There’s a lot of long-term planning and consideration that goes into adapting your home for the physical realities of aging, but Boulder County homeowners don’t have to do it alone. Many resources are available for older residents who want to remain in their homes for the rest of their lives.
Boulder’s Housing and Human Services Department, for example, provides free Client Services Coordination that helps residents over 60 with agency referrals, counseling on available options, case management and limited, income-based financial support.
The department also sponsors programs related to health and wellness, downsizing and aging in place. It assists seniors as well with technology enhancement, and holds fall-prevention and fitness classes.
The City of Boulder’s client resource specialists also offer valuable services to residents 60 and up, and their caregivers, with referrals to community resources, counseling on available options, and financial support for eligible clients.
Boulder also contracts with the City of Longmont to administer a housing rehabilitation program that can help income- and asset-qualified homeowners fix home problems such as roofing, heating and electrical issues. Other programs assist in making homes more accessible and helping with emergency repairs, mostly through deferred-payment loans or grants.
Jewish Family Services provides emergency financial help for rent and mortgage payments, care management that supports access to various services, teletherapy counseling, and a Friendly Visitor program that matches volunteers with seniors to counter social isolation. Most programs are free and open to non-Jewish residents as well.
Cultivate, a local 501(c)3 nonprofit organization serving older residents in Broomfield and Boulder counties, provides free volunteer help to seniors in performing simple home repairs, snow shoveling, basic yard cleanup and weekly grocery deliveries, among other services.
Here is a partial list of other resources and programs that can help local residents make and implement a plan to remain in their homes as they age:
City of Boulder Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance Services
Boulder County Falls Prevention
City of Boulder Home Repairs Program
Boulder County Area Agency on Aging
Boulder County Housing and Human Services
TRU PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly)