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What is home
modification and repair?
Do you sometimes
have difficulty getting in and out of the shower? Do
you worry that you may fall because the stairs to
your house are steep?
You’re not alone.
Older Minnesotans are modifying their homes to make
them more "age-appropriate." Sometimes a
simple modification – like replacing round
doorknobs with door levers – can make a world of
difference in satisfaction and safety.
Home modification
can help prevent accidents, such as falls, which are
the leading cause for older persons to move to
nursing homes. Research suggests that nearly
one-half of home accidents could be prevented by
simple modifications and repairs.
If you’re like
thousands of other older Minnesotans, you’ve lived
in your home for decades. Over 60 percent of older
persons live in homes that are more than 20 years
old. With a few modernizations, your home could be
safer, more convenient and more comfortable.
Typical home
modifications include:
- Installing grab
bars, shower seals or transfer benches,
- Placing nonskid
stripes or decals in the tub or shower,
- Replacing
doorknobs with lever handles,
- Installing ramps
to make access to the home easier or,
- Installing new
insulation, storm windows or air conditioning to
make the home more weatherproof and comfortable.
How can you pay for
this work?
Some home
modification and repair programs make loans or
provide services free of charge or at reduced rates
for eligible older people. For more information,
contact:
- USDA Rural
Development (formerly Farmers Home
Administration): offers 1 percent interest
repair loans to low-income elderly homeowners
and repair grants to the elderly who qualify.
Call the USDA Office of Communications at
202-720-2791 to request the field office that
covers your area.
- Local community
development departments: Many cities and towns
use community development block grants to help
citizens maintain and upgrade their homes.
- Local social
service or energy departments: Two programs from
the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
(LIHEAP) and the Weatherization Assistance
Program (WAP) of the U.S. Department of Energy
provide funds to weatherize the homes of lower
income persons.
- Doctors or
health care providers: Funds from Medicare and
Medicaid are available for durable medical
equipment with a doctor’s prescription.
- Local Area
Agency on Aging: Funds from the Older Americans
Act Title III often can be used to modify and
repair homes. Information is available through
the Senior LinkAge Line® at 1-800-333-2433.
- Local lenders
and banks: Some lenders offer home equity
conversion mortgages that allow homeowners to
turn the value of the home into cash without
having to move or make regular loan payments.
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