Verna's Story

“I needed help for my home… [Now], my step outside is firm. I can hold onto it, and it doesn’t shake.” 

A safe home is a home you can rely on through every season of life. At 84, Verna needed specific repairs and modifications to her home to support her day-to-day needs and ensure that she could age in place well.  

Born in Jamaica, Verna moved to the United States in 1986 and has lived in her beloved West Philadelphia rowhome for over 27 years. She spends most of her time at home with her daughter Shirley who frequently visits to help cook and clean around the house. While Verna maintains her home well, her growing knee pain makes it difficult for her to move around her home the same as before.  

During a regular visit to the doctor’s office, Verna learned about Inglis’ Home Modifications for Independence (HMI) Program which helps homeowners and renters remain independent by staying in their homes through grant-funded home modifications. Habitat Philadelphia partners with Inglis for this program and works alongside senior citizens like Verna in need of Aging-In-Place modifications and repairs. This proved to be a solution to Verna’s worries, so she applied straightaway.  

After gaining an understanding of Verna’s needs, Habitat’s repair team came and made the necessary fixes inside the home including installing lights and a grab bar along her basement steps so she can safely move up and down her basement to do laundry. Her bathroom threshold which was cracked and unsafe to walk on was also replaced and a new shower chair added, handheld shower head and adjustable handrail were added to prevent any slips and falls in the shower.  

Outside, the front and backdoor steps were restored and now have firm railings that no longer shake when Verna or her family enter and leave the home.

To Verna, “Home means everything. To feel comfortable and feel alright right where I am. [The repairs] help me a lot and I am very grateful.”

When age and physical mobility become barriers to safe living, families should not also have to worry about the functionality of home. Home repairs are critical because they allow homeowners like Verna to age in place in the safety and comfort of their home while providing peace of mind to their loved ones. 

Watch below for a look into Verna’s home repair story.