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and I am fearful of some trees around my home and yard that need to be trimmed or cut but don t have the financing for this - can I get assistance for this

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IL is Independent Living
AL is Assisted Living.

No one here is criticizing you or suggesting where you live.
But, it is smart to start considering how much longer you can maintain the house you are living in.

Try contacting your local Area Agency on Aging,
your local City Office,
The Department of Forestry and Fire Management,
and the FSA USDA Tree Assistance Program (TAP)
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Ragoo404,
You deserve respect. You came to this forum to ask a simple question, and you were Verbally Attacked by many. I think the admins here need to discipline some of these responders. This is a good way to make this site very unpopular. You should not have to defend yourself. As for the person who said, "I have worked from age 14 and never had to apply for welfare" that poster is implying that any senior who needs welfare help has never worked and paid taxes." Senior citizens have fought to protect this country and contributed to society. If some of them fall on hard times as many people can at any age, they deserve help not condemnation. I hope other posters on this site who understand empathy will also object to the rudeness that I have witnessed today on Aging Care Forum. I have never seen this anger before. There are kind people who do post here.

These are a few of my suggestions that may be of some help in various ways to save money and get a tree or two down.

Utilities companies in MA have discount programs for struggling families. There are also tax relief and property tax deferral programs for homeowners who are trying to age in place. This is a good way with low interest ways to free up thousands. There are low cost or no cost mobile phones available through the gov. I would contact the social worker in your town and the senior center for information on resources. Sometimes the local churches will have ideas. I recently received a discount price for removal of a 30-foot tree and trimming of another because the tree company was removing other trees on my street. (Saved me about 600 dollars) Another place to call may be Habitat for Humanity. I know they have done work for seniors trying to age in place. They could have contacts with tree companies that may lend a hand. Sometimes a neighbor may share the cost if the tree is also a threat to them. I know of two instances like this. It is very important to make sure a skilled arborist has determined the trees are dangerous and have to come down not just trimmed. My utility company trims all trees free of charge if the tree may bring down their wires. These are just a few my thoughts. I wish you the very best of luck. You deserve an apology for this undeserved attack. Please continue to reach out for help within your community and look for and call other charitable organizations that may have some ideas. I would even ask my local fire department for ideas and your town manager. My best wises as you move forward.
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We are in the same boat as you, some of us. Yet you think we're rude. Most of us are exhausted and hanging on by our fingertips.

You've signed up to an international forum of caregivers to elderly loved ones here at Agingcare. If AI or Google sent you here, they were mistaken.

One poster here has terminal cancer and her husband is dying of Alzheimer's. She'd like to know what to do because she will likely die before he does. That puts cutting tree limbs down into better perspective, doesn't it?

Take a home equity loan
Do a reverse mortgage
Put up a Go Fund Me site
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This is not a site of people that volunteer to help others. We are also dealing with our own struggles, many of us past middle age some in their late 80s or 90s. You probably should look at selling your home and moving to independent or assisted living. If it is an emergency contact your county and see what they recommend. As others have said the person that does the work needs to have legal protections. Don't hire a handyman to cut down trees. If he damages your neighbor's property you could be libel. Also, many of us also started work in our teens and never signed up for welfare. That's not unusual in our age range.
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wow - u sure are judgemental! did u ever hear of things happening suddenly and unexpectedly - like when I list my 34 yr old daughter to cancer - u must be perfect and have had a perfect life - impossible for me to leave right now - so I m looking into some resources - u don t mind do u? I have never taken any social benefits and have worked since I was 14 = hope u continue to be as lucky as you ve been - have a good day
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I can only give an honest answer. Did you have any retirement plans? It is time to leave the house and yard behind and move to IL or AL. Having a house means constant repairs and increasing taxes and will it get very expensive. It is Your choice to live in a house and it is Your responsibility to pay for maintenance. It is time accept the reality that you can't do it anymore. Sell the house while you are still able to. Once a catastrophe happens, you may have no choices left. Why do you feel entiled to free home maintainence? Even if someone volunteers, cutting trees is dangerous work. I think you would have a great liability if someone who is not a bonded and insured professional got injured or killed working on your property.
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ragoo404 May 3, 2026
and you re even telling me what state I should move to - you re really something lady
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I agree you should contact your local Area Agency on Aging or call 2-1-1 for resources.

Join Nextdoor.com which is an intranet of nonanonymous people in your actual neighborhood and community. On that forum you can post needs and often get someone to volunteer to help you. However, it is very very doubtful someone will cut down trees because this is a very dangerous job and requires a team of trained people. Cleaning up brush is one thing, cutting down large trees near your home is another. Please have tempered expectations.

A larger consideration is whether you can really afford to stay in your house. Taxes, insurance, house and yard repairs and maintenance, etc. are far more expensive now than 10 or even 5 years ago!

No person or organization will realistically come in to continuously rescue you and your partner financially in order for you to age in place. This is a hard truth about the times we live in. Failing to adjust to the times is guaranteed to force a crisis upon yourself (and family) -- and you may not be in control to make your own decisions.

It's not a crime or a shame to get old and need help, but it's on you if you don't look into the near future and realize that having a better plan may make all the difference in the qualify of the rest of your lives.
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ragoo404 May 3, 2026
I plan to sell - but because of extenuating circumstances I can t right now
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Contact your local Senior Center. They may have programs that could help. Often they have lists of "handymen/women" that for a reduced fee can do various tasks.
You can also contact a company that does tree work. It is not inexpensive.
I would caution you about hiring a "handyman" though Unless they are licensed, bonded, insured I would not hire just anyone to do work like this.
Trimming trees PROPERLY can be dangerous.
It can cause damage to your house, your property or a neighbors not to mention any injury that may occur.
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ragoo404 May 3, 2026
it seems as though there is help for many people in our society - I guess being an American citizen and having worked for 60* years kind of knocks me out and opens me up to criticism - like I m getting - just to be clear I m not looking for a lifetime of help - just a 1 time thing
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my partner is disabled - no use of rt arm and back and leg problems - I have tried to clean up most of the yard myself but am exhausted and there s still more to do - I am 77 y o female - and have arthritis - is there any help for me
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