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Curious Iowa: What options are available to help Iowans ‘age in place’?
Iowa programs tend to focus on physical improvements, emotional support to help older adults
Jul. 28, 2025 5:30 am, Updated: Jul. 28, 2025 12:21 pm
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For many Iowans, the old adage “there’s no place like home” rings true. But what does that mean for the state’s aging population?
As it turns out, the state is wondering the same thing. By 2050, the state Department of Health and Human Services estimates that almost 20% of all Iowa residents will be 65 or older in a demographic shift the HHS says makes services for those residents “more important now than ever.”
But what are some of those services, and how exactly do they help aging Iowans?
That’s what one person asked The Gazette’s Curious Iowa — a series that answers readers’ questions about our state and how it works. The Cedar Rapids resident wrote in to ask about options for older adults to “age in place” amid ongoing changes in state population trends.
What does it mean to ‘age in place’?
Aging in place most commonly refers to the practices and partnerships that help older adults remain in their homes and communities as they age rather than moving into a retirement or assisted living facility.
Studies show that doing so often results in increased feelings of independence and agency while also allowing people to enjoy familiar surroundings and avoid or delay costs associated with long-term care.
“People want to age in place because it’s a part of their independence, but it’s also about the familiarity and connections they might have from being in their own home,” said TRAIL of Johnson County Executive Director Christine Scheetz. “There’s memories there, and there’s the sense of autonomy.”
TRAIL — short for Tools and Resources for Active Independent Living — is a membership-based nonprofit that offers various programs for older adults. The group offers volunteer assistance for members’ transportation needs, technological questions, simple home and yard services and more.
It also offers a host of social and educational events to keep members connected with one another and the broader community.
Scheetz explained that variety by saying that aging in place practices themselves are widely variable, so as to meet the individual needs and desires for each older adult.
Iowa programs highlight utility of home improvement
Aging in place frequently requires home modifications to increase accessibility. Those improvements can be relatively simple — such as adding a grab bar in a shower — or more advanced, like adding a chair lift to a set of stairs.
Those accessibility improvements make day-to-day tasks more attainable and, in turn, make remaining in the home more feasible for aging adults, said Nicole Lytle, a grants program manager at the city of Dubuque.
Dubuque offers an “Age in Place” grant program for residents over the age of 62 by offering qualified city residents up to $5,000 to cover low-cost, high-impact home improvement projects that make their home more accessible.
To help identify those improvements, Lytle explained that an occupational therapist visits each home to evaluate the residents’ daily needs, activities and any limitations.
“They watch and see how they get in and out of the bathtub, how they get in and out of bed, going up and down stairs, walking around the house, all of that,” Lytle said. “It’s very personalized work depending on what they witness” during that visit.
That information is then reviewed and used to establish potential improvements. Common examples include the installation of hand rails, flooring replacement to minimize tripping hazards and the conversion of bathtubs to step-in showers.
The program began three years ago after the city received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the city this year received a second three-year allocation totaling roughly $1.5 million.
Several other Iowa entities received federal funding for similar programs after completing a competitive grant process.
The East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA) has a similar program for older adults in Cedar, Clinton, Delaware, Dubuque and Jackson counties, for example, and Polk County announced its own HUD-supported aging-in-place program this spring.
Social, emotional component also key
Beyond physical improvements, Scheetz stressed that social and emotional support also are key parts of supporting older adults looking to age in place.
Creating social connections not only leads to improved emotional outcomes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state it can also support better health outcomes by providing relationships that offer the support needed to cope with stressful life challenges.
It’s also been shown that people with healthy relationships are more likely to make healthy choices that lead to better mental and physical health.
“For a variety of reasons, older adults can become more isolated as they age,” Scheetz said. “To find ways to connect with others and feel like you’re not alone, even if you live at home by yourself … that’s extremely important.”
That’s why TRAIL offers a variety of social and educational events for members, Scheetz said, that allow members to get to know one another and engage with TRAIL volunteers. The nonprofit keeps a packed calendar that ranges from author readings to art classes and short hikes.
Similar opportunities are offered for older Iowans from a variety of public and private entities across the state.
UnityPoint Health — AbbeHealth Services has its own Aging Services program that offers various aging-in-place services — including wellness and social outreach events — for residents in Linn, Benton, Johnson, Cedar, Washington and Jones counties.
The Northeast Iowa Agency on Aging also offers a host of social and educational opportunities through classes and congregate meals across its 18-county coverage area.
Advocates hope new ‘granny flat’ law can help
At times, it simply may not be feasible for an older adult to remain in their current home even if they don’t require the full-scale assistance of a nursing home or assisted living facility. To meet that middle ground, some are turning their attention to “accessory dwelling units,” or ADUs.
ADUs — sometimes called granny flats or in-law suites — refer to a secondary housing unit on a single-family residential lot that is typically smaller than the main house. The unit can be free-standing or attached to the primary residence, although it will typically have private entry.
Accessory dwelling units are relatively uncommon in Iowa, although a new state law could change that.
Senate File 592, which Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law in early May, requires cities and counties to allow at least one accessory dwelling unit per single-family lot. The law took effect July 1 and sets minimum standards for the units while prohibiting overly restrictive local regulations.
Proponents of the bill said ADUs could help address Iowa’s rising housing demand in a cost- and space-effective way. And in particular, AARP Iowa State Director Michael Wagler said the organization pushed for the bill in the most recent legislative session for its potential benefits to older Iowans.
“We came at the ADU conversation from the family caregiving and the intergenerational housing perspective,” Wagler said. “An accessory dwelling unit really provides flexibility for intergenerational housing to happen but still allow for the autonomy of both the parent and child.”
A quintessential example would be a homeowner who builds an ADU in their backyard for a parent or parents to live in.
The two generations live nearby and have the added benefits of that proximity, Wagler said, without having to necessarily share the same home as would be the case if an aging parent were to move into a spare bedroom.
“The main difference there is that an ADU is a separate living unit altogether — separate kitchen, separate bathrooms and utilities. It really allows for a more ‘normal’ living situation” for both generations, Wagler said.
While the new law isn’t expected to lead to an immediate influx of ADUs, Wagler said, it does add another variable and option to the equation of later-in-life planning. Those interested in ADU construction should review their city and/or county code for further information.
Comments: grace.nieland@thegazette.com
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