EVANSVILLE, In. (WEHT) – Volunteers of all ages showed up to assist with Habitat for Humanity’s latest home – a first of its kind collaboration with the AARP.
“t will allow Louise and her brother to live here in a fully handicapped accessible home, with lots of features that will make their quality of life easier…We all want to live in a home that we can live in throughout our lifetime. We want to live independently, so these features allow us to do that as we get older,” says Beth Folz, Executive Director for Habitat for Humanity Evansville.
Louise Dixon owns the new home and is the full time caretaker of her brother Jack, who is bed-ridden.
The home is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and has ramps, zero entry doors, raised electrical outlets, and expanded hallways.
Dixon says she and her brother have not had these features before, and that these accommodations will create a safer environment.
“It feels good, it feels good. It’s gonna feel safe because where we stay at now -we just have one entrance, and my brother is bedridden in it and it scares me that something might happen and we couldn’t get him out,” says Dixon.
AARP says the project has been in the works for years, but was delayed by the COVID pandemic.
The organization says the project is part of its mission to provide more housing for older individuals; highlighting the importance of what they call “aging in place.”
“Renters, we would love to see options for them to age in place as well. So accessibility features just allow folks to age independently over time, as long as they choose in their home,” says Addison Pollock, Director of Community Engagement for AARP.
The hope is that the house will be completed and ready to move into by the first of the year.
