. Identifying this burgeoning opportunity and then developing the skills to interact with this market can help you grow your business dramatically. 

This course equips participants with the knowledge and tools to effectively market and sell services to the aging-in-place (AIP) market.

By completing this course, participants will be able to:

• Describe what aging in place is, why it is important, and what challenges come with it
• Describe three segments within the AIP market that present business opportunities for building professionals
• Identify access points and marketing opportunities within targeted AIP market segments
• Identify common challenges of functioning in a real-world environment for the AIP population
• Identify legal and contractual considerations for building professionals providing livable home and AIP design solutions for residential clients
• Explain how allied professionals can collaborate effectively to serve a targeted AIP market 

View the table of contents for this class.

This course will benefit builders, remodelers and allied professionals that serve the aging in place market, including occupational therapists, physical therapists, real estate professionals, and trade contractors, as well as academics.

This course education level is considered Introductory.

This course is required for the NAHB Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) designation. This course can be an elective for the Master CSP and CGA designations.

This course provides six hours of continuing education credits for these NAHB designations: CGA, CGB, CGR, GMB, CSP, Master CSP, CMP, and MIRM.

NAHB is an Approved Provider with the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products or clinical procedures by AOTA. Education distributors who would like to offer CEUs to their students for approved courses must inform NAHB at the same time the course(s) is scheduled.

As of Jan. 6, 2021, the virtual format of this course provides 0.6 continuing education credits for AOTA.

The increasing desire among today’s homeowners to live in their home as long as possible has created a strong demand for aging in place (AIP) products and services.

To help homeowners make their home a safe, accessible and comfortable living environment, many manufacturers and companies are developing functional and innovative products that can be used in an existing or new home. Likewise, service providers are answering the AIP demand by focusing their businesses on creating new homes and renovations that provide design flexibility, pleasing aesthetics, and high function and usability for all people with regard to age, income or ability level, regardless of life's changes and challenges.

To be a successful AIP provider, you must focus your design/build expertise and adapt your business processes to execute these projects. New design concepts and products must support proposed solutions for your clients.

Design Concepts and Methods for Livable Homes and Aging in Place (CAPS II) prepares you to take on the AIP market intentionally by focusing your business to address the unique challenges of providing successful solutions and outcome.

By completing this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify special considerations for various designs, products and techniques for modifying an existing home while the client is in residence
• Identify specific AIP design solutions and product considerations which professionals can choose in the process to enhance the activities of daily living for the client in their home
• Describe the categories of design and how they relate and apply to the three AIP market segments
• Describe specific design concepts for the livable home and AIP client

View the table of contents here.

This course will benefit builders, remodelers, and allied professionals who serve the aging in place market, including occupational therapists, physical therapists, real estate professionals, and trade contractors, as well as academics.

This course education level is considered Intermediate.

This course is a requirement of the CAPS designation.

This course provides six hours of continuing education credits for these NAHB designations: CGA, CGB, CGR, GMB, CSP, Master CSP, CMP, and MIRM.

• 6 AIA/CES HSW Learning Units. NAHB is a Registered Provider with the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems. Credit earned on completion of this event will be reported to CES Records for AIA members by the Provider. Certificates of Completion for non-AIA members are available upon request.
• 6 CE for AIBD
• 0.6 AOTA CEUs.NAHB is an Approved Provider with the American Occupational Therapy Association. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products or clinical procedures by AOTA. Education distributors who would like to offer CEUs to their students for approved courses must inform NAHB at the same time the course(s) is scheduled.
  As of Jan. 6, 2021, the virtual format of this course provides 0.6 continuing education credits for AOTA.

Awareness of the aging in place (AIP) concept in the home building industry has increased significantly so that the National Association of Home Builders Certified Aging-in-Place (CAPS) designation is becoming the preferred, if not the expected, designation for professionals working with the AIP population.

The CAPS programs was created to introduce building industry professionals to the market’s growth potential and to teach techniques for expanding a business through effective marketing, communication, and solution design and implementation for this market.

Details and Solutions for Livable Homes and Aging in Place (CAPS III) presents detailed discussions about the application and integration of design solutions in a home. It is the final step toward developing comprehensive knowledge and honed skill for staying ahead of the curve in this ever-expanding market.

Refer to Marketing and Communicating with the Aging in Place Client (CAPS I) and Design Concepts and Methods for Livable Homes and Aging in Place (CAPS II) for more CAPS training.

By completing this course, participants will be able to:

• Create comprehensive designs for aging in place projects
• Practice design and installation for key components of AIP home design
• Implement techniques of budget integration into design and product selection
• Identify common missteps for design and installation of AIP solutions
• Review and apply solutions for common single-room modifications of a specified space
• Prioritize solutions in a whole house multi-generational case study while being compliant with budgetary constraints with consideration given to phased construction application

Please contact Paul Tingler at ptingler@nahb.org for more details.

Search current session offerings for this course.

View the table of contents here.

This course will benefit builders, remodelers, and allied professionals who serve the aging in place market, including occupational therapists, physical therapists, real estate professionals, and trade contractors, as well as academics.

This course education level is considered Intermediate.

This course is a requirement to earn the CAPS designation. Business Management for Building Professionals will be approved as a required course if taken prior to Jan. 1, 2018. For more details, visit How to Earn Your CAPS.

This course provides six hours of continuing education credits for these NAHB designations: CGA, CGB, CGR, GMB, GMR, CSP, Master CSP, CMP, and MIRM.

NAHB is an Approved Provider with the American Occupational Therapy Association. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products or clinical procedures by AOTA. Education distributors who would like to offer CEUs to their students for approved courses must inform NAHB at the same time the course(s) is scheduled.

As of Jan. 6, 2021, the virtual format of this course provides 0.6 continuing education credits for AOTA.

6 AIA/CES LU: NAHB is a Registered Provider with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Continuing Education Systems. Credit earned on completion of this course will be reported to CES Records for AIA members by NAHB. Certificates of Completion for non-AIA members are available upon request.