Seniors Helping Other Seniors (SHOP)

Status: Ongoing

Evaluated

Greeley/Weld County Colorado United States of America

Print this page City population: 24999816% over 60Practice started in 1992

Summary

The handyman SHOP program consists of 12 volunteers that build and install ramps and handrails for Weld County residents. Sylvia McWilliams, a client said these words, “You Done Good.” These volunteers give freely of their time and talents working to create safer homes for older adults and people with disabilities and cannot afford to hire a contractor or service to complete home improvements. The need for home improvement services is growing rapidly as we have seen an increase in the number of ramps and handrails being requested and older adults being assisted by Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) volunteers. The SHOP program receives about 3 requests per week. The demand for home improvement services offered by SHOP has increased because people are living longer and require more home improvement services if they are to remain in their own homes.

RSVP receives funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service, Area Agency on Aging, United Way of Weld County, Weld County Commissioners, Group Publishing, U.S. Department of Labor, and private donors. Although RSVP is a non-profit organization in and of itself, it continues to operate under the structure of the University of Northern Colorado (UNC).

Key facts

Main target group: Older people with chronic health conditions or disability

Sector(s): Housing

Desired outcome for older people:
Meet their basic needs

Other issues the Age-friendly practice aims to address:

Accessibility
Ageing in place
Dementia
Disasters and emergencies
Healthy behaviours (e.g. physical activity)

Contact details

Name: Shafer, Marcia

Email address: marcia.shafer@unco.edu

Preferred language(s): English

Age-friendly practice in detail (click to expand):

Engaging the wider community

Project lead: Volunteers

Others involved in the project:

Older People’s Association
Volunteers

How collaboration worked: The City of Greeley, Colorado provides funding for low income seniors for the materials, Group Realtors provides funding and Christoper Reese Foundation provided funding which allowed us to move into a larger building. The University of Northern Colorado provides transportation of the assembled ramps to the client’s homes. Social workers from various agencies and hospitals provide referrals of the clients needing assistance.

Older people’s involvement: Older people were involved in the age-friendly practice at multiple or all stages

Details on older people’s involvement: This handyman SHOP program consists of 12 volunteers with a cumulative experience of over 20 years building and installing ramps and handrails for Weld County residents. These volunteers give freely of their time and talents working to create safer homes for older adults and people who are disabled and cannot afford to hire a contractor or service to complete the home improvement.

Moving forward

Has the impact of this age-friendly practice been analysed: Yes

Was the impact positive or negative:
Positive

Please share with us what you found in detail:
Surveys are given to RSVP Ramp Clients. Of the 19 surveys returned from clients, ramps were built for ages between 11 and 93; all 19 reported that their ramp allowed them to remain in their current home; all 19 reported that they would have had to change living arrangements with many writing that they would be going to assisted living; all 19 were unable to physically perform the work themselves and 16 were unable to afford to pay a professional to do the work.

Feedback:
This is the usual response we receive: “I am writing this note on behalf of my mother Mary Jane Johnson. The volunteers recently built a beautiful wheelchair ramp for her. We are all so thankful to you all who participated in this project. We were on a time crunch and Don and the SHOP crew came through for us during this trying time. Our appreciation cannot be put into words. God Bless all of you for what you do!”

Expansion plans:
Not at this time.

Looking back

Reflections:
Currently, we have changed the type of lumber we use to make it more durable.

Challenges:
Volunteers (over 55) have difficulty of lifting pre-treated wood which several of our communities require and this has limited our building in 3 of our communities. Sudden rising costs of lumber can also be a deterrent as well as millage to various locations within the 4000 sq miles of Weld County.