Home Repair Problematic for Elderly and Disabled

Rising healthcare and insurance costs are impacting everyone. However there are two groups that are quite possibly the most adversely affected that we don’t hear from as much as other, more vocal groups. Elderly and disabled individuals often have the highest healthcare costs, which often forces decisions between healthcare and home repair.

The soaring costs of senior and assisted living facilities further complicate matters. Elderly and disabled individuals are often forced to stay longer in their homes, longer than they should due to the high costs of these facilities. Between the fiscal impact of healthcare costs and the fact that these groups stay longer in their homes, maintenance of the homes eventually becomes a significant issue.

Accessibility also becomes an issue in houses not typically constructed to accommodate such needs. Just getting in, out, and even around inside a dwelling becomes more arduous with age. Disabilities compound accessibility issues even further.

Rural communities often have a number of these residences. They are falling apart with little hope of recovery. Often by the time these homeowners move out, the house is nearly or completely beyond repair. As the rising costs of assisted living are pushing this sector of the community’s population to stay in their homes longer, the overall condition of the community’s housing stock is negatively impacted.

Finding Home Repair Funding

Thankfully a number of communities have funding for repairs or to remove barriers to accessibility through various state, federal, or philanthropic sources. Unfortunately, many of these residents don’t know of these funding sources or have the wherewithal to apply for such funding. Possible funding options include:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

USDA Rural Development’s Section 504 Home Repair program provides grants to very-low-income elderly homeowners to fix health and safety hazards. USDA-RD also provides loans to very-low-income homeowners to repair, improve, or modernize their homes.

Area Agency on Aging

Check with your local Area Agency on Aging to find out if there is home modification and repair funding available as provided through the Older Americans Act.

Federal home energy update assistance programs

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps low-income households pay for heating and cooling energy costs, energy crisis assistance, weatherization, and energy-related home repairs.

There’s also the government’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), which provides financial assistance to update homes to improve their energy efficiency and weatherization.

Insurance

Many times the elderly or disabled do not know how to utilize their homeowner’s insurance to make repairs after a major storm or other event. Some don’t even know that they can. Unfortunately, there are many that will take advantage this lack of understanding for their own benefit. This is where residents need a trusted resource to help them through the process.

Photo by ilovebutter from flickr; Creative Commons

You Can’t Do It Alone

Even with the funding sources listed above and others available through government and non-profit avenues, there is not enough to go around. Many times the amount of repairs needed exceeds the funding available. Because of this communities need to make a concerted effort on housing issues for those undeserved residents. A committee, coalition, task force, or some other arrangement can take an important role in this respect. No one person can tackle this massive issue.

Such a group of concerned individuals is necessary. Better ideas are conceived in a group arrangement. Tasks can be divvied up based on ability. Whether if the project involves grant writing, homeowner communication, fundraising, or project management, projects are more likely to happen if the load is spread amongst people with skills that fit the need.

Sometimes obtaining grant funds to have contractors do the work just isn’t plausible. It is these times where you test the generosity of the community. It is also the time where you test the limits of your committee. Projects can still get completed through local fundraising and the donation of manpower. Even with a small community foundation grant or funds raised for the project by a local church, many repairs can still get done.

It doesn’t take much skill or funding to paint a house. There are likely quite a few individuals in town that can replace a couple boards on a porch. A generous electrician may also be willing to lend a hand. Able to remedy an unsafe condition for someone who can’t do it themselves or pay to have it done. Take stock of these individuals, build a rapport with them. But don’t go to the well too often. The few skilled individuals you may get burned out and you might not get them back.

Together You Can Make a Difference

Most rural communities do not have the wherewithal to put together a non-profit organization  like Rebuilding Together to fund and manage the repairs and improvements needed. But if you can gather enough interested individuals with an eye toward helping, you can make a difference.