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Emergency Services & Home Repair

No one plans to have a crisis. We don’t schedule lightening hitting our homes, heart attacks, abuse, or mechanical breakdowns of our cars or home appliances. For the fortunate in our society, they have steady incomes, some savings, and a family who rallies to their support during hard times.

But for many of the more vulnerable in our communities who are frail, isolated, don’t have a family to come to their aid, their savings have been depleted after their health insurance didn’t cover the expenses of a loved one’s illness, or any number of other reasons – they need some help. Often, they are the folks who somehow usually manage to get by on their fixed retirement income, but when faced with an emergency or when they need home repairs that exceed their ability to pay, they often don’t know where to turn. If you are a senior in need, or know a senior who is struggling, call us at an office near you, which you can find by clicking here. We can help access services including the following:

Emergency Assistance

For the elderly who have a low fixed income, and little or no savings set aside, a simple mistake or accident can create a threat to their health and well-being. For instance, they may forget to reapply for the annual prescription assistance program thru Illinois Cares Rx and be temporarily facing a cost-prohibitive copay for an essential heart or diabetes medications. Or perhaps their furnace breaks down during extreme winter conditions and repairs are out of their reach. For circumstances like these, when it’s a one-time situation and when funds are available, we can provide some assistance. If you find yourself or an elderly friend or relative experiencing an emergency, please call one of our offices near you, which you can locate by clicking here.

Emergency Home Response Service

Caregivers are often concerned about leaving their loved one alone in the home, fearing they may fall or experience a medical emergency and be unable to reach a phone to call for help. The Emergency Home Response System provides a 24-hour emergency communication link to assistance outside the home. It provides a 2-way voice communication system, which consists of a base unit and an activation device worn by the client that automatically connects the client to a professionally staffed emergency support center.

This service is available for free to clients who meet qualifications for the Community Care Program (CCP), or we can supply a list of trusted resources in the community who supply this service for a fee. To learn more about CCP and eligibility guidelines, click here or click on the ‘Assessment and Case Management’ tab on the ‘Our Services’ menu on the right-side of this page.

Illinois Home Weatherization Program

The Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program (IHWAP) helps low-income residents save fuel and money, while increasing the comfort of their homes. IHWAP is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the state supplemental Energy Assistance Fund.

Beginning in 2009, there will be a large increase in DOE Weatherization Funds as the result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Over the next two years, the Economic Stimulus funding will allow more low-income Illinois homes to be weatherized. This program does have income guidelines. To learn if you qualify for this program, contact an I & A specialist at an office near you, which can be found by clicking here.

Weatherization to improve energy efficiency of the home can include: weather stripping, caulking, insulation, repairing or replacing windows and doors. This program also includes having experienced heating contractors inspect homes’ heating systems. Weatherization work on a furnace can include cleaning, repairing, retrofitting and in some cases, replacing the furnace for an energy efficient model.

Housing Rehabilitation Program (HOME)

This program helps homeowners who meet income and home value qualifications to rehab their homes in order meet local housing codes and standards. Homeowners in Kane and DeKalb counties may be eligible for the program’s interest free, deferred loans to rehab their homes. Community Contacts, Inc., a not-for-profit social service agency, will assist with this program by inspecting the property, writing the work order, bidding the job, supervising the contractors, inspecting the job sites and handling the paperwork. For more information, call Community Contacts at: (847) 697-8800

Volunteers

Senior Services Associates constantly recruits, screens and trains volunteers who generously provide valuable services to seniors who are in need throughout Kane, Kendall and McHenry Counties. If you are a senior in need of help or know a senior who is struggling, please call an office near you, which you can find by clicking here.