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Elder Care Information |
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How To Find Affordable Senior Housing
A few years ago Miranda M. became a widow. After a short time her grandson (her only available relative) persuaded her to move across several states to be closer to him. He located a nice retirement apartment where meals, housekeeping, and transportation are provided. By using her small Social Security income, and funds left by her loving husband, Miranda was just able to afford her rent and basic living expenses. She didn't much like taking all her meals in the community dining room, so she continued to fix some of them in her own kitchen. She reluctantly accepted the help of housekeeping for the heavy cleaning. But, as she said, "I need to keep busy. If I can't make my own bed and dust around I feel like a useless slug. I intend to keep doing for myself just as long as I can get up out of this chair." But for one unforeseen disaster, Miranda and I never would have met, and she would have happily lived on in her sunny apartment. You see, disaster struck because Miranda lived too long. Both she and her grandson had counted on Miranda dying before her 85th birthday. It made perfect sense, they thought, as her family was not generally long-lived. Her sister and brothers had all passed away at relatively young ages, as had her parents. Miranda figured she would be long gone before her money ran out. There was only enough left to cover two more months in the retirement apartment when Miranda's grandson called me. What was she to do? Her monthly income of under $900 wasn't enough to pay for rent, utilities, food, and her medications in the least expensive apartment he could find. He asked me to find her a place in a Medicaid nursing home. Well, Miranda certainly wasn't nursing home material. There was nothing wrong with her mind. She could fix her own meals, and she could keep up her apartment (with a little muscle help). She really had no medical needs, and wouldn't have qualified for Medicaid and nursing home care even if she had wanted to. Which she certainly didn't. Her only real problem was lack of money (and a grandson who wasn't any better at planning ahead than she was). After talking with her doctor and the manager of her apartment to confirm that she really was capable, I set out to try to find a "Section 202" apartment. Section 202 housing - named after the section of the federal legislation authorizing it - is rental housing specifically for people over the age of 62 who have incomes under 50 percent of the area median income. According to HUD, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the average Section 202 resident is a woman in her 70s with an annual income of less than $10,000. Section 202 residences are built and run by private, non-profit groups who have received loan incentives from HUD. HUD is not involved in day to day operations. Rents are calculated according to income, and rental assistance funds pay whatever balance remains. Luckily for them, Miranda and her grandson live in a large metropolitan area. There are always more options in a larger town. But somewhere between 20 and 25 percent of Section 202 funds have been set aside for use in non- metropolitan areas, so these apartments aren't only found in big cities. Hunting for a Section 202 apartment can be labor-intensive. When an apartment becomes available it rarely stays empty long. Often there are lengthy waiting lists. The first piece of business was to telephone every apartment complex on the Section 202 list (see below for the web address to get a list). I verified that they were still participating in the program, and asked whether they had any vacancies. Frankly, I didn't expect a "yes" to the vacancy question, but it never hurts to ask. Lo and behold, and miraculously for Miranda, there actually was a vacancy in an older building near downtown. Because it's not in the pretty suburbs it isn't as popular as some of the others. For our purposes, it was a palace and a kingdom all in one. Beggars couldn't be choosers! If there hadn't been a vacancy, Miranda and her grandson would have had to visit each apartment complex and place her name on every waiting list. Sometimes the wait can be as long as 2 years or more, so I don't advocate waiting as long as Miranda did. Along with her application form, Miranda was required to give the apartment manager proof of her income (a Social Security statement or a pay stub). She was asked about previous landlords who could vouch to her suitability as a tenant. She was asked to provide copies of her pharmacy bills, as those expenses are taken into account when the rent is calculated. This particular apartment manager also wanted a statement from her doctor that she was truly independent. If she had planned on visiting multiple places, Miranda would have taken along several photocopies of all her information so she could leave it everywhere she applied. This is where having someone to come along is invaluable. The job can be overwhelming and exhausting for an older person. If she hadn't found this affordable place, Miranda probably would have had to move in with her grandson (NOT a happy thought for either of them), or find a little private room to rent in someone's home, or try to find someone looking for a roommate. I was ready to try whatever it took to keep her off the street. Because time was short Miranda had to take what was available. She has since put her name on the waiting list at two other apartments that are a little nicer and closer to her grandson. The great thing about Section 202 apartments is that you can move whenever and wherever you wish - depending of course on the terms of the lease you have signed. To locate a directory of Section 202 housing in your state, go to http://www.hud.gov/directory Choose your state in the upper right corner. From that point on you might have to search around a little for "renting," because the information seems to be in different places on the state pages. If you want to talk with someone in a HUD office, click on the web address below for a directory of offices: http://www.hud.gov/directory/ascdir3.cfm If you, or someone you care for, is over 62 and on a limited income, Section 202 housing can be a lifesaver. It's very important to plan ahead, though, because these apartments are popular. If you have concerns about finances becoming a problem in the future, start NOW to investigate your options. There's nothing more frightening than outliving your savings - - ask Miranda. About The Author Molly Shomer, LMSW is "Head Coach" of The Eldercare Team, and a dedicated advocate for those who are caring for elderly adults. Please visit her web site at http://www.eldercareteam.com for more elder care articles and important resources for caregivers. "Eldercare News You Can Use," the bi-monthly newsletter, is also available there. Write to her at: molly@eldercareteam.com; mshomer@eldercareteam.com
