Increasingly older adults are finding themselves with nowhere to live, reports Felice J. Freyer for KFF Health News. Often, they are in poor health. About one in five homeless people today are 55 or older. And the number of homeless older adults is on the rise.
PACE–programs of all-inclusive care for the elderly–can sometimes help with finding housing for older adults. Unfortunately, there are only 185 PACE programs–funded through Medicaid and Medicare–serving 83,000 people in the whole country. If you are lucky enough to be part of a non-profit PACE program, it will help ensure you can age in your community, and not in an institution. But, you should consider carefully the drawbacks of a for-profit PACE program.
To be eligible for PACE, you must be at least 55 and in poor enough health to need nursing home care. PACE arranges for you to remain in your home, putting in place everything you need to age in place. PACE also offers enrollees access to adult day centers, transportation services, housekeeping services, meal services, and health clinics. Still, it is less costly than nursing home care.
Because housing has become so costly and hard to find, hospitals and other health care programs are moving to help their frail and vulnerable patients find homes. PACE is partnering with non-profit developers to build new housing. PACE also partners with housing projects for older adults. Hospitals in some big cities are beginning to invest in housing to promote good health for their patients.
Public policy has not yet responded effectively to the housing crisis in America, even for people over 60. One study found that, in the 20 years between 2000 and 2020, three times as many men over 60 were living in shelters.
Many older adults need only lose a spouse or a job, or face a rent increase, a higher tax, or a serious illness, and they suddenly become homeless. If they are forgetful or demented, they might not pay their rent or mortgage and lose their homes.
President Trump’s recent budget law will only increase the number of older adults who are homeless. Millions will lose their Medicaid coverage or federal assistance paying Medicare premiums or premiums for their Affordable Care Act coverage. Without health insurance, it will be even more challenging for them to make ends meet.
Cuts to other federal programs, including job training for lower-income older adults, will also push more older adults into homelessness.
Here’s more from Just Care:
- PACE helps older adults stay in their community
- For-profit PACE programs: Cause for worry?
- Roundup: Housing options for older adults
- Trump signs his tax bill, leaving 17 million Americans uninsured
- Trump’s tax bill means a $500 billion cut to Medicare
