AARP Hearing Center
AARP Livable Communities Map
See More Projects Like This One
Jacksonville, FL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: HomeFit Modifications
Description: The Arc Jacksonville focused on reducing fall risk and safety hazards that can quickly undermine independence for older adults with intellectual and developmental differences. As vision changes and mobility challenges made familiar homes feel unpredictable, caregivers and staff needed practical ways to adapt living spaces. The project delivered five hands-on trainings for direct support professionals, family caregivers, managers and residents, combining walk-through home assessments with guidance from the HomeFit guide and a low-vision session led by an occupational therapist. Equipment was added to improve lighting, visibility and stability in several homes. One resident with significant vision loss regained confidence moving through his home and returned to daily routines. Staff now carry repeatable assessment skills into ongoing training, strengthening the long-term capacity of community homes to support older adults safely and with dignity.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Tucson, AZ
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: HomeFit Modifications
Description: United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona addressed gaps in home safety knowledge for older adults who want to age in place but lack clear guidance. Through its ELDER Alliance Livable Communities Action Team, the group hosted a community education event focused on the HomeFit Guide, linking residents to usable information about safer home features and local resources. Participants received adaptive items that support daily safety, including lighting, and learned how small changes can reduce risks at home. The work built on an existing age-friendly housing vision and strengthened collaboration with local leaders and partners. New presentation materials are now ready for repeat use in community spaces, supporting continued education and informing housing discussions.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Gary, IN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: HomeFit Modifications
Description: 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.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Danforth, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: Danforth removed a major barrier to opening its first center for older adults by adding an ADA-compliant walkway, a new entrance and a safe stairwell. The upgrades allowed the center to open three days a week with a resource coordinator helping residents access transportation, utilities and other essentials. The center now hosts meals, tech help and social events, reducing isolation in a rural area with high poverty and disability rates. One resident, once unable to attend gatherings, shared her joy after walking "right down the paved, handicapped walkway and into the smiling faces of friends and neighbors."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Danforth, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: In rural Danforth, older adults often skipped concerts and farmers markets because seating was scarce and accessibility poor, leaving many isolated or watching from cars. The project added convertible bench-to-table units and an outdoor sound system at the new downtown pavilion, creating flexible seating and clear audio for events. Volunteers installed the equipment, making gatherings more inclusive. Attendance has grown, and stories of widowed residents meeting for "date nights" and dancing show how these upgrades turned older adults into active participants, reducing isolation and sparking new friendships.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
LEARN MORE AND STAY INFORMED
Find articles and resources about making communities more livable for people of all ages
Download or order free publications from AARP Livable Communities
Sign up for the free, weekly, award-winning AARP Livable Communities eNewsletter
Don't see your community listed?
LEARN HOW IT CAN JOIN THE NETWORKConnect with your AARP State Office
AARP has offices in all 50 states as well as in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
AARP Maine State Office
53 Baxter Boulevard
Suite 202
Portland, ME 04101
United States