Rebuilding Together and AARP Join Forces to Help More Homeowners Age-In-Place in Safe and Healthy Homes

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Mar 19, 2013, 09:00 ET

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Rebuilding Together, a Safe and Healthy Housing organization that believes Community Starts at Home, is joining forces with AARP on a new pilot to help even more homeowners age-in-place.

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This pilot program is based off of Rebuilding Together's Safe at Home program, which focuses on providing low-income homeowners with free home modifications and aging-in-place services. Under this new pilot, thanks to AARP's support, 12 Rebuilding Together affiliates across the country can now serve moderate-income homeowners who live above 60 percent of their area median income. These homeowners, who would usually not meet the financial criteria for Rebuilding Together's free home modification services, can now quality for home repairs based on a sliding payment scale.

The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) is also working with Rebuilding Together on this pilot. Through its national partnership with Rebuilding Together, AOTA will provide insights into prioritizing repairs so that affiliates can ensure their repairs allow recipients to age-in-place in a safe and healthy home.

The proceeds from this fee for service program will go towards providing more low-income families with free home repairs, allowing Rebuilding Together to help a greater number of homeowners.

"AARP is a terrific partner for Rebuilding Together because both organizations are committed to keeping our seniors in safe and healthy housing," said John L. Fiegel, interim president and CEO of Rebuilding Together. "Today's announcement brings the expertise from the AOTA together with the support of AARP to help even more homeowners age in place safely."

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the majority of falls happen in or around the home. This makes providing fall prevention home improvements, like grab bars, all the more important. Falls are the most common cause of injury related deaths, nonfatal injuries, and trauma related hospital visits for older adults. These injuries cost the U.S. over $19 billion a year, a number that will rise as the baby boomer generation ages.

The Rebuilding Together affiliates participating in the pilot are in: Sacramento, CA; Clay County, MO; Alexandria, VA; Central Ohio; Colorado Springs, CO; Milwaukee, WI; Chicago, IL; Oklahoma City, OK; Pittsburgh, PA; Silicon Valley, CA; and the Twin Cities, MN.

About Rebuilding Together

Rebuilding Together is a Safe and Healthy Housing organization that believes Community Starts at Home. Our focus provides critical repairs, accessibility modifications and energy efficient upgrades to low-income homes and community centers at no cost to service recipients. Our impact extends beyond the individuals served to revitalize and stabilize vulnerable neighborhoods and communities across the country. Our close to 200 local affiliates complete approximately 10,000 rebuild projects a year thanks to the efforts of nearly 200,000 volunteers from corporate partners, skilled trades professionals and everyday good citizens. Join us — visit www.RebuildingTogether.org.

SOURCE Rebuilding Together