Colorado Springs - Brothers Redevelopment

For more than four decades, 65-year-old Patty Higgins has built her life in the Colorado Springs area, residing in the same house where she raised her now-adult daughter.

In the midst of her longstanding connection to her Colorado Springs home, Higgins found herself facing challenges due to health issues, including back surgeries, severe balance problems, and the aftermath of a serious neck surgery.

“I had fallen a few times and broken bones, but a fall I had in the shower was really bad,” said Higgins. It was during this challenging time that she discovered the CAPABLE Program through Brothers Redevelopment.

Higgins initially sought assistance for a simple grab bar installation in her shower but soon discovered that CAPABLE offered much more. Through an ad she encountered, Higgins connected with Brothers Redevelopment and was introduced to the comprehensive services provided by CAPABLE. The program, designed in collaboration with the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Finance and the CAPABLE National Center at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, focuses on empowering individuals to “age in place” or “age in community.”

CAPABLE engages participants through a series of 10 visits over four to six months, led by an occupational therapist, a registered nurse, and a maintenance technician. The unique aspect of CAPABLE lies in participant-driven goal setting, ensuring that each individual actively shapes their journey toward increased mobility, function, and capacity to live independently.

Motivated by the desire for a grab bar in her shower, Higgins became an active participant in CAPABLE. Beyond her initial goal, the program addressed various aspects of her life, including safety measures, pain management, and overall well-being. Higgins expressed gratitude for the compassionate and respectful approach of the CAPABLE team.

“It didn’t feel like somebody is coming into your home. I never thought I’d find myself in need, and to have to have people come into my home,” she said. “It was so great because they respected my space and understood where I’m coming from with things. Instead of telling me what to do, they asked me a bunch of questions, and we worked together really well as a team.”

Higgins set mobility and pain management goals, such as finding effective ways to manage pain through heat. The program facilitated practical solutions tailored to her needs, including the installation of grab bars, a blood pressure cuff, and other assistive technologies like an electric kettle upstairs near her bedroom, so that she can avoid using stairs.

CAPABLE has significantly impacted Higgins’ life, allowing her to move around her house with ease. The new tools provided through the program have not only enhanced her physical well-being but also lifted her spirits.

“They really benefited my spirit and made me feel worthy. It gave me some dignity,” said Higgins. “The assistance technology was perfect, and it was in line with my life.”

As we strive to empower individuals to age in place, the CAPABLE Program has consistently demonstrated its effectiveness.

In a survey with 23 program participants, clients were asked to rate various aspects of their general pain on a scale of one to five. On average, a significant improvement was observed, with participants’ pain perception scores decreasing from an average of 17.61 (pre-program participation) to 12.39 (post-program participation).

Furthermore, clients demonstrated enhanced confidence in fall efficacy, which measures the perceived self-efficacy to perform daily activities without falling. This confidence increased from 71.91 to 80.61 after completing the program, with 100 being the maximum confidence score attainable.

Additionally, CAPABLE participants exhibited improvements in the area of depression. Using the PHQ-8 scale, a valid diagnostic and severity measure for depressive disorders in large clinical studies, our team found a notable reduction in clients’ depression rates by more than one point.

Brothers Redevelopment offers the CAPABLE Program to Coloradans living within south Colorado Springs, Park, Teller, Pueblo, and El Paso County. Those interested in participating in the service can find more information at https://brothersredevelopment.org/capable/.

“I was at a real hard time in my life when I was introduced to CAPABLE, because I felt defeated. It was hard to accept there were certain things that would never change — but this program made me feel more capable to manage all that,” said Higgins. “I hope people pay attention to this, and I bet there will be a lot of results like me.”

Deborah Johnson finds peace and solace in her garden at her Colorado Springs home.

Each morning, Johnson starts her day by caring for her tomatoes, herbs, lavender, elephant ears, flowers, and other plants in her front and back yards. Many of those plants live in her new raised garden beds Johnson received through Brothers Redevelopment’s Community Aging in Place, Advancing Better Living for Elders (CAPABLE) Program.

