Home Can Be Where the Help Is
2015-07-02
More must be done to get critical services to seniors who want to stay in their homes.
Responding to the needs of an aging population will be one of the most complex public policy challenges facing our nation in the 21st century. A successful response will require innovative approaches that bring together the best thinking from a variety of different fields and disciplines. A critical element of any strategy must be more effective use of housing as a platform for the delivery of health care and other services.
Here's the situation: By 2030, some 73 million people aged 65 or older and nearly 9 million aged 85 or older will be living in the United States, representing a doubling of the number of individuals in both groups since 2000.
The ratio of working age people to those who have retired will fall significantly. Today, one in seven persons is 65 or older; by 2030, that share will grow to one in five. With fewer workers supporting more retirees, government budgets and social service delivery systems will be severely tested.
Surveys show that the overwhelming number of seniors will seek to "age in place" in their existing homes and communities. Understandably, as they age, most Americans want to live close to friends and family and continue to enjoy the personal connections that have enriched their lives.
Yet many of our homes and communities are not suited to make living independently a safe, viable option. Millions of homes lack basic structural features such as no-step entry and extra-wide hallways and doors, while many neighborhoods were not designed with seniors in mind and often lack transportation and other needed services.
Complicating matters further is the fact that some 70 percent of those who reach 65 will eventually require some form of long-term services and supports – that is, help with tasks like bathing, cooking and medication management. So the ability to age in place will also depend upon access to affordable home care.
Financing the cost of the "hard" infrastructure of home retrofits and community redesign and the "soft" infrastructure of supportive services for the elderly will be a continuing challenge. Not only are government budgets under stress, but too few middle-aged and older Americans are financially prepared for retirement. In addition, those who own their homes are holding larger mortgage balances later into their senior years, diminishing the role that home equity can play as a source of financing for retirement and aging-in-place needs.
For our lowest-income seniors, the situation is particularly difficult. Nearly one-third of households served by federal housing programs are headed by someone 62 years of age or older, and the need for housing assistance far outstrips available resources.
In particular, there is an acute shortage of safe, affordable rental homes that offer supportive services. A 2006 AARP study indicated that the Supportive Housing for the Elderly program – Section 202 – had an average of 10 applicants for every available rental unit.
Fortunately, great challenges are often the spark that ignites innovation and creativity. Architects, planners, technology companies and entrepreneurs throughout the country are now designing homes and communities mindful of the needs of our graying population. Many state and local governments are working aggressively to integrate seniors more fully into community life by developing senior-friendly transportation options and other community-based services.
Access to affordable, stable housing is critical to good health, and evidence is emerging that such housing has the potential to produce savings for the health care system. According to a recent study conducted by the Leading Age Center for Applied Research and RTI International, Vermont's Support and Services at Home program – a state initiative that provides personalized, coordinated care to help seniors stay safely at home – is slowing the growth of annual total Medicare expenditures for program participants.
Fortunately, to help document these savings, many housing providers are getting smarter about tracking the outcomes of the clients they serve, including in the areas of health and wellness. Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future, a network of non-profit housing providers, has done pioneering work on this subject.
As members of the newly-established Bipartisan Policy Center Health and Housing Task Force, we hope to shine a spotlight on the success stories as well as promote a comprehensive national approach to the aging-in-place challenge. Few issues are as relatable to Americans regardless of political affiliation, so we are confident that developing effective solutions will enjoy broad bipartisan support. It is time to get started.
Source：USNews
Here's the situation: By 2030, some 73 million people aged 65 or older and nearly 9 million aged 85 or older will be living in the United States, representing a doubling of the number of individuals in both groups since 2000.
The ratio of working age people to those who have retired will fall significantly. Today, one in seven persons is 65 or older; by 2030, that share will grow to one in five. With fewer workers supporting more retirees, government budgets and social service delivery systems will be severely tested.
Surveys show that the overwhelming number of seniors will seek to "age in place" in their existing homes and communities. Understandably, as they age, most Americans want to live close to friends and family and continue to enjoy the personal connections that have enriched their lives.
Yet many of our homes and communities are not suited to make living independently a safe, viable option. Millions of homes lack basic structural features such as no-step entry and extra-wide hallways and doors, while many neighborhoods were not designed with seniors in mind and often lack transportation and other needed services.
Complicating matters further is the fact that some 70 percent of those who reach 65 will eventually require some form of long-term services and supports – that is, help with tasks like bathing, cooking and medication management. So the ability to age in place will also depend upon access to affordable home care.
Financing the cost of the "hard" infrastructure of home retrofits and community redesign and the "soft" infrastructure of supportive services for the elderly will be a continuing challenge. Not only are government budgets under stress, but too few middle-aged and older Americans are financially prepared for retirement. In addition, those who own their homes are holding larger mortgage balances later into their senior years, diminishing the role that home equity can play as a source of financing for retirement and aging-in-place needs.
For our lowest-income seniors, the situation is particularly difficult. Nearly one-third of households served by federal housing programs are headed by someone 62 years of age or older, and the need for housing assistance far outstrips available resources.
In particular, there is an acute shortage of safe, affordable rental homes that offer supportive services. A 2006 AARP study indicated that the Supportive Housing for the Elderly program – Section 202 – had an average of 10 applicants for every available rental unit.
Fortunately, great challenges are often the spark that ignites innovation and creativity. Architects, planners, technology companies and entrepreneurs throughout the country are now designing homes and communities mindful of the needs of our graying population. Many state and local governments are working aggressively to integrate seniors more fully into community life by developing senior-friendly transportation options and other community-based services.
Access to affordable, stable housing is critical to good health, and evidence is emerging that such housing has the potential to produce savings for the health care system. According to a recent study conducted by the Leading Age Center for Applied Research and RTI International, Vermont's Support and Services at Home program – a state initiative that provides personalized, coordinated care to help seniors stay safely at home – is slowing the growth of annual total Medicare expenditures for program participants.
Fortunately, to help document these savings, many housing providers are getting smarter about tracking the outcomes of the clients they serve, including in the areas of health and wellness. Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future, a network of non-profit housing providers, has done pioneering work on this subject.
As members of the newly-established Bipartisan Policy Center Health and Housing Task Force, we hope to shine a spotlight on the success stories as well as promote a comprehensive national approach to the aging-in-place challenge. Few issues are as relatable to Americans regardless of political affiliation, so we are confident that developing effective solutions will enjoy broad bipartisan support. It is time to get started.
Source：USNews
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