Broward County Home Safety Resources for Older Adults & Family Caregivers
Local programs, home-repair assistance, accessibility resources, hurricane-planning information, caregiver tools, and professional-help options for families helping an aging adult remain safer at home.
Whether you are trying to reduce fall risks, make a bathroom or entrance easier to use, find help paying for repairs, prepare for hurricane season, or figure out who to call first, start with the situation in front of you.
What do you need help with?
Make the home safer
Start with the places where everyday problems often appear first — bathrooms, stairs, entrances, walking paths, bedrooms, lighting, and areas where an aging adult transfers, turns, or reaches for support.
Find help paying for repairs or modifications
Broward County, the local aging network, nonprofit organizations, and some municipalities offer programs that may help qualifying homeowners with repairs, accessibility improvements, or other home-safety needs.
Prepare for hurricanes and power outages
Emergency planning for an aging adult may involve medications, mobility equipment, electrically powered medical devices, transportation, caregiver communication, shelter planning, and backup power.
Find professional help for the home
When a project has moved beyond a small household change, take time to check contractor credentials, understand which permitting authority applies to the property, and get project details in writing.
Not Sure Where to Start? Start With the Area Agency on Aging of Broward County.
The Area Agency on Aging of Broward County operates Broward’s Aging and Disability Resource Center, serving as a central access point for older adults, adults with disabilities, families, and caregivers looking for local services and support.
The ADRC can help families navigate aging services, caregiver support, in-home assistance, home-repair resources, and other community programs.
Broward ADRC Helpline
Call the Broward ADRC Helpline at 954-745-9779Tap the number to call on a mobile phone.
Visit the Broward ADRC (opens in a new tab)Minor Home Repair Program
The Broward aging network currently identifies a Home Repair Program for adults age 60 and older living in owner-occupied homes. Services may include carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and other minor repairs needed to preserve health and safety, with priority given to low-income older adults.
The home has smaller repair problems affecting health, safety, or continued independent living.
Home Care for the Elderly
The Home Care for the Elderly program supports some adults age 60 and older who live in family-type private-home settings and receive substantial ongoing care from family.
Depending on the participant and program rules, special subsidies may support assistive devices, wheelchairs, ramps, home-accessibility modifications, medical supplies, and certain in-home services.
This is not a general remodeling program.
Home Repair Help Through Broward’s Aging Network
Broward’s aging network can connect eligible older homeowners with local repair providers rather than simply handing families a contractor list.
Home Touch Program
The Area Agency on Aging identifies the Home Touch Program, administered through Minority Builders Coalition, as one of its contracted home-repair providers.
The program supports minor home repairs for older residents through the aging-services network.
Rebuilding Together Broward
Rebuilding Together Broward is another home-repair provider identified by the local aging network.
Its Safe at Home program focuses on helping qualifying residents remain safer and more independent through preventive home modifications, critical repairs, fall-prevention strategies, and accessibility improvements.
Help Paying for Home Safety Changes in Broward County
Home-safety needs can range from a relatively small repair to accessibility work or significant rehabilitation. Several Broward resources are worth investigating before assuming the entire cost must be paid privately.
Broward County Minor Home Repair
Broward County Housing and Urban Planning currently lists Minor Home Repair among its homeowner assistance programs for qualified owners of owner-occupied single-family properties.
The property needs repairs affecting its continued safe use.
Program availability and service area may depend on where the property is located.
Broward County Barrier Free / Special Needs
Broward County also lists Barrier Free / Special Needs assistance among its homeowner programs.
This may be worth investigating when disability or mobility-related barriers in the home are making everyday use more difficult.
Do not assume a particular modification is covered. Confirm current program rules, funding, property requirements, and service area directly with Broward County.
Rebuilding Together Broward — Safe at Home
Safe at Home provides preventive home modifications intended to improve accessibility, reduce fall risks, and support greater independence.
