Nurses, Handymen and Occupational Therapists Come to You: How the CAPABLE Pilot Helps Seniors Age in Place

The CAPABLE program for aging in place sends a nurse, occupational therapist, and handyman into seniors’ homes over 4-5 months to make targeted safety modifications (often up to $1,300) and provide personalized training, helping participants improve daily function while reducing hospitalizations and supporting longer independence at home. Dragana Gordic/Shutterstock

Many older adults want nothing more than to stay in the homes they know and love, yet daily tasks like bathing, climbing stairs, or managing medications can become risky or exhausting. The CAPABLE program for aging in place brings a small team of professionals directly into seniors’ homes to tackle those exact challenges.

“The goal isn’t simply to help someone stay in their home. It’s to help them function better, safely, and independently in the place they most want to be,” said Sarah Szanton. She has described CAPABLE as a program that focuses on what older adults want to accomplish rather than telling them what they should do.