AGING IN PLACE AND HEALTHCARE EQUITY - HOW REBUILDING TOGETHER SUPPORTS LIVING LONGER IN HOMES AND COMMUNITIES

Sep 29, 2026

Aging in Place (AIP) is the capacity to remain in one’s home and community as people age, yet housing instability, inaccessibility, and affordability disparities limit equitable access. The study applies a Health Disparities Framework, analyzing demographic and service data from Rebuilding Together Richmond (RT-R). Descriptive statistics evaluate served homeowners, repair types, and expected contributions to safety and accessibility through structural versus occupational repairs. Findings include 33 homes served and equity-focused implications for integrating clinical and community-based interventions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Background and Problem

Aging in Place and equity barriers

Methods

Health Disparities Framework and RT-R data

Repair classification and descriptive analysis

Findings

Number and characteristics of individuals served

Structural versus occupational repairs

Implications

Integrating clinical and community solutions

Partnerships and addressing broader barriers

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 831 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.2819 AGING IN PLACE AND HEALTHCARE EQUITY: HOW REBUILDING TOGETHER SUPPORTS LIVING LONGER IN HOMES AND COMMUNITIES Christine McNichols1, and Annie Rhodes2, 1. Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States, 2. Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia, United States Aging in Place (AIP) refers to the ability to remain in one’s home and community as one ages. While AIP is widely regarded as beneficial, disparities in housing stability, accessibility, and affordability create inequitable barriers. Current clinical AIP interventions focus on individual-level solutions, often overlooking broader socio-economic and structural determinants. Using a Health Disparities Framework, demographic and service data from a community-based organization, Rebuilding Together Richmond (RT-R), was analyzed. Descriptive statistics assessed the characteristics of homeowners served, the types of repairs performed, and their potential impact on AIP. Repairs were 832 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 categorized as structural or occupational to evaluate their contributions to home safety and accessibility. RT-R provided repairs for 33 homes, benefiting 47 individuals, all of whom were Black or African American living in a zip code with high eviction rates. The majority (63.8%) were female, and 51% were older adults and/or had a disability. Structural repairs were more frequent than occupational modifications, reflecting both homeowner needs, service availability, and community organizational goals. Housing stability is a critical yet overlooked factor in AIP. Integrating clinical AIP interventions with community-based solutions can more effectively address health disparities, reduce institutionalization risks, and improve long-term livability. Partnerships between healthcare practitioners and organizations like Rebuilding Together are essential to advancing equity inAIP. Access to housing is not accessible housing, and to remove barriers, practitioners and community-based organizations should expand their appreciation of obstacles to include historical, contemporary, economic, and environmental factors to work toward equity in aging in place for all.

FAQs

What does Aging in Place (AIP) mean in the document?

Aging in Place (AIP) refers to the ability to remain in one’s home and community as one ages.

Why are current AIP interventions considered insufficient?

They often focus on individual-level solutions and overlook broader socio-economic and structural determinants that drive inequities in housing access.

How did RT-R repairs relate to home safety and accessibility?

Repairs were categorized as structural or occupational to assess their potential contributions to home safety and accessibility for homeowners served by RT-R.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Aria Callaghan