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Aging in Place

house with landscaping in front

Remaining in the home is a high priority for many older people. Many older people are facing a disability that requires accessibility in the home. Unfortunately, most housing in South Dakota is not designed for people with disabilities. Most homes are missing one or more basic accessibility features (wide halls and doors, bathroom that is sized and spaced for a wheelchair user, bedroom on entry level, and a no-step entrance). Even when these features are present, home modifications may be necessary to make the home usable to people with disabilities.

All Aging in Place Content

A group of women talking around a kitchen table.
Mar 21

Aging Well Workshop: How To Stay In Your Home Longer

NDSU Extension and SDSU Extension will host a free online Aging Well Workshop covering strategies to stay in your home longer on March 21 at 10:00 a.m. CST (9:00 a.m. MT).

An older man sitting on a tractor with his wife standing on the ground talking to him

Caregiving for Rural Families

SDSU Extension developed a course called Caregiving for Rural Families. This self-paced course is designed to help rural people learn about long-term services support, how to help someone with routine tasks like bathing or brushing teeth, and how caregivers need to prepare for emergency situations.

Older adult man getting assistance from a young, female caregiver.

Older Adults

SDSU Extension provides education and resources for older adults and their families.

Wooden house with stacks of coins in the background.

How to Find and Pay for Home Modifications

This resource was developed to help you understand how to pay for home modifications in North Dakota and South Dakota, as well as describe some of the challenges you may encounter as you search for businesses or organizations to renovate your home for you.

Architect leaping in front of a home.

Voices for Home Modification of the Dakotas

The Voices for Home Modification coalition seeks to increase knowledge about the role home design plays in quality of life for people with mobility limitations. Learn more about their mission and how you can get involved today!

child and an older man planting flowers in a raised garden bed

Housing Across the Life Span: Consumer knowledge, preferences, and barriers

The goal of this study was to understand perceptions of aging in place and identify next steps to remove barriers to successful aging in place.

Kitchen and living area of a modern, adaptable home. Ample space throughout for wheelchair access to essential features.

Adaptable Home Overview

The Adaptable Home Series is a tool to help consumers who are looking to find a home that can be modified to meet the needs of people with disabilities and older adults without the need for costly structural renovations.

Accessible bathroom with a step-in shower and low-clearance sink.

Home Modification Planning Guide

The home modification planning guide is a tool for anyone who plans to age in place. The guide is designed to help you think about how you might actually use the home after developing disabilities.

Man in a wheelchair cooking in an accessible kitchen with a woman.

Testimonials for Home Modification

The Voices for Home Modification of the Dakota project team invited various people in North Dakota and South Dakota to share their testimonials about mobility limitations and housing.

Accessible home exterior with zero-entry doorway.

New Me, New Home.

After a series of life-changing strokes, Julie List made the bold decision to move into an accessible home. Learn how her journey transformed her into a voice for accessible home design.