News
Funding Opportunity to Support Home Modification Services
- By: USAging
- On: 03/12/2021 11:09:47
- In: Hot Topics in Aging
Home modifications help make homes better suited to meet the changing needs of the older adults who live in them—and can help prevent falls, maximize independence and support caregiving. While home modifications are high on the list of reasons older adults typically contact AAAs to seek assistance with, a lack of funding for this work has limited the amount of home modifications that AAAs have been able to tackle. Until now. A new funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development may be just what your agency needs to take its home modification work to a new level.
AAAs with experience in providing home repair and modification services to older adults are encouraged to apply for HUD's Older Adults Home Modification Grant Program (OAHMP). The goal of the program is to help low-income older adults age successfully in their homes through low-cost, low-barrier and high-impact home modifications. Grant applications are due May 4, 2021.
According to HUD, examples of supported home modifications include installation of grab bars, railings and lever-handled doorknobs and faucets, as well as the installation of adaptive equipment, such as a temporary ramp, tub/shower transfer bench, handheld showerhead, raised toilet seat, risers for chairs and sofas, and non-slip strips for tub/shower or stairs. The OAHMP model primarily relies on the expertise of a licensed Occupational Therapist (OT) to ensure that the home modification addresses the client's specific goals and needs and promotes their full participation in daily life activities.
For more information on AAA involvement with home modification and repair activities, see n4a's data brief. Interested in sharing information on your agency's home modification services with older adults in your community? Check out the Eldercare Locator's brochure, Modifying Your Home for Healthy Aging.
For home repair and modification resources, visit www.homemods.org/acl.