CAPABLE Program
Community Aging in Place: CAPABLE
Keeping older Vermonters in their homes is one of Age Well’s primary goals. CAPABLE – Community Aging in Place, Advancing Better Living for Elders – is an evidence-based program developed by the John Hopkins School of Nursing. Age Well is proud to offer the CAPABLE program, which matches individuals with an occupational therapist (OTP), a registered nurse, and a handyman to identify and reach self-care goals. Unlike other medically- focused initiatives, CAPABLE is function-focused. It has been proven to improve function, reduce depression and help older adults to live safely in their homes. Enrollment in the CAPABLE program comes at no cost to the participant.
CAPABLE Program Details
CAPABLE is a 4-5 month program, where clients can receive up to:
CAPABLE Program Eligibility
In Vermont, to qualify for benefits provided by the CAPABLE program, an individual must at least be 60 Years of age or older and live in Addison, Chittenden, Grand Isle, or Franklin Counties. Additionally, individuals must also:
*The image above showcases a recent Age Well CAPABLE modification project. It features a newly installed accessible ramp, designed to enhance mobility and accessibility for all individuals. The ramp is made of sturdy materials and includes handrails for added safety. This modification is part of Age Well’s commitment to creating inclusive environments that support the needs of the community.
CAPABLE Program Benefits
The CAPABLE program has generated an impressive return on investment. For each participant, approximately $3,000 invested in the program resulted in savings exceeding $30,000 in medical expenses, attributed to notable reductions in both inpatient and outpatient costs.
Meet Our CAPABLE Occupational Therapists
Nicole DeVoid, OTR/L, CAPS
Occupational Therapist
Working in the CAPABLE program allows me to turn obstacles into opportunities. Once we identify goals together the OTs act as facilitators to help improve function and quality of life. We get to be proactive instead of reactive to help people meet their goals and ultimately thrive at home and in their community.
Nicole DeVoid has been an occupational therapist for 10 years, with experience across settings including outpatient care, short term rehabilitation, home health and community health services and pediatric care in both school and outpatient settings. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Recreational Therapy in 2009 from the University of Southern Maine and her Masters of Occupational Therapy in 2014 also from the University of Southern Maine. Professionally she is a member and hold a board position with the Vermont Occupational Therapy Association, member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and is certified as an Aging in Place Specialist. Presently, she works clinically with Age Well’s CAPABLE program and with students in a school district.
Ela Dupont, OTD, OTR/L, CAPS, ECHM
Occupational Therapist
The most rewarding part about working with older adults in the CAPABLE program is the opportunity to show them all the things they are able to do! As people get older, they are often told by others to stop doing things that they enjoy or find meaningful. With small modifications, simple equipment changes, and some education on different ways of doing things, people discover they are able to do things they would not have thought were possible. I feel like working in the CAPABLE program gives us the amazing opportunity to work with people to increase their quality of life in their homes, where they want to be, and help them do the meaningful things in their homes that they want to do so that they can live their best lives.
Ela Dupont has been an occupational therapist for 23 years, with experience across inpatient hospitals, acute and subacute rehabilitation, outpatient care, and home and community-based settings. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from Quinnipiac University in 2001, a Master’s in Business and Healthcare Administration from Champlain College in 2017, and a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy in 2024. Certified as an Aging in Place Specialist and holding an Executive Certificate in Home Modification, she volunteers with Rebuilding Together Greater Burlington and represents Vermont on the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Representative Assembly. Currently, she works clinically with Age Well’s CAPABLE program and as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Vermont.
Hear From CAPABLE Program Participants
The CAPABLE program is a key part of Age Well’s commitment to helping older Vermonters age with dignity and independence. By addressing both the functional needs and home environments of older adults, CAPABLE empowers individuals to live safely and independently in their own homes. The following video offers an inside look at how this transformative program, now supported by Age Well in Vermont, is making a meaningful difference in the lives of older adults.
CAPABLE stands for Community Aging in Place – Advancing Better Living for Elders, looking at their functional levels and then looking at their homes and trying to get that ideal person-environment fit to help them be more independent and safe.
In 2009, when I was working in the community providing house calls as a nurse practitioner, I found that what was going on in their house was just as disabling to them as their medical conditions. So that was part of why we developed CAPABLE. In CAPABLE, there’s a nurse, an occupational therapist, and a handy worker, and together they have 10 visits with the older adults, really based around what the older adult wants to be able to do to be able to age with dignity at home.
So some of the goals that our clients select can be in the area of functional mobility, like getting in and out of their tub safer, being able to do their grooming easier, being able to cook easier, or understanding their medication schedules, being able to communicate with their primary care provider.
