Home Repair Help for the Elderly
- In most towns, elderly residents can go through their local government agency on aging and find reputable repairmen or remodelers that specialize in working with elderly consumers. This is especially so in towns that are focusing on elder-ready initiatives, which are in place to make communities around the country as elder-friendly as possible. Local senior and community centers also generally have home repair resources in place for elderly people in need of home repair, including programs that help to finance such projects. Start by calling your local city or county government or the nearest senior center to get information about programs in place for elderly residents engaging in home repairs. Most locales have a program in place, like the Emergency Home Repair Assistance Program for the Elderly available in Concord, California or the Home Repair for the Elderly Program available in Fairfax, Virginia.
- For those that don't have local resources in place, it's best to rely on family and friends to help complete large-scale home repair jobs. If you don't have someone in your inner circle that can actually help to make the repairs, then consider having someone you trust go through the process of hiring a home repair professional. Since there are many people that will take advantage of elderly consumers, having someone with you during the hiring process will ensure that you do not fall victim to such unscrupulous business practices.
- For elderly residents still physically able, there are some repairs, like repairing tile or replacing a broken appliance, which can be a do-it-yourself project. However, use instructional materials throughout the process to be sure it is getting done properly and consider having a home repair professional look over your work to ensure it was done right. There are a number of books on the market that are marketed towards do-it-yourself home repairs and often provide step-by-step instructions and pictorials to assist in the process.