Aging in Place Grants

Area Agencies on Aging: Home Repair and Modification Help

Updated October 18, 2026 · By the Aging in Place Grants research desk · How we research

The local Area Agency on Aging is the best first call for adults 60 and older; many fund small repairs and safety changes or know who does.

At a glance

What it can pay for

  • Grab bars, handrails and stair rails
  • Raised toilet seats, shower chairs and hand-held showers
  • Small ramps and minor accessibility changes
  • Minor home repairs that fix safety problems
  • Caregiver supports such as respite, training and, in some areas, limited supplemental services
  • Referrals to weatherization, Medicaid waivers, nonprofits and city or county repair programs

Who qualifies

  • Older Americans Act services are generally for people 60 and older
  • Many local home modification programs focus on older adults with low incomes, and some also serve rural older adults, veterans and caregivers
  • Family caregivers of people 60+ (or of people with Alzheimer's at any age) can get help through the National Family Caregiver Support Program
  • Each local agency sets its own priorities and service list

How to apply

  1. Find your local Area Agency on Aging through the Eldercare Locator at eldercare.acl.gov or by calling 1-800-677-1116.
  2. Call and say you are looking for home modification or home repair help for someone 60 or older.
  3. Ask whether the agency provides the work itself, pays a contractor, or refers you to another program.
  4. Ask about waitlists, income priorities, any cost-sharing, and what paperwork they need.
  5. If you are a caregiver, also ask about the Family Caregiver Support Program.
  6. Write down the name of the person you spoke with and any program names they mention.

Watch out for

  • Funds are limited. Many agencies use the same pot of Title III-B money for rides, legal help and in-home care, so repair budgets can run out.
  • Waitlists are common. Get on the list early.
  • Services and limits vary a great deal by county. A neighbor's experience in another county may not apply to you.
  • Some programs only do minor fixes. Larger projects usually need to be combined with other funding.
  • If someone claims to be 'from the Area Agency on Aging' and asks for payment up front, call the agency directly to confirm.

Why this is the first call to make

If you are 60 or older, or caring for someone who is, your local Area Agency on Aging (often called the "Triple A") is the best place to start. These agencies run services funded by the Older Americans Act. They know which local programs have money right now, and many pay for home repairs and safety changes themselves.

ACL, the federal agency that oversees them, says it plainly: if you are 60 or older, your local Area Agency on Aging can check whether you qualify for home modification and repair funds under Title III of the Older Americans Act 1.

What Area Agencies on Aging do

Area Agencies on Aging plan and offer services so older adults can stay in their own homes. Examples include home-delivered meals and homemaker help 2. Home repair and modification is another common service.

A national survey of Area Agencies on Aging, run by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) and the Scripps Gerontology Center, found 4:

  • 61 percent provide home modifications and repairs, either directly or through local contractors
  • Of those, 94 percent do minor changes, 56 percent do repairs, and 52 percent do major changes
  • 46 percent refer people to other local home modification or repair programs
  • 45 percent refer people to direct funding sources

Where the money comes from

The main source is Title III-B of the Older Americans Act, known as Supportive Services. In the n4a survey, 67 percent of agencies with home modification programs used Title III-B funds 4.

There is a catch. Agencies also use Title III-B money for rides, legal help and in-home care. That limits how much is left for home changes 4. This is why waitlists are common and why many agencies also use donations, grants and cost sharing 4.

Title III-E: help for family caregivers

The National Family Caregiver Support Program, under Title III-E, helps family members and other unpaid caregivers. It covers caregivers of people 60 and older, and caregivers of people of any age with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder 3.

It offers five types of help 3:

  1. Information about services
  2. Help getting those services
  3. Counseling, support groups and caregiver training
  4. Respite care, which gives caregivers a break
  5. Supplemental services, on a limited basis

Whether supplemental services can include safety items depends on your local program. It is worth asking.

What kinds of home changes are common

ACL lists many changes that help people stay home safely 1:

  • Entry ramps and grab bars
  • Walk-in or roll-in showers
  • Lever-style door and sink handles
  • Better lighting and night lights
  • Handrails and wider doorways
  • Stair chair lifts
  • Medical alert systems

Agency-funded programs usually focus on the lower-cost items on this list. Bigger projects often need help from more than one source.

The referral network

Even when an agency cannot pay, it can point you to who can. Among agencies that refer people to funding sources, the n4a survey found they most often send people to 4:

  • The Weatherization Assistance Program (88 percent)
  • Nonprofits such as Habitat for Humanity or Rebuilding Together (62 percent)
  • City or county housing and community development offices (62 percent)
  • Medicaid home and community-based services waivers (59 percent)

How to reach your agency

Use the Eldercare Locator at eldercare.acl.gov or call 1-800-677-1116 1. Give your ZIP code and ask for the Area Agency on Aging that serves you.

What to say on the call

"I am calling about home safety changes for my mother, who is 78. She has trouble getting in and out of the tub. Do you have a home modification or repair program, or can you tell me who does?"

Questions worth asking

  • Do you do the work, pay a contractor, or refer me elsewhere?
  • Is there a waitlist? How long is it right now?
  • Do you give priority based on income, age or health?
  • Is there any cost to us?
  • What paperwork do you need?
  • Can someone visit the home to see what is needed?
  • Do you have help for caregivers?

Before you call: a quick checklist

Having a few facts ready makes the first call faster and helps staff match you to the right program:

  • The older adult's age, address and household size
  • A rough idea of monthly household income
  • Whether the person owns or rents the home
  • The top one or two problems, described in plain words ("can't step over the tub," "front steps have no railing")
  • Any recent falls, hospital stays or new diagnoses
  • Whether the person is a Veteran or already gets Medicaid, since that can open other doors

If you are a family member calling from out of town, say so. Ask whether the agency can mail or email forms, and whether the older adult needs to be on the call to give permission.

Tips for renters

If you rent, talk with your landlord before making changes. ACL notes that landlords must allow reasonable modifications for people with disabilities 1. Your agency can help with questions about this.

What to expect

Help from an Area Agency on Aging is often quick for small items, like a grab bar or railing. Larger projects take longer and may need several funding sources. Think of the agency as a guide as well as a funder. Their referrals can save you weeks of calls.

Common questions

What is an Area Agency on Aging?

It is a local agency, often part of county government or a nonprofit, that plans and delivers Older Americans Act services such as meals, in-home help and caregiver support for older adults in a region.

Does the Area Agency on Aging pay for home modifications?

Many do. A national survey found 61% of responding agencies provide or contract for home modifications and repairs, and others refer people to programs that pay. ACL says your local agency can check whether you qualify for Title III home modification and repair funds.

Do I have to be low income?

Older Americans Act home modification and repair funds are for people 60 and older. In a national survey, 78% of agency home modification programs served older adults with low incomes, so income often affects priority. Ask your agency how they decide.

How do I find my local agency?

Use the Eldercare Locator at eldercare.acl.gov or call 1-800-677-1116.

Can the agency help me as a caregiver?

Yes. The National Family Caregiver Support Program, funded under Title III-E, offers information, help getting services, counseling and training, respite, and limited supplemental services.

Sources

  1. Staying in Your Home — Administration for Community Living. Checked October 18, 2026.
  2. Area Agencies on Aging — Administration for Community Living. Checked October 18, 2026.
  3. National Family Caregiver Support Program — Administration for Community Living. Checked October 18, 2026.
  4. Building Community Capacity to Serve Older Adults: The Role of Area Agencies on Aging in Home Modifications and Repairs (data brief) — National Association of Area Agencies on Aging and Scripps Gerontology Center. Checked October 18, 2026.