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Families Anchored In Total Harmony Inc. (2024) Print
2024 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Housing
└ HomeFit Modifications
└ HomeFit Modifications
Many older adults in Gary faced home hazards that increased fall risk, especially for those with chronic conditions. To address this, the organization distributed rug rippers and AARP HomeFit Guides to more than 200 households age 50-plus and hosted weekly sessions on safety and modification strategies. The effort encouraged residents to plan improvements and share tips with others, creating momentum for safer homes. One participant said they were ready to make changes after learning how simple adjustments could prevent injuries, underscoring the project's role in promoting independence and well-being.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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West Reading, PA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: HomeFit Modifications
Description: Reading Hospital addressed a common gap in care for older adults returning home after a fall or injury, when safety risks are often identified too late during discharge. The project strengthened referral pathways that connected high-risk patients to coordinated in-home support, including visits from an occupational therapist, a registered nurse and a handyman. Hospital staff across multiple departments were trained to identify eligible patients earlier and make timely referrals. For participants who enrolled, the visits helped address home hazards and improve confidence. The effort improved continuity from hospital to home and embedded fall prevention support into discharge planning.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Fort Davis, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: HomeFit Modifications
Description: Mobile Comunidad worked to address safety risks faced by older adults in a rural county with high poverty and limited support for aging in place. Volunteers delivered home safety kits that included lighting, anti-slip tools and other items that made daily tasks easier. Meeting residents in person allowed volunteers to explain how each item could help. Recipients mentioned how useful the kits were and expressed sincere gratitude. The project showed that small improvements can prompt safer living conditions, increased awareness among local leaders and stronger interest in expanding home safety efforts across the county.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Cincinnati, OH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: HomeFit Modifications
Description: Falls are a leading reason older adults lose confidence at home and seek emergency care, often due to hazards that go unnoticed until injury occurs. Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS expanded its fall prevention program through in-home safety assessments and practical modifications. Firefighter-paramedics installed grab bars in key locations and reviewed fall risks, medications and care needs. One resident said that without the grab bars, they believed they would have returned to the hospital after repeated falls and that the changes helped them regain independence. By focusing on prevention inside the home, the project strengthened long-term support for aging in place with greater safety.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Gary, IN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Expansion and enhancement of transportation options
Description: This project will enhance accessibility by installing a bus shelter, speed bumps, solar-powered crosswalks, striped crosswalks, and a bike lane. These improvements will connect senior apartments to a local park and trail.
Gary, IN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Residents of Genesis Towers -- an affordable housing complex for older adults -- often congregated in a vacant lot in Gary's downtown. This project set out to activate the lot into an accessible gathering space. Local students worked to gather input from residents about their hopes for the new park, and the City held design workshops. Plans for the space featured ADA-accessible walkways, seating, picnic tables and raised garden beds. Organizers also worked to provide free Wi-Fi access in the space, as well as a bike repair station. Organizers say the park is designed to host free or low-cost events -- part of the overarching goal of combatting social isolation through innovative public spaces.
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