Examples may include:
- grab bars and handrails
- entry and threshold ramps
- doorway widening
- modified tubs and showers
- raised toilets
- trip-hazard reduction
- smoke/CO detection
- improved lighting
An aging adult has mobility, fall-risk, or accessibility needs and cost is a barrier.
Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly
The Area Agency on Aging administers or coordinates EHEAP assistance for qualifying low-income Broward households with at least one resident age 60 or older experiencing a home-energy emergency.
This is not a home-remodeling program, but maintaining electricity and cooling can be an important safety issue for an aging adult in South Florida.
Broward program coverage can vary by municipality.
Some homeowner programs are administered by Broward County, while individual municipalities may operate their own rehabilitation, emergency-repair, accessibility, or SHIP-funded programs. Always confirm which agency serves the property before making plans around assistance.
Live in the City of Fort Lauderdale? Check These Programs Too.
Fort Lauderdale currently operates its own homeowner rehabilitation and emergency-repair programs.
Fort Lauderdale Homeowner Rehabilitation Program
The City currently identifies assistance of up to $85,000 for eligible repairs that may include roofing, windows, air conditioning, plumbing, electrical work, and accessibility improvements.
The assistance is structured as a deferred, interest-free loan secured by a lien and is subject to the City’s eligibility requirements.
The property is inside the City of Fort Lauderdale and needs substantial health, safety, code, or accessibility-related rehabilitation.
Fort Lauderdale Emergency Repair Program
Fort Lauderdale also currently identifies an Emergency Repair Program providing up to $20,000 for qualifying homeowners with urgent repair needs such as air-conditioning or water-heater replacement.
The City states that funding is limited and assistance is awarded on a first-qualified, first-served basis.
An urgent housing problem is affecting safe occupancy of a Fort Lauderdale home.
Funding, application status, eligibility requirements, and repair categories may change. Confirm current information directly with the City of Fort Lauderdale before relying on assistance.
Who Administers the Program May Depend on Where the Home Is Located
Broward County Programs
Some homeowner assistance programs are administered directly by Broward County for qualifying properties and service areas.
Municipal Programs
Individual municipalities may operate their own rehabilitation, emergency-repair, accessibility, or housing programs. Fort Lauderdale is one example.
Always confirm which agency serves the property before applying or relying on a particular program.
Before You Hire Someone to Modify the Home
A familiar home is still a construction site once repair or modification work begins.
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Check Broward contractor records
Broward County provides an online contractor-license search that can be searched by contractor name, license number, or company name.
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Check Florida licensing
For contractors and professions regulated by the State of Florida, use the Department of Business and Professional Regulation license search.
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Put the project in writing
Before work begins, make sure the written agreement clearly describes the work, materials, costs, payment schedule, responsibilities, and other agreed project details.
A license check is one part of contractor due diligence — it is not a guarantee of project quality.
Concerned About a Contractor or Consumer Issue?
Broward County Consumer Protection provides complaint and consumer-assistance resources.
Permits: Broward County or Your City?
Broward County / ePermits OneStop
Broward County operates ePermits OneStop for participating municipalities and associated County approvals and permits.
City of Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale has its own Development Services Department. The City’s Building Services division issues permits and performs inspections for properties inside Fort Lauderdale.
Caregiver Compass™ does not determine whether a particular ramp, bathroom modification, doorway change, electrical project, plumbing project, or other improvement requires a permit. Confirm the requirements for the actual property and proposed work with the appropriate building authority.
Hurricane & Emergency Planning for an Older Adult in Broward County
A hurricane plan needs to cover more than shutters and bottled water. Think through the care that has to keep working if transportation changes, electricity is interrupted, or evacuation becomes necessary.
- Medications
- Refrigerated medications
- Mobility equipment
- Medical equipment
- Power
- Transportation
- Caregiver communication
- Pets
- Evacuation
- Important records
Vulnerable Population Registry
Broward’s Vulnerable Population Registry is intended for residents who are vulnerable because of disability, frailty, or a health issue and who plan to remain at home during an emergency.