They talk to me as a human. They work with you in all aspects of your health, and I got my willpower back.
I was hurting, but all the suggestions that they gave me were wonderful. I did it, and it worked.
In the beginning, people would say that they had at least deficits in eight areas of being able to care for themselves. At the end, it was cut in half. And CAPABLE helps communities because the older adult, I feel like, is the rock of many neighborhoods.
As a society, it’s really important to figure out how older adults can be as independent as possible. CAPABLE costs about three thousand dollars a person, and we’ve found through research, it saves about thirty thousand dollars in avoided medical costs and nursing home admissions. It’s grown remarkably, partly with philanthropic dollars and partly with research dollars. So, it’s now in 45 places in 23 states, and you go into nursing because you want to help people. It’s just very exciting.
I worked hard. I worked all them years to get a house. Now, I can get up and do what I have to do, you know. I love the program, and I’m just so blessed and I’m grateful.
Staying in your home is the most dignified thing you could do to a patient. It’s really a blessing for people like myself that need the help. I mean this from my heart; you are always welcome. My door’s always open.
I feel it was divine intervention. What I’m doing has a purpose. To see the amazing things that these people go on and do, it’s just been an awesome journey that I know we’ve affected so many people’s lives.
Related Resources
Meals on Wheels Client Welcome Packet
Meals on Wheel Eligibility Guidelines
Safety Checks
FAQ’s
Do you have a question about the CAPABLE Program that wasn’t answered here? Contact the Helpline with any additional questions!
CAPABLE (Community Aging in Place, Advancing Better Living for Elders) is a client-directed home-based intervention to increase mobility, functionality, and capacity to age in their community for older adults. CAPABLE is a 4–7-month program that helps older adults receive services from an inter-professional, collaborative team, consisting of an occupational therapist, a nurse, and a handy worker. A key component of this approach is having the older person drive the goal setting and brainstorming strategies with the team toward reaching their goals. Each service builds on the others by increasing the participants’ capacity to function at home. This can decrease hospitalization and nursing home stays by improving medication management, problem-solving ability, strength, balance, mobility, nutrition, and home safety, while decreasing isolation, depression, and fall risk.
Yes. CAPABLE is approved by the National Council on Aging as an evidence-based fall prevention program. CAPABLE has been tested in multiple small and large trials each showing a benefit towards better function and lower hospitalization rates. The larger studies have also shown decreased nursing home admission. CAPABLE is recognized by Federal and State agencies as an effective program in improving health and decreasing costs among older adults.
Age Well has contracted a team of trained professionals to assist CAPABLE clients, including an occupational therapist, a nurse, and a handy worker.
A participant’s CAPABLE team will work together to make appropriate environmental changes at home; reduce falls, improve balance, improve strength and mobility; review medications and potential need for changes through working with the prescribing physician; and provide self-care strategies for better management at home. Participants have also raised issues around incontinence/bladder control, fatigue, muscle weakness or stiffness, poor vision, and social isolation.
The occupational therapist works together with the older adult to determine what will be modified. This is based on the participants’ goals for meaningful daily activities. The handy worker may also add basic safety repairs after consultation with the OT and budget allows.
Here are some examples.
Modifications:
- Install grab bars in the tub area
- Install interior and/or exterior railings
Repairs:
- Fix hole in floor
- Staple down loose wall-to-wall carpet
Medical equipment:
- Tub transfer bench
- Raised toilet seat
Everyday Items:
- Night light for safe transfer from bedroom to bathroom at night
- Sturdy step stool with a rail to reach kitchen cabinets safely
- Sturdy chair with armrests
- Mailbox
- Loud doorbell
If eligible, CAPABLE comes at no cost to participants. The value for providing CAPABLE for each client is approximately $3,000 – $5,000 over a four – seven-month period.
This average cost includes:
- Supervision meetings
- Registered Nurse and Occupational Therapist salaries, including home visits, driving time, coordination, follow-up
- Mileage reimbursement to/from the home visits (may vary widely by region)
- Home repairs, modifications, assistive equipment, and everyday items to help older adults reach their self-identified functional goals and enhance their home safety
No, CAPABLE can be implemented anywhere older adults live. This includes:
- Private homes, condos, and townhomes, pursuant to association rules
- Apartment buildings, with clearance from landlord
- Other non-homeowner situations, with clearance from owner (e.g., participant lives in a relative’s home)
Contact Us
Do you have questions about CAPABLE? Call the Helpline at 1-800-642-5119 and speak to one of our friendly, professional team members.