When Aging in Place in Darien conducted focus groups a couple of years ago, several respondents told us that they would have to move away from our town because they couldn't afford to stay. Our recent quantitative research confirmed such comments. Housing and taxes are just too expensive for some seniors.
Even though most seniors have paid off their mortgages, other living expenses still abound and keep climbing as people hire employees to help them with more daily tasks. Social Security provides only a portion of most seniors' income; and interest rates paid on savings accounts, CDs and government bonds are very low. Cash flows for many are withering away. So when property taxes, upkeep, food, utilities and the price of services all rise, staying in a large home in a place like Darien becomes more difficult financially.
Darien has only 30 affordable housing units set aside for seniors. And it has very few market-rate condos or rentals. Because affordable housing has become a very hot topic in my town, and because I'm interested in helping seniors, I decided to see what neighboring suburban towns are offering by calling the local Housing Authorities and other government agencies. Here is what I've learned:
Darien - 30
Greenwich - 291
New Canaan - 119
Westport - 50
Wilton - 115
In Wilton, some of the assisted living and senior residences that rent at market rates have units set aside that are affordable. This is the case at the Greens at Cannondale and at Sunrise Senior Living. I wish we had affordable spaces at Atria in Darien. I also wonder why the old nursing home that now stands empty on the Post Road can't be turned into a mixture of market-rate and affordable senior apartments. I wish that either the former library could become the new senior center and the old senior center could become affordable senior housing (or visa versa).
I'd love to know how others feel. Post your comments.
There is clearly a need.
Showing posts with label affordable senior housing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label affordable senior housing. Show all posts
Sustainable Housing for the Aging
I'm reading a fabulous study from Harvard University on sustainable housing for the aging - http://www.ecological-engineering.com/aging-in-place.pdf.
The statistics are staggering and enlightening. They clearly show that we need to understand more about the costs and benefits of the different ways we can live as we age:
Statistics
According to American Association of Homes for the Aging (AAHA), the statics are as follows:
Need for long-term care
• Among people turning 65 today, 69 percent will need some form of long-term
care, whether in the community or in a residential care facility.
• By 2020, 12 million older Americans will need long-term health care
Availability of elder care housing
• There are 16,100 certified nursing homes in the United States.
3
• There are 39,500 assisted living facilities in the United States.
• There are 1,900 continuing care retirement communities in the United States.
• There are more than 300,000 units of Section 202 affordable senior housing
available in the United States.
• For each Section 202 affordable senior housing unit that is available, there are ten
eligible seniors on waiting lists for it. The average time an eligible senior is on the
waiting list is 13.4 months.
Cost for elder housing
• The average daily cost for a private room in a nursing home is $213.00 or $77,745
annually.
• The average daily cost for a semi-private room in a nursing home is $189.00 or
$68,985 annually.
• The average monthly cost of living in an assisted living facility is $2,969 or
$35,628 annually.
• The average monthly cost of living in a not-for-profit Continuing Care Retirement
Community is $2,672 or $32,064 annually.
• The average monthly rate for assisted living facilities that charge additional fees
for Alzheimer’s and dementia care is $4,270 or $51,240 annually.
• To move into a community, individuals must also pay an entry fee ranging from
$60,000 to $120,000.
• The average hourly rate for a certified home health aide is $32.37.
• The average hourly rate for a uncertified home health aide is $19.00.
• The national average daily rate for adult day centers is $61.00 (2007 MetLife
Market Survey of Adult Day Services & Home Care Costs)
• The national average hourly rate for homemakers/companions is $18.00 (2007
MetLife Market Survey of Adult Day Services & Home Care Costs)
Who Pays?
• Nearly 40 percent of long-term care spending is paid for by private funds.
• Medicare, which covers rehabilitation services after an individual is discharged
from a hospital, pays for 19 percent of all long-term care spending.
• Medicaid, which covers health care costs for low-income individuals, pays for 49
percent of all long-term care spending.
• Accounting for about 40 percent of total expenditures on nursing facilities,
Medicaid's payments cover the care of more than half of all nursing home
residents.
