Why Aging In Place Matters

Growing old is a part of the human experience. With age comes many unique experiences and health issues. One common issue amongst aging adults is where to live for the remainder of their life. The National Council of Aging found, “Nine in 10 seniors intend to continue living in their current homes over the next five to 10 years. Leading reasons for wanting to stay in their current homes include liking where they currently live (85 percent), having family and friends nearby (66 percent) and not wanting to deal with the hassle of moving (50 percent).”

Aging in place means allowing a senior citizen to live where they choose, often in their own home. Aging in place allows senior citizens to live in dignity, maintain their quality of life, be more comfortable and remain in their community and with family for as long as possible. Aging in place can be beneficial for their extended family, who don’t have to pay for a nursing home or worry about elder abuse, and often can see their parents in the same home they grew up in.

One reason why many senior citizens aren’t able to age in their homes is because they can’t keep up with required home repairs either because of financial or physical barriers.  Thanks to programs like the Healthy Home Initiative, funded by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, Community Action agencies are able to assist with home repairs so that our senior citizens can remain in their home.

Success Stories:

Watauga County: “Darrick” is a 86-year-old man who is aging in place with assistance from a caregiver. He lives in his home that he built with his own hands. The home had a broken window that was allowing water in because the window casing had rotted. We also discovered a hole in his ceiling where the roof had leaked for some time. The Healthy Home Initiative fund was used to repair the casing, replace the window, and repair the roof. The improvements allow Darrick to age in the home that he is so proud of.

Johnston County:  “Andre” and “Kelley” are a husband and wife who suffer from several chronic conditions. Kelley has suffered a stroke, and would trip over the tears, rips and bunched up old carpet in their home. Our agency replaced their worn carpet with vinyl wood floors. Andre said that he is “very appreciative of the work. We would have never been able to replace our carpet without the help from the Healthy Home Initiative program.”

We believe that senior citizens should be comfortable wherever they live and we are grateful to have the opportunity to help senior citizens live in a safer home.

Want to Help Senior Citizens Age in Place?

• Donate | We use your money to help run our programs, and provide training that helps organizations and individuals make their way to self-sufficiency. You can donate on our web page or find an agencies local to you.

• Volunteer | We can’t do this alone. Join us! Find one of our agencies in your county and check out their website for volunteer opportunities.

• Become a Member | Did you know you can become a Community Action Member? Membership provides discounted tickets to our various events, an inside look into our organization and more. Membership fees start at only $25 a year for an individual, or $300 for an agency.

• Partner with Us | We are humbled by the many non-profit and for-profit organizations that partner with us to bring services, educations and events to North Carolina. If your organization is looking for a non-profit to partner with, please consider us. Email us at info@nccaa.net. We would love to hear from you!