Written by Chad Birt on Mon Oct 10 2022.
An AARP survey conducted in November 2021 found that 77% of people 50 and older want to remain in their homes for the long term. While it’s understandable that so many Americans want to age in place, mobility issues and/or underlying health problems can make implementing the necessary modifications or home improvements challenging.
If you’re on a fixed budget or not especially handy, you might think your only options are to downsize or move into an assisted living community. Fortunately, that’s far from the case.
There are several organizations that offer home repair help for seniors. Here are a few of our favorites.
The Weatherization Assitance Program (WAP) was developed by the U.S. Department of Energy to help low-income Americans increase the energy efficiency of their homes by providing grants for weatherization services.
Considering that low-income households spend 13.9% of their total annual income on energy, compared to 3% of other households, if you’re on a budget, applying for this program makes a lot of sense.
With a WAP grant, you can update your home’s insulation, seal the windows and doors, inspect and upgrade the weather stripping, and purchase a programmable thermostat. These upgrades can help you save on your monthly energy bill while making your home safer and more comfortable.
Rebuilding Together is a non-profit community revitalization organization. Founded in Midland, Texas, in 1973, the institution now has dozens of local affiliates and hundreds of thousands of volunteers all over the country, who help repair homes and revitalize communities.
Rebuilding Together primarily focuses on helping homeowners rebuild after natural disasters, but it also works with individual homeowners to make essential repairs that let them stay in their homes.
Find the local Rebuilding Together affiliate in your area here.
If you’re on a fixed income, you might qualify for a loan or grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA’s Section 504 Home Repair program covers the cost of home improvements and repairs that remove health or safety hazards.
To qualify for this loan program, you must:
Own and occupy the home being upgraded
Be unable to afford credit elsewhere
Have a household income that doesn’t exceed the limit set by the county
Habitat for Humanity is best known for its disaster recovery efforts, but it also offers an Aging in Place program, designed to help older adults stay in their residence of choice.
Interested in learning more? The first step is contacting your local Habitat for Humanity affiliate. These affiliates partner with human services organizations to evaluate each applicant’s needs.
First, a representative visits your home and reviews your living environment. Then, they make the necessary repairs and modifications so you can age in place.
If you’re still relatively mobile, but worry about a time when you might not be, set aside some time to browse Housemods.org. The website, provided by the Fall Prevention Center of Excellence at the University of Southern California, houses a library of home modification resources that’s second to none.
The Consumer Awareness section is particularly helpful, highlighting various resources for:
Older adults in rural areas
Low-income older adults
Older veterans
Aging adults with disabilities
Making your home safer and adaptive to your needs doesn’t have to cost a fortune. No matter your remodeling needs, you’re sure to find something helpful at Housemods.
If you live in a rural area outside of the big city, it can be difficult finding home repair help, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.
Many small metropolitan areas have volunteer organizations, like the Portland, Oregon-based Community Builder’s Program. These groups provide free home maintenance to seniors as well as safety and accessibility upgrades.
Pro tip: Find the volunteer home repair program in your area by Googling “free volunteer home repair programs near me.”
The Eldercare Locator is a one-stop shop for caregiving resources. It connects older Americans and their loved ones with trustworthy organizations in their local area.
Launched in 1991 by the Administration on Aging, the free search engine can help you find home repair resources that you might not hear about anywhere else.
You don’t have to keep putting off those upgrades because of the exorbitant costs. Many nonprofits and community-based organizations offer free or discounted construction work to the elderly and less fortunate.
With a little bit of planning and research, you can make the necessary upgrades to keep your home safe and comfortable for years to come.
Home renovations are an investment upfront, but in the grand scheme of things, these changes are often more affordable than long-term care at a nursing home or assisted living facility.
In this blog, we’ll look at several senior-friendly upgrades.
There are several ways to pay for assisted living, including using Medicaid, Medicare, long-term care insurance, VA benefits, a reverse mortgage, an annuity, or a bridge loan. Let's take a closer look at each of these options.
Read More >Chad Birt is a freelance medical writer who resides in Astoria, Oregon. When he isn't behind a keyboard, you can find him hiking, camping, or birdwatching with his wife Ella and their two dogs, Diane and Thoreau.