Homes That Grow With the People We Support

As the people we support grow older, their needs change, and the homes where they live need to change with them. Since 2023, Strawberry Fields has been working to make our community-based homes friendlier for aging in place. That work continues over the next year with 11 projects across seven homes.

Aging can be harder for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Health shifts, mobility changes, and the amount of day-to-day support a person needs often grows. When we think ahead, we can make changes before they turn urgent. That gives people a better chance to stay in the home and community they already know.

Four of this year's projects are bathroom renovations, spread across three homes. They bring in no-lip showers and other accessibility updates that make everyday routines safer as mobility changes. They also give staff more room to help residents safely when someone needs extra support.

Three homes are getting new HVAC systems, which will improve comfort and air quality all year. At two other homes we are updating the outdoor spaces with new concrete, plus a gazebo, a picnic table and a swing.

Those outdoor improvements matter for aging in place too. Home is more than the space inside four walls. It is an afternoon spent outside when the weather is nice, a shared meal at a picnic table, a visit with family on the patio, or an ordinary evening with housemates.

The projects will take place over the next year. Some disruption is unavoidable, and we will plan each project carefully to limit the impact on residents’ routines and daily lives as much as possible

This is a continuation of the renovations we started back in 2023. As the people we support get older, we will keep looking ahead and making the practical changes that keep our homes comfortable, easy to get around, and truly home.

We are grateful to The Lutheran Foundation for Long Term Living, whose $288,500 grant makes this year's projects possible.