The registry helps municipalities understand community needs and plan their response.
Registration does not guarantee assistance or placement on a responder priority list.
Special Needs Shelter & Transportation
Broward recommends advance registration for its Special Needs Emergency Sheltering and Transportation Program when a resident has medical needs that cannot be supported in a general-population shelter.
Transportation to an assigned shelter may also be coordinated for qualifying registered residents who need it.
These Programs Are Not the Same
Vulnerable Population Registry
For vulnerable residents who plan to remain home and for municipal emergency planning.
Special Needs Shelter & Transportation
For residents who may require medically supported sheltering and/or evacuation transportation.
The Vulnerable Population Registry does not provide sheltering or evacuation transportation.
Families should investigate these resources before a storm threatens, not after evacuation decisions are already underway.
Broward Hurricane Information
Broward County maintains an official hurricane site with preparedness, evacuation, and shelter information.
AlertBroward
Broward Emergency Management provides access to AlertBroward, the County’s emergency notification system.
Does Medical Equipment Depend on Electricity?
Power planning deserves its own conversation when an aging adult relies on electrically powered medical equipment.
Florida Power & Light’s Medically Essential Service is available to qualifying residential customers whose medically essential electrical needs are certified by a Florida-licensed physician.
The program may provide special notices related to hurricanes or disconnection and referrals to assistance resources.
Participation does not provide priority restoration after a storm and does not guarantee uninterrupted electricity. Families remain responsible for backup equipment, backup power, and an evacuation plan if the home can no longer safely support the person.
Getting Around Broward County
Broward County Transit
Broward County Transit provides the County’s public transportation network.
TOPS! Paratransit
Broward’s TOPS! program provides paratransit services for qualifying riders.
For ADA paratransit, eligibility depends on how a disability affects the individual’s ability to use fixed-route transit independently.
Age alone, inability to drive, inconvenience, or income do not establish ADA paratransit eligibility.
Planning a ride to a medical appointment?
Use the Medical Appointment Transportation PlannerYour City May Have Additional Home-Repair Help
Broward County programs are not always the only source of assistance.
Individual municipalities may periodically offer their own home rehabilitation, emergency repair, wheelchair-ramp, accessibility, or housing-assistance programs.
Rather than relying on a countywide assumption, check the housing, community-development, or building department for the municipality where the property is located.
Availability can change considerably from year to year.
Start With the Home, Not the Project
Before deciding what to buy or who to hire, take a fresh look at how the aging adult actually moves through the home.
Aging Parent Home Safety Walkthrough
Walk through entrances, hallways, bathrooms, bedrooms, stairs, and everyday living spaces from the aging adult’s point of view.
Fall Prevention Home Checklist
Look for everyday conditions that may make a familiar home harder to move through safely.
Home Safety After a Hospital Stay
A hospital discharge can change mobility, equipment needs, sleeping arrangements, and how someone uses the home almost overnight.
Check whether the route from the car to the entrance, sleeping area, bathroom, and essential living areas will work before the person comes home.
Severe Weather Planning
Organize medications, equipment, communication, transportation, and backup plans before severe weather makes them urgent.
Power Outage Planning
Plan for medical devices, medication refrigeration, charging, lighting, cooling, mobility support, and caregiver communication before electricity is interrupted.
Free Caregiver Compass™ Home Safety Printables
Sometimes it is easier to see the next step when the plan is on paper.
Home Safety Checklist
A room-by-room starting point for identifying areas that deserve a closer look.
Bathroom Safety Checklist
Look more closely at the tub or shower, toilet, flooring, lighting, transfers, and places where support may be needed.
Home Modification Planning Worksheets
Organize priorities, bathroom changes, entrances, doorways, thresholds, and larger aging-in-place projects.
