Rebuilding Together Sacramento and the City of West Sacramento provide home modifications for low- to moderate-income seniors here. Photo courtesy of the City of West Sacramento

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - With age comes added safety.

The City of West Sacramento senior population understands the safety that a level step or a handrail provides, making minor construction projects priorities in their lives.

However, not every city senior has the immediate means to install, hence Rebuilding Together Sacramento, which provides free home safety modifications to older, low-to-moderate-income residents.

“As our population ages, keeping seniors safe in their homes for as long as possible becomes a priority for their overall well-being and quality of life,” said West Sacramento Safe at Home Program coordinator Kaisa Miller.

“Minor home modifications such as handrails, grab bars, toilet risers and shower hoses help achieve this goal,” Miller said. “These simple yet effective changes can significantly reduce the risk of falls and injuries.”

One city senior will say the same in a promotional video featuring Rebuilding Together Sacramento's chief installer and the resident. In her garage, Linda Sherwood details how installing a handrail, installing a grab bar and modifying the step height provide safety.

“I wasn't scared at all; he had ID, and he was very friendly and very nice,” Sherwood said, walking up the new stairs that replaced 24-year-old stairs. “I feel safer when I go into the garage.”

The free service available to low-to-moderate-income seniors is simple. Call 916-617-4659 for help and Measure E will pick up the tab.

“Measure E is a sales tax measure that allows funding to help create an age-friendly community,” Miller said. “This collaboration between the city and Rebuilding Together Sacramento is an important partnership that brings these Safe at Home services to West Sacramento.”

Miller noted that Rebuilding Together Sacramento, which has modified area senior homes since 1991, leverages a variety of volunteers and staff to maintain service costs significantly below market rates.

No matter the rate, “the comfort and security that seniors experience in their familiar surroundings cannot be overstated,” Miller said.

“By implementing these modifications, we not only ensure the physical safety of our elderly population but also support their emotional and psychological health,” Miller said. “The ability to remain in their own homes, surrounded by memories and personal belongings, provides a sense of continuity and stability that is invaluable during aging.”

Don't wait for another step that can cause harm; contact the city at 916-617-4659 to help any senior who might benefit from grab bars, handrails or threshold ramps. The service also includes providing toilet or shower assist units, energy-efficient bulbs, transfer poles and carbon-monoxide detectors.

“It's been absolutely fantastic,” Sherwood said in the video. “Give it a shot; you can't go wrong.”

Miller said these modifications are often more cost-effective than alternatives such as assisted living facilities.

“It's a win-win solution for seniors, their families and the community,” Miller said.

For more information on the program or ways to support the service, Miller suggests visiting rebuildingtogethersacramento.org.