“If you look around here, this is 30 or 40 years of me just tinkering in the garden, because I love being in the garden,” said Johnson in her backyard. “(Brothers) really addressed the garden thing. (They) got me this really cool (garden kneeler) that I can fold down and lean on and garden. And I can literally push myself up, which is amazing.”

Brothers has been a beacon of hope for Johnson while she has suffered from long COVID-19 symptoms since February 2020. The 69-year-old woman lives on a fixed income and was first introduced to the nonprofit when her sewer line backed up.

At the time, Johnson was severely sick with COVID-19 symptoms and was reaching out to anyone she could think of for help. She stumbled across Brothers’ Home Modification and Repair Program on the internet, called the agency, and before she knew it, a construction crew was in her backyard replacing her sewage system at no cost to her.

“It’s February, the weather is nasty, COVID is just starting, and these people came out, and within two or three days, they had crews working in the house, they had crews outside. I told them it was like Christmas 10 times over,” Johnson said. “I never would’ve been able to afford this, never. It just got me in my heart.”

Aging in Place with the CAPABLE Program

Johnson has been sick with COVID-19 twice and still suffers from lingering symptoms. She used to love hiking, but due to physical limitations, she can no longer engage in it. Consequently, she rarely takes her dogs on walks anymore, as she gets tired easily. And her senses of taste and smell have been altered — but she still wants to live independently in her home and age in place comfortably despite her health issues.

Brothers’ CAPABLE Program launched toward the end of 2022 and is focused on helping Coloradans like Johnson age in place. The service is a client-directed, home-based intervention to increase mobility, function, and capacity to age in place or age in community. CAPABLE consists of time-limited services in a series of visits from an occupational therapist, a registered nurse, and a technician from Brothers who work in collaboration with the program participant. Over a four-to-six-month period, these individuals visit the participant’s home.

A key component of this approach is having the participant drive the goal setting. The participant brainstorms strategies with team members to arrive at preferred ways to reach goals. Each action builds on the previous visits and focuses on the participants’ capacity to function at home.

Outside of Johnson’s raised garden beds and her garden kneeler, Brothers’ CAPABLE Program fixed her patio steps, installed a new porch light, provided her with medication for her toes, gave her a tool to reach difficult places that are trigger points in her back, provided her with shoes that ease walking, and helped her start doing chair exercises.

Brothers offers the CAPABLE Program to Coloradans living within south Colorado Springs, Park, Teller, Pueblo, and El Paso County. Research shows that CAPABLE reduces the impact of functional impairment and disability, enhances motivation and self-efficacy, reduces health disparities, improves symptoms of depression, and reduces hospitalization. The CAPABLE Program is offered by Brothers in partnership with the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Finance and The CAPABLE National Center on behalf of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.

Those interested in participating in the CAPABLE Program can find more information at https://brothersredevelopment.org/capable/.

Awards Brothers Redevelopment distributed at our Champions in Housing event in Colorado Springs. The awards were given to those who have helped us serve thousands of clients over the years in the Pikes Peak area.

Colorado Springs holds a special place in Brothers Redevelopment’s heart and mission of providing and preserving affordable housing.

That’s why Brothers on July 20 hosted a special celebration at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center to highlight our work and recognize the Pikes Peak area’s “Champions in Housing” who have helped us serve thousands of clients over the past decade.

Our work in the state’s second largest city began in 2014, when the state asked Brothers to help renters find affordable housing. Soon after, the agency began offering housing counseling services — including assisting homebuyers in evaluating their readiness for a home purchase and navigating the homebuying process, offering financial literacy training, and providing foreclosure prevention counseling. Through the years, our range of services in Colorado Springs has grown to now offer home modifications and repairs, our Paint-A-Thon Program, housing navigation, financial assistance for rent/mortgages, and other resources to help older adults age in place.

These services are needed and sought after in Colorado Springs. That’s evident by the nearly 14,000 households we’ve served in El Paso County and the tens of thousands of dollars we’ve provided in rental assistance to residents in the county. But all this work isn’t possible without strong partnerships and dedication from our staff and others who share our vision that everyone deserves a safe, decent place to live.

