Alice in her home.

Helping older residents stay in their communities

In 2014, the Plough Foundation, a Memphis nonprofit, awarded $3.9 million for house repairs and rehabs for low-income seniors living in Shelby County, which includes the city of Memphis.

Memphis Habitat was selected as the lead agency of the initiative and is partnering with Service Over Self, a nonprofit that also does home repairs, and MLGW, the local utility company that looks for energy-efficient ways to save homeowners money. In 2016, this consortium worked to repair or rehab 250 homes.

Alice was among the first homeowners to apply for help. Her daughter lives close by and wants Alice to stay with her. “I want to be in my house, to sling my own pots and pans,” Alice says. A bad knee makes the 80-year-old a little unsteady on her feet, but a new no-step entry into the house, a high toilet and handrails in the hallway provide her with more sure footing, as well as minimize the likelihood of her falling. Alice also has a new roof.

“Seniors are special. Their contributions paved the way for our successes. We want to be part of the solution that helps them stay in their homes.”
— Sue Henderson, Habitat for Humanity International’s vice president for U.S. operations

One thing has not changed. People want to grow old in their own home and expect to do so, according to research by AARP Foundation. Habitat recognizes the long-term contributions these older residents have made and continue to make in their communities, and we’re intensifying our work with them as part of our neighborhood revitalization efforts.

“The housing needs of older adults are one of the most important issues this country is facing,” says Sue Henderson, Habitat for Humanity International’s vice president for U.S. operations. “We recognize something far more important — the simple fact that seniors are special. Their contributions paved the way for our successes. We want to be part of the solution that helps them stay in their homes.”

One of the biggest improvements, Alice says, is that her HVAC system was fixed, so she now has heat when it’s cold and air conditioning when it’s hot. The house used to get so oppressive in the summer that Alice didn’t cook. She could barely even catch her breath, she says, because her lungs don’t work very well. “I was just going to suffer till I could do better,” Alice says. “Habitat helped me do better.”

In addition to their repair work, Memphis Habitat recently expanded their team to include a social worker who steers older homeowners to additional community resources, including ones focusing on nutrition, health and transportation. The initiative isn’t just about keeping someone in their home. It is about improving their quality of life.

In a recent round of surveys, all of the homeowners reported feeling more stable and proud of their homes. They should be proud of themselves, says Mary Claire Borys, manager of Memphis Habitat’s aging in place initiative. “We couldn’t ask for better role models for our new Habitat homeowners. Who knows better how to pay the mortgage and be a good neighbor than people who have been doing it for 30 and 40 years?”