Contractor & Estimate Planning Tools
Organize contractor questions, compare estimates, and prepare for home-modification conversations.
Need Professional Help With Home Modifications?
Some home-safety problems can be handled with small household changes. Others need an experienced professional.
Caregiver Connect™ helps Broward families request additional information from our home-modification PREFERRED PROVIDER professional serving the area where the work will be performed.
North Broward
Representative communities
Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Coral Springs, Parkland, Coconut Creek, Margate, North Lauderdale, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
Central Broward
Representative communities
Fort Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Wilton Manors, Tamarac, Lauderhill, Lauderdale Lakes, Sunrise, Plantation
South & West Broward
Representative communities
Hollywood, Hallandale Beach, Dania Beach, Pembroke Pines, Miramar, Davie, Weston, Southwest Ranches
Caregiver Connect™ uses the aging adult’s home ZIP code where the work will be performed to determine the appropriate Broward service territory.
Caregiver Connect™ does not replace a family’s own review of a contractor, project, permit requirements, contract terms, or suitability for a particular job.
Request Caregiver Connect™ Preferred Provider Professional HelpBroward County Home Safety FAQs
Where can I start if I do not know which Broward aging program I need?
The Area Agency on Aging of Broward County operates Broward’s Aging and Disability Resource Center and is a useful first contact for families trying to understand available aging, caregiver, home-assistance, and community resources.
Does Broward County have assistance for home repairs?
Broward County Housing currently lists Minor Home Repair and Barrier Free/Special Needs among its homeowner assistance programs. The Area Agency on Aging also connects eligible older residents with minor home-repair resources. Program eligibility and service area vary.
Are there home-modification programs specifically for aging adults?
Rebuilding Together Broward’s Safe at Home program focuses on preventive modifications, accessibility, fall-risk reduction, and critical safety repairs for qualifying residents.
What repair programs are available in Fort Lauderdale?
The City of Fort Lauderdale currently operates Homeowner Rehabilitation and Emergency Repair programs for qualifying homeowners. The City identifies assistance of up to $85,000 for rehabilitation and up to $20,000 for eligible emergency repairs, subject to program requirements and funding.
What is the difference between Broward’s Vulnerable Population Registry and its Special Needs Shelter program?
The Vulnerable Population Registry is primarily a municipal emergency-planning resource for vulnerable residents who intend to remain home. It does not guarantee assistance and does not provide sheltering or evacuation transportation. Broward’s Special Needs program is the separate resource to investigate when a resident may require medically supported sheltering or transportation.
How do I check whether a contractor is licensed?
Broward County provides a contractor-license search, while Florida DBPR provides statewide license verification for professions and contractors it regulates. Checking a license is an important part of due diligence but does not guarantee project quality.
Do I need a permit for a home modification?
It depends on the property and the actual work. Fort Lauderdale operates its own permitting system, while Broward County also provides County permitting resources and ePermits OneStop. Confirm requirements directly with the building authority responsible for the property.
What if an aging adult relies on electric-powered medical equipment?
FPL’s Medically Essential Service may provide additional notices and resources to qualifying customers. It does not guarantee uninterrupted electricity or priority restoration, so families still need backup-power and evacuation plans.
Does Broward offer paratransit for aging adults or people with disabilities?
Broward County Transit operates TOPS! paratransit. ADA eligibility depends on how a disability affects a person’s ability to independently use fixed-route transit; age alone does not establish eligibility.
Can my city have repair programs separate from Broward County?
Yes. Individual Broward municipalities may administer separate housing, rehabilitation, emergency-repair, accessibility, or SHIP-funded programs. Confirm current options with the municipality where the home is located.
Keep Going With Caregiver Compass™
A safer home is only one part of caregiving. Caregiver Compass™ brings together practical guides, checklists, and tools for hospital discharge, medications, home safety, transportation, nutrition, doctor visits, and the other situations families are trying to solve every day.