KW CARES CHOOSES LOCAL HOUSING CHARITY.

The charitable arm of the Keller Williams Richmond, VA office has selected a local housing charity to receive funding.  KW Cares chose ElderHomes, winner of the Governor’s Award as the “Best Housing Organization in Virginia for 2005/06” to receive financial support.  Specifically, KW Cares will purchase the materials for ElderHomes’ volunteers to make home health, safety and accessibility repairs so homeowners can “age in place.”  Recipient households of KW Cares funding will also feel safer in their homes, gain access to doctors, work, church, and friends, and enjoy an improved quality of life.

Since its inception in 1992, ElderHomes has served nearly 9,000 low-income, elderly homeowners and 6,700 households.  About 25% of its clients had a substantial physical disability.  As we in the real estate profession know, one’s quality of life is directly related to their quality of shelter.  What often goes overlooked, however, are the needs of the growing number of low-income, older adults who can no longer take care of their homes.  The KW Cares selection committee recognized this reality, and wanted to help people like these: 

Mr. R is a typical ElderHomes client.  He and his wife, who is disabled, were referred to ElderHomes by a state agency.  With private funding, ElderHomes was able to build a wheelchair ramp so Mrs. R. could get in and out of the house and connect again with the outside world.  Interior home modifications were also made, such as installing grab bars in the bathroom and widening a doorway to accommodate the wheelchair.  A contractor – at no cost – upgraded the electrical system because the client had a medical condition that required equipment that could not be supported by the existing electrical works.    

Ms. A is a partially disabled woman in her 70s whose adult son lives with her.  She received a code violation from the city because her yard and adjacent easement were overgrown – an area approximately 100 ft x 20 feet.  ElderHomes assembled a group of volunteers to clear and bag the foliage for city trash removal. Private funding paid for the supplies.   

Ms. S is a partially disabled senior who lives in a mobile home.  An ElderHomes donor purchased the materials so our volunteers could build and install a wheelchair ramp from her driveway to her door.  Volunteers also repaired her leaky washing machine, and a contractor donated his time and materials to install a new sub floor and floor covering.  ElderHomes also got a local plumbing company to donate and install a new hot water heater.

According to the 2000 Census, in the City of Richmond and the seven surrounding counties there are:

• 129,799 disabled residents;
• 85,809 elderly citizens;
• 63,950 low-income individuals
• 18,334 low-income persons with a disability;
• 6,691 low-income, elderly people; and,
• 4,140 low-income, elderly and disabled inhabitants.

Most of these individuals either can’t find or afford someone to perform home repair services.  In 99% of the cases, there are no government programs to help.  ElderHomes’ volunteers get 100% of their funding from area businesses, residents, and private foundations.  Every one of their clients must own and occupy their home, and qualify financially to receive service. ElderHomes or its volunteers never charges for its work, and clients are asked to contribute whatever they can toward repairs.  Family members are encouraged to help the volunteer work teams in the best way they know how.

ElderHomes has 425 volunteers, including 34 individuals who are highly skilled in the home construction, maintenance, and accessibility trades.  Individual volunteers and teams of volunteers from area clubs, businesses, churches, and civic groups are matched with needy elderly households to provide minor home repair services.  Trained volunteers inspect each home for safety and security-related deficiencies, and educate homeowners about preventing accidents and deterring theft, vandalism, and victimization by crime.   

During FY2006/2007 ElderHomes volunteers will perform more than 6,000 hours of service for 230 households – averaging spending $2,616 per household.  Most importantly, ninety-two percent (92%) of every dollar donated to ElderHomes is spent on repairing client homes.

KW Cares and ElderHomes benefit the community in several tangible ways:

·        Satisfying Client Preference.  In a recent national survey, 94% of adults age 65+ said they wanted to remain living in their own homes as long as possible.  Kw Cares funds will make this possible here in the greater Richmond region. 

·        Improved Quality of Life.  Using a scale from 1 to 4, survey results from 78 clients served recently by ElderHomes’ volunteers showed they felt their quality of life had risen from 1.9 (before receiving service) to 3.6 (after). 

o       A combined 84% stated their quality of life was a combined “poor” (28%), or “fair” (56%) beforehand; 100% rated their quality of life as either “good” (40%) or “excellent” (60%) afterward.

o       These same respondents noted their independence doubled from 1.8 (before service) to 3.6 (after). 

o       They also felt safer after our volunteers repaired their homes (1.9 to 3.7). 

·        Social Cost Savings.  According to MetLife, the average cost in central Virginia to house a low-income senior in a group home is $34,000 per year.  (Average costs for an assisted living or nursing home ranged from $62,000 to $74,000.)    Taxpayers, through Medicare/Medicaid, pay for 70% of the $34,000 – or $23,800 – to house each individual per year.  Virginia taxpayers bear 50% of this burden.

o       In FY 2005/2006, ElderHomes volunteers enabled 55 clients who were facing relocation to a group living facility to remain living in their own homes.

o       At $23,800 per person, this resulted in a one-year social cost savings of $1,309,000.  (If each of these individuals live in their homes for another year, the two year social cost savings for these 55 clients will reach $2,618,000.)