Maintaining independence at home

June 4, 2025

It’s difficult for Richard to climb the stairs to his bedroom and his home’s only bathroom. The 79-year-old has limited mobility due to several health issues. Richard’s wife, 78-year-old Carolyn, has mobility issues, too. She was determined to remain in their beloved family home, but not having a safe way to access the second floor made that dream feel impossible.


Habitat for Humanity works to help homeowners like Richard and Carolyn make home repairs and modifications that can accommodate their evolving needs as they age. We help them stay in the homes they love and the communities that they care about because we know that older adults who age in place have a better quality of life and better health outcomes.


Crafting a plan for home accessibility

After seeing a flyer for Greater Rochester Habitat’s home repair program, Richard and Carolyn reached out to the affiliate to see if they could help make their home livable for the long term and comfortable again. Bob Merz, critical home repair coordinator for Greater Rochester Habitat, says a stair lift was the best way to make the home accessible.


"It’s not a super big house," Bob says. "We could have taken part of the dining room to make a bathroom on the first floor, but then we wouldn’t have room to make a bedroom. They’d still have to climb the stairs to rest. And vice versa: If we tried to put a bedroom on the first floor, then there wouldn’t be space for a bathroom there."


Richard and Carolyn’s home modification was funded in part by a grant from Lowe’s. "When we do these sorts of modifications, we’re always weighing out what we can do to help families within budget," Bob says. "Having the funding from Lowe’s, which would cover the majority of the US$16,500 cost, made the decision to put in the power chair lift a lot easier."


Richard says life is better with the stair lift, and the couple is grateful that they can once again move freely and safely around their home.
Safer homes, fuller lives


With more than 19 million older adults in the U.S. like Richard and Carolyn living in homes that no longer adequately meet their needs, Lowe’s and Habitat have committed to ensuring that residents receive the help they need to make their homes safe and livable. Together, in 2024, we repaired 364 homes across the U.S. Much of this work included critical home repairs and home modifications to help older adults.

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Rochester, N.Y. - The start of a new chapter of homeownership in the area. Greater Rochester Habitat for Humanity celebrated Rochester's first two-story modular home on Friday in the Beechwood neighborhood. The nonprofit says the modular building process slashes construction time and costs, helping more families get safe and affordable homes faster. It also says frame-based house construction will continue, as it helps teach volunteers valuable technical skills. Original Article: https://13wham.com/news/local/habit-for-humanity-unveils-first-two-story-modular-home-in-rochester

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