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Gen X's oldest members are several years away from retirement, but they are already starting to think about where they will live.

When they were raising their four children, Billy and Erin Shipley had space for their family to grow: a two-story, five-bedroom house in Sugar Land, Texas, with a large yard and a pool. But as the children became adults and moved out, the second floor was deserted and maintaining the lawn and pool became a burden. Like many members of Generation X facing an empty nest, the Shipleys decided to look for a home better suited to their needs where they could eventually live in retirement. They chose

Older Americans face rising mortgage debt, high costs for medical care and assistance, and a dearth of accessible housing.

Aging-in-place goals take planning, help and money to balance the burdensome costs of both housing and long-term care.

A growing number of older Americans are finding it difficult to downsize to smaller, more accessible, and more affordable homes while staying in their communities.