Use of elder care housing
• There are more than 1.4 million nursing home residents in the United States.
• An individual's average age when he or she moves into a nursing home is 79.
• Women are almost three times as likely to live in nursing homes as men.
• More than 900,000 individuals live in assisted living residences.
4
• More than 150,000 individuals receive care and services at an adult day center.
• There are more than 1.1 million seniors in some type of senior housing
community in the United States.
• There are approximately 745,000 older adults who live in continuing care
retirement communities in the United States.
• The average age of an individual moving into a continuing care retirement
community is 78.
• Nearly 1.4 million individuals receive home health services.
• The average lifetime nursing home use per individual is one year, and the average
home care use is a little over 200 visits.
Disappearing Assets
As you can see, the equity in existing homes of the elderly can be quickly consumed and the
elders forced to go on welfare. What a terrible way to finish a wonderful life.
The statistics are staggering and enlightening. They clearly show that we need to understand more about the costs and benefits of the different ways we can live as we age:
Statistics
According to American Association of Homes for the Aging (AAHA), the statics are as follows:
Need for long-term care
• Among people turning 65 today, 69 percent will need some form of long-term
care, whether in the community or in a residential care facility.
• By 2020, 12 million older Americans will need long-term health care
Availability of elder care housing
• There are 16,100 certified nursing homes in the United States.
3
• There are 39,500 assisted living facilities in the United States.
• There are 1,900 continuing care retirement communities in the United States.
• There are more than 300,000 units of Section 202 affordable senior housing
available in the United States.
• For each Section 202 affordable senior housing unit that is available, there are ten
eligible seniors on waiting lists for it. The average time an eligible senior is on the
waiting list is 13.4 months.
Cost for elder housing
• The average daily cost for a private room in a nursing home is $213.00 or $77,745
annually.
• The average daily cost for a semi-private room in a nursing home is $189.00 or
$68,985 annually.
• The average monthly cost of living in an assisted living facility is $2,969 or
$35,628 annually.
• The average monthly cost of living in a not-for-profit Continuing Care Retirement
Community is $2,672 or $32,064 annually.
• The average monthly rate for assisted living facilities that charge additional fees
for Alzheimer’s and dementia care is $4,270 or $51,240 annually.
• To move into a community, individuals must also pay an entry fee ranging from
$60,000 to $120,000.
• The average hourly rate for a certified home health aide is $32.37.
• The average hourly rate for a uncertified home health aide is $19.00.
• The national average daily rate for adult day centers is $61.00 (2007 MetLife
Market Survey of Adult Day Services & Home Care Costs)
• The national average hourly rate for homemakers/companions is $18.00 (2007
MetLife Market Survey of Adult Day Services & Home Care Costs)
Who Pays?
• Nearly 40 percent of long-term care spending is paid for by private funds.
• Medicare, which covers rehabilitation services after an individual is discharged
from a hospital, pays for 19 percent of all long-term care spending.
• Medicaid, which covers health care costs for low-income individuals, pays for 49
percent of all long-term care spending.
• Accounting for about 40 percent of total expenditures on nursing facilities,
Medicaid's payments cover the care of more than half of all nursing home
residents.
Use of elder care housing
• There are more than 1.4 million nursing home residents in the United States.
• An individual's average age when he or she moves into a nursing home is 79.
• Women are almost three times as likely to live in nursing homes as men.
• More than 900,000 individuals live in assisted living residences.
4
• More than 150,000 individuals receive care and services at an adult day center.
• There are more than 1.1 million seniors in some type of senior housing
community in the United States.
• There are approximately 745,000 older adults who live in continuing care
retirement communities in the United States.
• The average age of an individual moving into a continuing care retirement
community is 78.
• Nearly 1.4 million individuals receive home health services.
• The average lifetime nursing home use per individual is one year, and the average
home care use is a little over 200 visits.
Disappearing Assets
As you can see, the equity in existing homes of the elderly can be quickly consumed and the
elders forced to go on welfare. What a terrible way to finish a wonderful life.
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