Aging in Place: HOPE Renovations Keep Residents Healthy and Thriving
by Lauren Quijano
Residents relaxing in the living room of their home on Premier Avenue in Lakewood, California.
HOPE believes that our residents should have the ability to live in their homes for as long as they want. These individuals deserve to feel safe and able to accomplish their daily activities within their current housing as they “age in place.” In response to this need, HOPE launched its Aging in Place program in 2018.
This initiative prioritizes the maintenance and renovation of our homes to support our residents’ ability to remain independent as they get older when their health poses challenges to accomplishing tasks of daily living. We do this because we acknowledge that most of our residents have no desire to leave their homes where they have comfortably lived for many years. However, the reality is that as people with developmental disabilities age, some begin to require changes to their homes to address increased accessibility or mobility needs. Otherwise, they may be forced to move, lose their independence, or be displaced from the communities they love.
Bathtub converted to walk-in shower to ease resident mobility.
During the past fifty years, the life expectancy of seniors with developmental disabilities has increased as the quality of healthcare and services has improved. This is true as well for people who live in HOPE homes. A recent survey of our residents found that individuals who have lived in our housing for 15 or more years are starting to require accessibility modifications. Many of these residents are now either not able to walk or have limited mobility. If their housing is not remodeled to include accessible features and appropriate furnishings, our residents could be vulnerable to falls or injuries within their homes.
To enhance accessibility and increase the functionality of HOPE homes, we work directly with our residents and their service providers to identify needed Aging in Place renovations. These modifications to our homes increase safety, ensure comfort, maintain independence, and ensure the ability of our residents to navigate and care for themselves. This program also contributes to positive mental health as residents feel more emotionally supported when they are able to stay in their existing homes and neighborhoods as they age. Residents can then continue to enjoy spending time with friends and neighbors, retain their local jobs, continue to attend school or day programs in the area, and preserve their support networks within the community.
This work is made possible in part due to The Rose Hills Foundation, which in 2018 provided our Aging in Place program with the seed money needed to launch renovations at two HOPE sites off of Ardmore Avenue in Bellflower and Premier Avenue in Lakewood. These properties are home to six residents who have lived in these homes for 10 to 20 years. Each of these residents has varied needs and require accessibility support. With the help of The Rose Hills Foundation HOPE installed grab bars, enhanced lighting, added accessible doorknobs, installed safer floors, built ramps, removed walls, and widened doorways so that residents could have easier mobility inside their homes. Also, counter tops were lowered in the kitchens, and roll-in showers were added in the bathrooms. Recently, The Rose Hills Foundation awarded HOPE with a grant of $500,000 over two years to grow our 250 by 2025 campaign and continue to support our Aging in Place Initiative.
Widened walls in home on Ardmore Avenue to accommodate wheelchairs.
Another example of community partnership is Harbor Regional Center providing hundreds of thousands of dollars to support the accessibility renovations at HOPE homes along Clark Avenue and Hathaway Avenue in Long Beach. Their support for this work has a significant impact on the individual lives of our residents, like Jodi Pentecost, who has lived in the HOPE home on Hathaway Avenue since 1996. She works part-time and lives with a roommate. Jodi uses a cane or a 4-wheeled walker when moving around her house. The focus for her Aging in Place renovation was safety:
“I want to keep my independence. I can now maintain my safety better and prevent falls,” Jodie said.
Harbor Regional Center had a specialized clinician conduct an evaluation of this resident’s needs, which further informed HOPE on what would be the top priority modifications to enhance her quality of life. The final renovation included installing a higher toilet and walk-in shower to help ensure her safety and continued independence. Thanks to Harbor Regional Center and HOPE, Jodie’s environment has improved, and she can continue to live in the home of her choice in the community that she loves.
Jodi Pentacost and her furry friend in their home on Hathaway Avenue.
Because of your support, HOPE continues to achieve our goal to provide long term housing for people with developmental disabilities. Through the HOPE Helps gift catalog, you can shop online and choose a renovation item to contribute to this work directly; because no one should have to leave their home or lose their independence due to a need for greater accessibility.
Visit our HOPE Helps Gift Catalog and help your neighbor with developmental disabilities to continue to enjoy their home with ease of access. You can shop online and purchase an item to donate here: http://www.hope-homes.org/shop-to-give as a gift for a friend or family member, as the goal for a personal online fundraiser, or as a donation in memorium of a loved one.
