— from Lena Kassa for Orcas Senior Center —
United Way of San Juan County has awarded the Orcas Senior Center (OSC) Nonprofit funds to help support a feasibility study of options to help island seniors access qualified home maintenance and repair services.
By 2020, more than half of Orcas islanders will be 55 or older (Washington Office of Financial Management, August 2012). Many elders cannot age safely at home because their home upkeep has been deferred for years. Ready access to qualified contractors is a barrier some walker-dependent seniors struggle to navigate rickety or dimly lit stairs. Some can’t safely reach a smoke detector to change its battery. Others with heart and/or lung disease live in homes with mold due to leaky roofs and flooding gutters.
OSC Nonprofit greatly appreciates United Way’s support in discerning a collaborative, affordable community response to this problem. Tom Eversole at OSC will coordinate an advisory group to guide this year-long effort.
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