College Park offers $150 rebate for senior grab bars to prevent falls

A bathroom handrail may seem minor, but in College Park it could mean the difference between aging safely at home and a life-changing fall. The city offered residents age 62 and older a rebate of up to $150 for grab bars, a low-cost fix aimed at reducing injuries in bathrooms and other parts of the house.

The program was designed to mitigate fall risks, and the city’s application page pointed to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data showing that 1 in 4 adults experiences a fall each year. The city said most falls happen at home, which made simple safety upgrades one of the most effective ways to reduce danger and protect independence for older adults who want to stay in their homes longer.

To qualify, applicants had to be College Park residents age 62 or older and live in a single-family home in the city. The grab bars also had to be installed after March 1, 2026, and residents had to submit proof of age, purchase and installation. Applications had to be received by June 7, 2026, and because funding was limited, rebates were awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

The city’s contact information for questions was agefriendlycommunity@collegeparkmd.gov and 240-487-3550. Paper applications could be dropped off at the Youth and Family Services Building at 4912 Nantucket Road.

College Park framed the rebate as part of its broader Age-Friendly College Park work through the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities. That effort covers housing, transportation, outdoor spaces and recreation, social participation and inclusion, civic participation, and community support.

The grab bar rebate also fit into a wider local strategy to help residents remain safely in place. College Park previously partnered with Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland on an Aging in Place program for homeowners, which focused on health and safety repairs and accessibility modifications inside owner-occupied homes.