Honorees at the Champions in Housing event included:

– Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade

– Paul Morrow; Community Development, City of Colorado Springs

– KT Leonard; KT Leonard Construction

– Kate Hatten; Home Front Military Network

– Mike Sullivan; ERA Shields Real Estate

– Crystal LaTier; Economic Development, EL Paso County

– Beth Hall Roalstad; Homeward Pikes Peak

– Mary Stegner; Partners in Housing

– El Pomar Foundation

“Our partners and honorees exemplify the spirit of compassion and innovation, and together, we continue to build a future where safe, decent housing is a reality for all. This event celebrates not just our achievements, but the power of community-driven initiatives that uplift and empower residents of Colorado Springs,” said Brothers President Jeff Martinez. “We are truly inspired by the strides we’ve made together and remain committed to our mission of providing and preserving quality housing for those who need it most.”

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In addition, Brothers’ housing helpline Colorado Housing Connects (1-844-926-6632) has regularly offered a variety of free housing classes like eviction prevention webinars, homebuyer education workshops, and affordable housing seminars in Colorado Springs this past year. Meanwhile, Brothers Property Management —a wholly owned subsidiary of Brothers — recently assumed property management responsibilities for Greenway Flats — a permanent living space for chronically homeless men and women in the city.

To find upcoming Colorado Housing Connects events in Colorado Springs, click here. For information about our other programs and ways to support our work in Colorado Springs, visit brothersredevelopment.org.

Prior to suffering from severe arthritis in her knees, Gloria Loggins lived an active life in the Colorado Springs area.

She fondly recalls her time working as a dental therapist in Fort Carson for 21 years and being active in the Colorado Springs community. But once severe arthritis began to affect her health, Loggins said her life became limited.

The 86-year-old widow has a difficult time walking and uses a walker and cane. She said it was hard for her to go up and down stairs in her Colorado Springs home and had to hang on to her front door to go in and out of her house. Loggins was also fearful to bathe because her bathroom shower didn’t have a tub.

While she lives alone, Loggins’ children help care for her, but often worried about her falling down stairs or slipping while bathing. Loggins suffers from severe edema in her legs — a condition in which swelling occurs because of too much fluid trapped in the body’s tissues. To alleviate the pain, her children would fill up a commercial utility bucket so that Loggins could soak her feet, but they often struggled with the task.

Thankfully in 2022, Loggins reached out to Brothers Redevelopment’s Home Modification and Repair Program seeking help and was quickly granted life changing services.

The program installed a ramp in her garage for easy access and also installed new railings on her front steps for her to safely enter and exit her home. On the inside of the house, Brothers installed a chairlift to the upper level of the home, modified her bathroom and installed a sliding bath chair so that Loggins could soak her legs in the tub every day to help combat pain from her medical condition.

“God knew in advance that I was going to need this help. And everything that Brothers gave me, I can’t thank them enough,” said Loggins. “They were professional and kind. They cleaned up after themselves. And they treated me with respect. I just can’t say enough about Brothers Redevelopment.”

The modifications Brothers orchestrated for Loggins were made possible thanks to donations from 9News reporter Kyle Clark’s “Word of Thanks” micro giving campaign. Our Home Modification and Repair Program was featured on the campaign last year, helping us to repair and modify 13 homes for low-income homeowners who are over the age of 60 and/or experience a disability.

In total, we received $42,500 in donations from over 1,200 Word of Thanks donors and a $10,000 match from our partners at Wells Fargo. The donations ensured that our clients could remain in their homes safely for the long term.

“We want to thank all of the viewers and every person that sent in a donation. And we thank Kyle Clark, and we thank 9News for featuring the program so that the people would find out that there is something positive happening for the elderly,” said Nancie Johnson, Loggins’ daughter. “We just want to thank everybody that produced the story, and wrote the story. People have hard times. But every single dollar has counted in my mom’s life. We can’t thank everyone enough.”

