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Age-Friendly Honolulu with Honolulu Department of Community Services (2021) Print
2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Housing
└ Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
└ Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
Oahu is home to many older adults hoping to age in place. However, aging homes can make this difficult. Working with Palolo Chinese Home, Age-Friendly Honolulu created the Safe Homes 4 Kapuna program, which provides aging-in-place education, as well as home assessments and modifications, to older adults in the Palolo Valley neighborhood. The program produced print and electronic versions of a booklet, called Hale4Kapuna. The publication includes tips about renters' rights, permitting processes, funding sources and types of home modifications beneficial for older adults, as well as information on home assessments and basic handyman work. The group also provided home assessments to six older adults residing in the Palolo Valley.
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Dalton, GA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
Description: This project contributed to the City of Dalton Housing Authority's larger efforts to renovate its properties. The Authority hoped to give public housing residents more access to outdoor gathering spaces, so it installed picnic tables in several locations. To increase accessibility, organizers also provided ramps to residents unable to climb stairs. Finally, the Authority updated its laundry rooms. Project organizers say the improvements give residents updated, clean and safe areas to interact with each other, which helps combat social isolation and depression.
Portland, OR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
Description: As Portland's housing costs climb, hundreds of households living in manufactured housing parks are at risk of losing their homes. To help residents with home upkeep, Verde provided critical home repairs to seven mobile homes in the Cully neighborhood. The repairs addressed health and safety issues impacting low-income older adults, people with disabilities and families with children. Additionally, the work provided an opportunity for experienced volunteers to share their skills with residents who are new to home repair.
Tulsa, OK
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
Description: This project will provide home safety upgrades to housebound older adults. Improvements include smoke detector, handrail and grab bar installation, as well as modifications to accommodate wheelchairs.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Honolulu, HI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Micromobility enhancements/management
Description: When Bikeshare Hawaii launched its Biki bikeshare program, it found that older adults were not using the resource at the same rate as younger people. In response, it invited Hawaiians age 50 and older to sign up for Biki Social Rides. The rides, held in partnership with Blue Zones Hawaii and the Hawaii Bicycling League, included a tutorial on how to use the Biki app to find stations. Instructors also showed riders how to dock and undock the service's turquoise bicycles. Additionally, Bikeshare Hawaii provided each participant with a helmet and a trial Biki membership.
Honolulu, HI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Engaging residents in vibrant public places
Description: The Age-Friendly Honolulu initiative launched Kind2Kupuna, a public awareness campaign to help shops, restaurants, health care providers and other public-facing businesses better serve older adults. While preparing the campaign, Age-Friendly Honolulu found the most common complaints kupuna had about shopping were difficulties reaching items on shelves, poor customer service and employees failing to smile or not making eye contact. To address these issues, they created a poster featuring ten culturally appropriate tips, including start with aloha, be mindful of memory loss, step into their shoes and make it readable. "A workforce that is more aware and equipped to accommodate physical and cognitive changes with age will be better able to support older adults in many ways, both big and small," Hawaii Pacific University Vice President Sam Moku said.
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