There are many government institutions and non-profit organizations that help seniors with home repairs. Some of these programs offer small repairs or maintenance services while others improve energy efficiency and weatherization.
The Department of Aging may be one of the best sources of free home repair assistance for most senior citizens. It offers grants for very low income elderly homeowners and very low-income disabled households who need to make health or safety modifications to their homes.
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that builds homes and communities through the power of volunteer action. It also advocates for decent, affordable housing around the world.
Locally, they operate several types of home repair programs, including an Aging in Place program that helps seniors remain in their homes as they age. It combines an assessment by a human services professional with applicable repairs to provide aging people with thriving home environments.
In addition, they offer a Critical Home Repair Program that helps low-income homeowners with urgent and major home repairs. This program can include work such as accessibility modifications, fence replacement, painting and stair and deck improvements.
They are a national nonprofit and rely on volunteers from all walks of life. Their volunteers build and renovate houses, clean up construction sites, work at Habitat ReStores, and serve in a number of other ways.
Department of Aging
The Department of Aging provides a wide variety of home repair and maintenance services to seniors and their families. These programs help seniors to remain living in their homes and prevent them from moving to nursing homes.
The program also helps to ensure the safety of those in the home. These repairs and modifications include things such as wheelchair ramps, toilet safety frames, easy-to-reach kitchen work areas, lever handles on doors, and roll-in showers with grab bars.
Generally, Medicare may not pay for all of these changes. However, if a senior receives a doctor’s prescription to make a home “better suited” for them, they can get payments.
In addition, California-specific housing grants can be obtained to help homeowners with pre-1980 houses earthquake-proof their homes. This program is designed to reduce the risk of earthquakes for elderly people and others in the community.
Section 504
A home is a basic necessity, but the cost of maintaining it can be difficult for those with low incomes. If you’re struggling to afford the costs of repairing your home, you may qualify for assistance from the federal government.
This assistance is available to seniors who qualify for a special type of federal housing assistance called Section 504. In general, the program offers low-income homeowners loans and grants to help make their homes more accessible.
The money can be used to make health and safety improvements in your home, such as adding an accessible door or window. It can also be used to install a rooftop or other features that will help your home meet accessibility standards.
One important thing to keep in mind when applying for Section 504 funding is that you can only use it to make improvements that are necessary to protect your home from hazards. You cannot use the funds to upgrade or modernize anything else, such as adding a kitchen or bathroom or renovating your garden.
Medicare
If you’re a senior who needs to make some changes in your home that can improve your quality of life, Medicare can help. Unlike private insurance, which may or may not pay for some repairs, Medicare will assist with any modifications that can be considered by your doctor to better fit you in your home.
Original Medicare, or Part A, is medical insurance that helps pay for inpatient care (hospital) and outpatient services (medical care), such as physical therapy. It also covers some prescription drugs and preventive services like vaccines and screenings.
In addition, Medicare Part B is a medical insurance that helps pay for most of the services you receive from doctors and other health care providers. It also helps cover some home health care and hospice care.
Most people who have Medicare will pay a premium, or they can get a supplemental policy to pay for their co-pays and deductibles. There is also a Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program that can help seniors pay for their Part B premiums or for any out-of-pocket expenses.