BY KARISSA MILLER

Most aging adults want to remain independent and live in their homes as long as possible.

For some older adults living on a low fixed income, staying in an aging house can be a daunting challenge.

Fortunately, thanks to a $132,000 grant from the N.C. Housing Finance Agency, which assists very low and low-income households, I-CARE Inc. has been lifting that burden for some homeowners in Iredell County through its urgent home repair program.

“This year, we’ve been able to help 10 homeowners so far with roof repairs,” explained Shelton Moore, Family Support Services director for the nonprofit.

These programs are designed to help older homeowners make home repairs, modifications and upgrades, allowing them to create a safe and comfortable living space where they can age in place.

Statesville resident Kay McCullough, 81, has lived in her home for almost 30 years. The outside of her home is adorned with vibrant plants and annual flowers.

However, she’s also had to deal with many problems that come with an aging home. She was selected as a beneficiary of a roof replacement and weatherization services this year with I-CARE.

“I had water damage, but since it’s been replaced no water has come through,” McCullough explained.

With the help of her family she was able to replace her carpet, but living on a fixed income is hard because everything is costly.

“For me, I didn’t have any financial means of getting the repairs done. I am very happy and blessed,” she said.

Her home also needs a new heating and cooling system.

She said people have suggested moving out of her home when she was experiencing a lot of problems.

“I thought about it, but I’d rather be in a home than an apartment or an assisted living. I’m used to living on my own and it would be hard for me to adjust,” she said.

Other services McCullough tapped into included upgrading electrical wiring, HVAC replacement and other energy efficiency measures.

“We used different funding streams to be able to help, with Duke Energy being one of them,” Moore said.

Mary White, 83, has lived in her home for around 40 years.

Her house did not have working heat or air conditioning, a leaky roof and some electrical problems.

I-CARE was able to come in and improve the air quality, providing a working HVAC system and improve her quality of life.

Mary’s husband Otis died this summer, and she has had some health challenges of her own. Since then, she has been in her home and is on the mend. Her family has provided comfort and emotional support.

Her daughter Penny White Mauney said that her mom wants to live out her life in her home. As long as the family can help, they will make sure that she doesn’t go into a nursing home.

Mauney said that the repairs made to the home were greatly needed and the team went above and beyond.

Ronnie Trahan, energy efficiency auditor with I-CARE, said that he conducted the initial audit and ran computerized tests to identify air leaks and other problems.

I-CARE was able to use Duke Energy funds to help pay for the cost of some of the electrical repairs, which was around $7,000.

“To be able to use the knowledge to help people who don’t have the means to help themselves is awesome,” Trahan said.