Submitted by the Orcas Senior Center.

United Way of San Juan County has awarded the Orcas Island Senior Center nonprofit funds to help support a feasibility study of options to help island seniors access qualified home maintenance and repair services. According to the Washington Office of Financial Management, by 2020, more than half of Orcas islanders will be 55 or older. Many elders cannot age safely at home because their home upkeep has been deferred for years. For some walker-dependent seniors who struggle to navigate rickety or dimly lit stairs, a lack of access to qualified contractors is a barrier. Occasionally a senior can’t safely reach a smoke detector to change its battery. Others with heart or lung disease live in homes with mold due to leaky roofs and flooding gutters. OSC greatly appreciates United Way’s support in discerning a collaborative, affordable community response to this problem. Tom Eversole at OSC will coordinate an advisory group to guide this yearlong effort.