Since receiving the upgrades at her home, Loggins no longer feels fear when she’s entering/exiting her house, going up her stairs and bathing. Johnson said she’s noticed a significant difference in Loggins’ appearance, legs and overall mental well-being.

“All of these services have brought tears to my eyes. You don’t know what things could’ve been,” said Johnson. “I don’t think (Loggins) could’ve have came home. How would we get her up the steps? How would we clean her? Five stars does not work. 10 stars works. But five does not. They went above and beyond. Brothers cared about her functioning in her home, and now she is safe.”

For the past six years, Dan Burleson has played an important role in ensuring that Brothers Redevelopment’s Home Modification and Repair Program ran smoothly in Colorado Springs.

Burleson spent around 16 years as the manager for Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Colorado Springs — a company that specializes in services like plumbing repairs, sewer line repair and replacements, water heater installation, repair, and replacements, and more. During his career, Burleson oversaw numerous Home Modification and Repair Program projects in Colorado Springs. Brothers utilizes contractors like Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Colorado Springs to complete projects for the program.

Various program clients have noted that Burleson and Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Colorado Springs provided exceptional customer service throughout the years.

“To live those moments when you’re helping someone, to have someone give you a hug and just the gratification of helping someone — it was pretty cool,” said Burleson. “I enjoyed every second of it. It’s a good feeling.”

Burleson formally retired from Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Colorado Springs at the beginning of March. Brothers staff recently joined Burleson and the rest of Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Colorado Springs to celebrate his retirement. At the celebration, Brothers presented Burleson with the first Home Rehabilitation Hero Award in recognition and appreciation for his years of advocacy and service in creating more safe, accessible and sustainable communities as a trusted resource for home repair and rehabilitation.

“(The award) blew me away. I did not anticipate that whatsoever,” said Burleson. “It was quite the surprise.”

Home Modification and Repair Program Director Jason McCullough said Burleson has been a kind, effective and constant advocate for residents in Colorado Springs and El Paso County throughout his tenure.

“His ability to identify those in need and work with various support organizations like Brothers Redevelopment to initiate and execute assistance is as uncommon as it is welcome. He has been a true partner for us in addressing and successfully providing impactful residential rehabilitation services over his tenure,” said McCullough. “The award we presented to him recognizes his dedication and advocacy in the communities he served. He will be missed.”

As Colorado’s weather turned bone-chilling cold, Dean Reedy’s life at his Colorado Springs trailer took a turn for the worse.

In February, Reedy noticed his water pressure was low and found one of his pipes under his home cracked. Because he’s on a fixed income, he could not afford to get his pipes fixed — and he was left without running water for nearly a week.

To make matters worse, Reedy suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder and describes himself as a compulsive handwasher. But without running water, he was forced to wash his hands and shower with bottled water that he purchased using food stamps.

“I basically took birdbaths,” said Reedy. “It was rough, it was tough. But I got by.”

Seeking help, Reedy dialed 211 — a hotline that connects residents to resources — and learned of Brothers Redevelopment’s Home Modification and Repair Program. And after getting in touch with Brothers Redevelopment staff, he received the repairs his home desperately needed and more.

The Home Modification and Repair Program fixed Reedy’s plumbing, installed new shower and kitchen faucets and replaced his water heater — all at no charge to him.

“I was in tears with happiness and gratefulness. I can’t express words of how grateful I am for everyone who helped me out,” Reedy said.

In 2021, the Home Modification and Repair Program completed 157 projects in Colorado Springs. Brothers Redevelopment’s Paint-A-Thon Program is also active in the city, as the service painted 12 houses for low-income and disabled senior homeowners in Colorado Springs last year.

CAPABLE Program Transforms Lives: Patty Higgins Finds Renewed Independence and Dignity Through Comprehensive Support

How Deborah Johnson thrives with the CAPABLE Program amidst long COVID-19 symptoms

Brothers Redevelopment honors champions in housing at Colorado Springs celebration

Word of Thanks donors help Brothers to repair and modify 13 homes for low-income homeowners

Brothers honors long time Home Modification and Repair Program partner

Left without running water for days, Colorado Springs man turns to Brothers for help