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Barbara, 70, has experienced some life-altering changes in recent years. She lost her husband in 2017 when the couple lived in Georgia. The northern Indiana native moved back there afterward to be near family. While in Indiana, she suffered a stroke, so next she moved to Wilmington to be close to her daughter.

“I’m lucky. I have good kids,” Barbara said. Her son and daughter have always helped when she needed it. But “I try to stay as independent as I can,” she said.

She purchased her home in Wilmington in 2022 and continued to recover from the stroke, using a cane when needed for balance. When her daughter shared a Facebook post about the Clinton County Older Adults Home Modification Program, which is administered by Council on Aging (COA), Barbara applied, knowing there were a few areas where the safety in her home could be improved.

The program is funded by a Housing and Urban Development grant that provides no-cost home modifications to county residents who are 62 and older, own their home and its land and meet income guidelines. Its goal is to help individuals age in place as long as possible.

COA confirmed Barbara met the program qualifications, and an occupational therapist visited her to complete an evaluation. While Barbara was hopeful she might receive a chair-height toilet and new porch railings to improve her safety, the plan changed once a contractor looked at her bathroom.

Unbeknownst to Barbara, a water leak in the plumbing under the bathroom had left the floor in bad shape. “The lady who was in the house before me was in her 90s, so who knows how long the leak was there,” Barbara said. “I’m so glad I didn’t fall through the floor.”

With the leak fixed and a new floor in place, Barbara feels very grateful to have found the program. “They saved me a lot of money,” she said. “And I didn’t have to do anything.”

If anyone was unsure about whether to apply to the program, “I would tell them that it’s easy to do. It’s only a phone call. They walk you through everything you need to do,” Barbara said. “It’s almost silly not to look into it.”

The Clinton County Older Adults Home Modification Program is accepting applications. For more information and to apply, call (937) 584-7200 or visit https://www.help4seniors.org/programs-services/senior-utility-home-repair-assistance/clinton-county-home-modification-program/