Aging with Dignity: MIRA Connects Latino Seniors to Health, Stability, and Home

For many older adults in Eagle and Garfield counties, home is more than a place—it’s a foundation for health, safety, and belonging. This fall, our MIRA (Mobile Intercultural Resource Alliance) team partnered with Impact Charitable’s Aging in Place program to ensure that our aging Latino and BIPOC neighbors could remain in their homes with dignity and stability.

Through this collaboration, 29 older adults were approved to receive $5,000 in direct financial assistance, supporting mortgage payments, property taxes, or critical home improvements. That’s $145,000 in cash relief for local residents—many of whom are aging mobile home owners who have built lives, families, and community here for decades.

Thanks to the dedication of Lidu, Yuli, and Moni, MIRA enrolled 91% of all eligible participants across both counties (30 out of 33 total spots)—an extraordinary achievement that reflects both trust and teamwork.

Stability is Health

Research shows that housing stability is one of the strongest social determinants of health. Older adults who experience housing insecurity face higher rates of chronic disease, falls, and mental health challenges. According to the CDC, stable housing can reduce hospitalizations among older adults by up to 50%, while financial strain is linked to a 20% higher likelihood of poor self-rated health.

Through Aging in Place, MIRA addressed these health inequities head-on. Each application represented more than financial paperwork—it was a conversation about wellness, safety, and connection. Many participants also engaged with MIRA’s other services:

• Enrolled seniors received additional referrals for health screenings, insurance enrollment, or preventive care.
• Seniors were connected with mental and social health programs, including fitness, women’s health, and chronic disease management.
• Each community member received culturally responsive support in Spanish, ensuring they fully understood and trusted the process.

By reducing financial stress and empowering homeowners to stay in their homes, MIRA is helping prevent the cascading effects of instability—like skipped medications, food insecurity, or isolation—that so often impact our elders’ health.

MIRA: The Bridge to Whole-Person Wellness

MIRA’s approach is rooted in partnership. Each week, the mobile resource bus travels throughout Eagle County, offering free health screenings, insurance navigation, nutrition education, and resource referrals. In 2024 alone, MIRA connected nearly 5,000 residents to life-changing services—from cancer screenings to SNAP enrollment to behavioral health support.

The Aging in Place initiative strengthened that bridge, adding financial wellness and home stability to the foundation of whole-person health. For many of the seniors we served, it meant being able to afford a safe home repair, prevent foreclosure, or simply live without the constant anxiety of falling behind.

“When people can stay safely in their homes, they’re healthier,” said Orlando, MIRA’s Program Manager. “This program didn’t just support finances—it protected health, independence, and peace of mind.”

A Celebration of Community and Care

MIRA’s success with Aging in Place is more than a statistic—it’s a testament to trust. For years, our team has built relationships that go beyond transactions, meeting families where they are and walking beside them toward stability.

Lidu, Yuli, and Moni, your commitment and compassion made this impact possible. Because of you, dozens of aging neighbors will enter the next year not with worry, but with wellness and hope.

Together with Impact Charitable, MIRA is proving that aging in place can also mean aging in health, community, and dignity.