hi everyone, i'm in rural indiana and take care of my dad who used to
help elderly in a nursing home for twenty years on low wages (cna.)
he's becoming more handicap everyday and in need of some bathroom
renovation work with grab bars and sit down shower. I asked the local
senior place and they brushed me off putting me on a list, there is no
habitat for humanity here. my neighbor contractor gave me a price of
fifteen thousand dollars which we can't afford. nobody ever taught me
how to do rehab work on houses when i was younger and don't know the
first thing about making a floor square. I will gladly pay for all the
material and supplies needed. can anyone give me some ideas on who to
ask for help?

topdog wrote:
hi everyone, i'm in rural indiana and take care of my dad who used to
help elderly in a nursing home for twenty years on low wages (cna.)
he's becoming more handicap everyday and in need of some bathroom
renovation work with grab bars and sit down shower. I asked the local
senior place and they brushed me off putting me on a list, there is no
habitat for humanity here. my neighbor contractor gave me a price of
fifteen thousand dollars which we can't afford. nobody ever taught me
how to do rehab work on houses when i was younger and don't know the
first thing about making a floor square. I will gladly pay for all the
material and supplies needed. can anyone give me some ideas on who to
ask for help?

Did you try your local Craigslist? I'm sure there are
a lot of nice helpful folks all over the country no
matter what anyone says about Americans. Even with the
economy down, there are always people around to give a
helping hand. Are you a member of any church? I've done
work for smaller churches that seem to be more charitable
than mega churches. I guess the members don't attend the
services just to be seen, they really believe. The Salvation
Army and United Way may have some programs in place to help
those in your situation. Sometimes a company will do the
work for a tax right off as a charitable contribution. If
you could get a reporter to tell your story, people will
see that a wonderful person like your father who spent his
life helping others is in need of help himself. Someone
may see or hear the story and come to your aid.

TDD

topdog wrote:
hi everyone, i'm in rural indiana and take care of my dad who used to
help elderly in a nursing home for twenty years on low wages (cna.)
he's becoming more handicap everyday and in need of some bathroom
renovation work with grab bars and sit down shower. I asked the local
senior place and they brushed me off putting me on a list, there is no
habitat for humanity here. my neighbor contractor gave me a price of
fifteen thousand dollars which we can't afford. nobody ever taught me
how to do rehab work on houses when i was younger and don't know the
first thing about making a floor square. I will gladly pay for all the
material and supplies needed. can anyone give me some ideas on who to
ask for help?

Fifteen thou? You are considering gutting or adding a complete
bathroom? It would help to know what you are starting with and
specifically what you need to accomplish....just adding grab bars and a
seat, or ripping out a bath tub to change to shower? It would also help
to know more about your dad's limitations....total care or just a little
help? Walker? Wheelchair? Most cities and counties have agencies for
aging, which can sometimes provide financial assistance. My county has
a "211" phone number to call for any and all social service needs. Even
your local Red Cross might know of resources. If you are doing the work
yourself, get a book at the library for basic remodeling ...installing a
sink or a toilet will give you a good idea of the issues involved in
altering a bathroom.

The most important issue to begin with is to provide good lighting and
eliminate trip/fall hazards...loose throw rugs, accumulated junk he
might fall over, etc.

topdog wrote:
hi everyone, i'm in rural indiana and take care of my dad who used to
help elderly in a nursing home for twenty years on low wages (cna.)
he's becoming more handicap everyday and in need of some bathroom
renovation work with grab bars and sit down shower. I asked the local
senior place and they brushed me off putting me on a list, there is no
habitat for humanity here. my neighbor contractor gave me a price of
fifteen thousand dollars which we can't afford. nobody ever taught me
how to do rehab work on houses when i was younger and don't know the
first thing about making a floor square. I will gladly pay for all the
material and supplies needed. can anyone give me some ideas on who to
ask for help?

I forgot to mention....larger nursing homes have personnel who are
familiar with resources for handicapped individuals...call them "social
workers" or "activity directors" or whatever. Call them.

on 12/7/2009 1:37 AM (ET) topdog wrote the following:
hi everyone, i'm in rural indiana and take care of my dad who used to
help elderly in a nursing home for twenty years on low wages (cna.)
he's becoming more handicap everyday and in need of some bathroom
renovation work with grab bars and sit down shower. I asked the local
senior place and they brushed me off putting me on a list, there is no
habitat for humanity here. my neighbor contractor gave me a price of
fifteen thousand dollars which we can't afford. nobody ever taught me
how to do rehab work on houses when i was younger and don't know the
first thing about making a floor square. I will gladly pay for all the
material and supplies needed. can anyone give me some ideas on who to
ask for help?


There are various programs for the elderly to get grants for home
improvement.
The link is very long, so here is the Google link by TinyUrl
http://tinyurl.com/yctv2g7


--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

"topdog" wrote in message
...
hi everyone, i'm in rural indiana and take care of my dad who used to
help elderly in a nursing home for twenty years on low wages (cna.)
he's becoming more handicap everyday and in need of some bathroom
renovation work with grab bars and sit down shower. I asked the local
senior place and they brushed me off putting me on a list,

Find out if there are other senior help programs available. My elderly aunt
had someone come in and install the grab bars and such at no cost, but that
is in a different state. Most every state has some sort of program though.
You may want to ask a couple of elderly neighbors if they have had anything
done like that and who did it.

New flooring and painting or cosmetic is not covered, of course, but aid for
assistance are.

In article ,
"Ed Pawlowski" wrote:

"topdog" wrote in message
...
hi everyone, i'm in rural indiana and take care of my dad who used to
help elderly in a nursing home for twenty years on low wages (cna.)
he's becoming more handicap everyday and in need of some bathroom
renovation work with grab bars and sit down shower. I asked the local
senior place and they brushed me off putting me on a list,

Find out if there are other senior help programs available. My elderly aunt
had someone come in and install the grab bars and such at no cost, but that
is in a different state. Most every state has some sort of program though.
You may want to ask a couple of elderly neighbors if they have had anything
done like that and who did it.


Every county should have something like a Council on Aging that
might be able to help, too. United Way might have an agency.

--
To find that place where the rats don't race
and the phones don't ring at all.
If once, you've slept on an island.
Scott Kirby "If once you've slept on an island"

I forgot to mention....larger nursing homes have personnel who are
familiar with resources for handicapped individuals...call them "social
workers" or "activity directors" or whatever. Call them.

Freakin A right. The government is giving away lots of dollars, and it
sounds like this would be a good project. Heck, they recently gave someone
$400,000 to study the sex lives of college freshmen. I'd a done it for
free, but just the girls.

Steve ;-)