MORE RESOURCES: Visionaries Unite: How the West Coast Conference on Aging is Rewriting the Future of Senior Care The Daily Scan Commentary: The monthly tab for her in-home elder care: $18,000. She can cover it, but how many others can? Los Angeles Times Older adults and population aging statistics Statistique Canada NTI Invests in Community Facilities for Elder Care Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nova Scotia Health’s Dignity of Risk Program leading change in caring for older adults living with frailty and dementia Nova Scotia Health Alumni Impact Series: Kevin Ye – Shaping the Future of Elder Care through Entrepreneurship University of Waterloo Rescue work continues at site of impact near elder care facility in central Israel The Times of Israel Your Company Needs an Eldercare Policy Harvard Business Review AI Companions Redefine Elder Care: 3 Ways They Fight Loneliness, Boost Safety And Scale Support Forbes Amid nursing home sector’s press for relief on immigration blockade, new bill emerges McKnight's Long-Term Care News Mark Yaffe: Pioneering Excellence in Elder and Mental Health Care | Department of Family Medicine McGill University The Care Squeeze: how to have the aged care conversation with your loved ones Australian Broadcasting Corporation Anglican elder care specialist and advocate named to Order of Canada The Anglican Journal BPK student research looks to history to find a way forward for Indigenous elder care Simon Fraser University ‘What they wanted to see’: Rankin Inlet elder facility to welcome 22 residents in April Nunatsiaq News Health Caregiving Market to Reach US$ 250 Bn by 2032, Driven by Aging Population Growth - openPR.com 'Don't open another bed': St. John’s doctor says there's a better way to keep seniors out of long-term care PNI Atlantic News Bay of Quinte Mohawks donate $60K each to Elder Care Home project, Belleville General Hospital Foundation Kingstonist News Initiative to address women’s care load in Africa expands with two new projects | IDRC IDRC - International Development Research Centre Translating Research in Elder Care University of Alberta Hatfield senior citizen accused of indecent assault on sleeping victim at assisted living facility, police say North Penn Now Stepping towards better health: Early Mobility team wins Nova Scotia Health Quality Award Nova Scotia Health CUPE endorses report on B.C. long-term care, urges other provinces to take note Canadian Union of Public Employees Midlands law firm opens Aiken office, adds estate attorney Columbia Business Report Video: How the Immigration Crackdown Threatens Elderly Care The New York Times Rural Nebraska town warns of Medicaid cuts’ impact on elder care KOLN | Nebraska Local News, Weather, Sports | Lincoln, NE B.C. government close-lipped on watchdog report that finds seniors care is worsening - Vancouver Sun Should we subsidize elder care more? Stockholms universitet About the new rights-based Aged Care Act health.gov.au No, COVID-19 isn’t over in aged care: why outbreaks persist Aged Care Guide A Daughter’s Cautionary Elder Care Tale The Progressive Experts share tips for 'Sandwich Generation' as caring costs them $18k a year — as it happened Australian Broadcasting Corporation Ageing and health World Health Organization (WHO) Geriatrics Sinai Health How companies can ease the strain on employees taking care of elderly parents or ill family members CNN Evolutionary game analysis of building a sustainable intelligent elderly care service platform Nature WHO calls for urgent transformation of care and support systems for older people World Health Organization (WHO) A Model for Elder Care? Supported Housing Offers Some Hope for the Future Center for Retirement Research The Care Squeeze Australian Broadcasting Corporation Organization brings awareness to elderly care resources after incident in Warner Robins - 41NBC News Half of Kansas nursing home investigator positions are vacant. One Olathe resident dies waiting for help Johnson County Post Nursing home and elder-care residents could be hit hard by potential Medicaid cuts The Washington Post Research Groundbreakers: Dr. Roxanne Weiss Is Advancing Elder Care and Delirium Prevention The University of Utah China to use AI in elder care as population ages: official The Economic Times Digitalization for Improving Elder Care Asian Development Bank Elderly-focussed health care is a demographic imperative Hindustan Times main/aging ~ DHSS - Services and Programs for the Aging Population Delaware Health and Social Services (.gov) Elder Care Graduates in Hot Demand in China Sixth Tone Long-Term Care, Retirement Home and Elder Care Lodge Resources HKPR District Health Unit Assisted Living Locators of San Francisco: Compassionate, Inclusive Guidance for Senior Care Decisions San Francisco Bay Times Increasing Women's Workforce Participation in Mexico requires support for Child and Elder Care World Bank Blogs A lifelong advocate for aged care National Seniors Australia MHA grad rewrites policy to benefit elder care USC Price School Frailty Nova Scotia Health Georgia State University, A.G. Rhodes Launch Innovative Elder Care Partnership Georgia State University News Senior care centers should use data analytics to prioritize patient-centered care | Viewpoint Chief Healthcare Executive Silver lining: How technology is changing the landscape of elder care Business Standard Elder care practitioner Jade Jasken joins Essentia Health St. Mary’s-Detroit Lakes Clinic Essentia Health |
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