Johnsburg, NY

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: HomeFit Modifications

Description: In Johnsburg, many older adults with limited mobility faced unsafe bathrooms and hard-to-navigate entrances, putting daily routines and independence at risk. With limited means to pay for fixes, hazards went unaddressed. The committee launched a pilot HomeFit Modification Program and completed improvements in seven homes using volunteers and town staff. Work included entrance and bathroom upgrades and a critical wiring repair that removed a fire risk discovered during a visit. The pilot also prompted public and private commitments to continue the program in 2026 and expand the scope so more households can receive larger safety upgrades.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.

Fort Collins, CO

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: HomeFit Modifications

Description: The Institute focused on a common challenge facing older adults who want to remain in their homes: knowing which design features truly support safety, accessibility and long-term independence. Builders and homeowners often lack practical guidance to apply aging-in-place principles with confidence. The project produced and piloted a Resident Guide that explains these features in clear, usable terms, tested with a homeowner living in a certified Lifelong Home. The guide helped residents better understand their home and nearby services while also serving as a replicable tool for housing professionals. One homeowner said the guide was "super helpful so I don't have to do all the research myself." The work increased awareness of age-friendly housing design, informed future pilot projects and strengthened partnerships that can influence how homes are designed and finished in the years ahead.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.

San Antonio, TX

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: HomeFit Modifications

Description: Homeowners in San Antonio's repair program often lacked skills to maintain improvements, risking safety and costly fixes. To address this, six workshops trained 128 homeowners age 50-plus on plumbing basics, disaster prep and financial management. Trainers demonstrated safety tools like alarms and fire extinguishers, and participants received items to reinforce lessons. Afterward, all said they'd recommend the training, and the city reported no callbacks from attendees, showing a sign of lasting impact. One participant noted, "I learned about simple plumbing fixes that I can make myself."

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.