Aiming to help seniors age in place, Jackson, Teton County approve loan program

JACKSON (WNE) — Older adults and people with disabilities living in affordable homes can soon apply for up to $8,000 loans through the Jackson/Teton County Housing Department for home improvements.

That’s after the Jackson Town Council and Teton County Board of County Commissioners approved a senior loan program on Sept. 8. The loan program is designed to help keep people in their homes as they get older, Housing Director April Norton said. It begins Oct. 6.

The program is made possible by a $50,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole and is meant to help older adults pay for accessibility upgrades, like ramps, grab bars, bidets, anti-slip floor materials or easier-to-use laundry machines that might be otherwise financially out-of-reach, Norton said. 

People can repay their loans in three ways: In equal payments every three months over a five-year term; through a large lump sum payment at the end of a five-year term; or through a payment once the homeowners decide to sell or refinance their home, Norton said.

Rebecca Erskine, executive director of the Senior Center of Jackson Hole, was glad to hear the program was approved.

Home upgrades for seniors could be the difference between staying in the area or having to move someplace less expensive, she said in an interview last week.

There are instances when small upgrades can make the difference between seniors staying in their home or moving. After a surgery, a senior might need a shower chair, but only for a little while, Erskine said.

Seniors can use the funds for temporary upgrades, Norton said.

Other times, seniors live in a home where laundry machines are in the basement and it becomes increasingly difficult for people to use those machines, Erskine said.

“There’s a lot of things that you don’t really think about when you’re younger,” she said.

This story was published on Sept. 15, 2025.