Lake-Geauga Habitat for Humanity pilot program intended to aid aging seniors
Aug. 20—University Hospitals' Geauga and TriPoint medical centers, Lake-Geauga Habitat for Humanity and Lifeline are collaborating to support seniors aging in place through a new pilot program.
According to University Hospitals, the program is intended to go beyond home repairs for seniors and was made possible by a $75,000 gift from the Cleveland Foundation, as well as support from the UH Lake Health Foundation and UH Geauga Medical Center.
"The Aging in Place/Housing Plus program is a holistic, person-centered approach to understanding the unique needs of the senior population in Lake and Geauga counties," said Lake-Geauga Habitat Executive Director Michael Barb. "The program includes a partnership with University Hospitals as our healthcare provider and Lifeline, who provides services to seniors in their homes."
This collaborative approach has been successfully implemented by other Habitat affiliates across the country, Barb said.
"We look forward to bringing it to our communities in Northeast Ohio," he said.
Current census data shows that seniors represent more than 20% of the population in Lake and Geauga counties, and more than 75% of them are homeowners, according to University Hospitals.
Habitat's Aging in Place/Housing Plus program is three-fold.
An occupational therapist from UH will visit the home for a safety check and evaluate any changes that may be needed to increase independence and safety. Those results will then be shared with Habitat and the senior.
Habitat will proceed to follow up with an additional assessment by their construction staff and prepare a budget for the repairs.
Also, as part of the program, a health or human services professional from Lifeline will talk with the homeowner(s) about their daily activities such as paying bills, cleaning, communicating with others and running errands. These assessments are intended to allow the team to provide modifications specific to each homeowner's lifestyle.
"We look forward to collaborating with University Hospitals and Lake-Geauga Habitat for Humanity," said Executive Director of Lifeline Carrie Dotson. "As a community action agency, Lifeline is uniquely poised to rapidly respond to critical needs. We aim to help those living in poverty move toward self-sufficiency."
The partnership on the program is a complement to Lifeline's Helping Hands for Seniors program, which works to keep local seniors housed independently by providing assistance with small household tasks and errands, Dotson said.
"Since our launch in early 2023, we've already helped over 50 seniors and we're excited to grow the services available to them through this partnership," she said.
Eligibility requirements for the program are income-based, as well as the age requirement of 60 years old or older. Further requirements include being a homeowner, a single-family dwelling and having homeowners' insurance.
Eligible seniors can learn more by visiting lake-geaugahabitat.org.
"We are excited to bring these resources to our Lake and Geauga communities, and provide a program that goes well beyond the traditional Habitat model of building new homes," said Dotti A. Thompson, director of UH OP Rehab Services and UH@Home.
To learn more about supporting the program, visit uhgiving.org.
