A model for aged care? Supportive housing offers some hope for the future – Center for Retirement Research

Much of what I’ve written recently has been about the grim outlook for elder care when the oldest of the baby boomers start turning 80 within the decade. The physical design of our communities, based on single-family homes scattered throughout the suburbs, exacerbates the challenges we will face. This results in seniors being isolated, especially when driving becomes difficult and seniors may be confined to their homes. Providing services in the home can also be costly because home caregivers, house nurses, and other providers must travel great distances to serve clients.

Fortunately, there is an alternative. In my latest “Ageing at Risk in America” ​​podcast, Lizbeth Heyer, President of 2Life Communities of Greater Boston, describes their supportive housing model for seniors that provides affordable housing and coordinated services to enable residents to move up as their needs increase. And continue to live in the community.

Comprehensive living environment

Solve the cost problem

Heyer noted that Massachusetts’ seniors have the highest levels of financial insecurity due to high housing and care costs. It also has the highest nursing home placement rate, which is related to cost. Seniors often have to go to nursing homes because it’s the only place they can afford to live and have services covered by MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program.

Haye described the current system as a barbell. The solution is available to very low-income seniors and those who can afford market-rate services, but not to the vast majority of middle-class seniors until they run out of money and qualify for MassHealth.

Haier pointed out that there are two major crises in the home care industry: labor and cost. Private pay home care costs approximately $35 per hour. Typically, seniors must purchase services in four-hour increments, even if they only need half an hour of help… in a 2Life community, they only pay for the help they need.

2Life Communities helps solve workforce issues because fewer caregivers can see more people. It also reduces the pressure on workers. Often, when they provide home care, they may be the only person a senior sees throughout the week, which increases their responsibilities – in contrast to working as part of a team in the larger community.

Unlike assisted living

Haye distinguishes their apartments from assisted living, where residents often don’t have full kitchens and must go to community restaurants for all meals, meaning they lose the ability to cook and live independently. The basic cost of assisted living is very expensive and often only covers one hour of care per day. If residents need more, they must pay for it themselves. Often, the cost of care becomes unaffordable, causing residents to eventually move to a nursing home.

2Life’s seven communities have resident services managers who work with individuals to ensure they receive the services they need. Administrators have in-depth knowledge of Massachusetts benefits and services that are often difficult for families of seniors to access.

Meet growing demand

Unfortunately, the 2Life community has about 8,000 people on its waiting list and 2,000 current residents, but its capacity is still growing. 2Life also advocates for widespread expansion of affordable housing and policy changes to make it easier for services to be integrated into senior communities. Haye emphasized the need to significantly increase resources for affordable senior housing, primarily through expansion of the rental voucher program and better coordination of Medicare and Medicaid with housing. Proposals to expand Medicare coverage to cover home health care, such as the one proposed by Vice President Kamala Harris last year, could ultimately save the health care system money, since a lack of covered care often results in patients being readmitted to the hospital after being discharged from the hospital and longer hospital stays.

change mentality

We live in a society that defines success as staying home as long as possible. “We need to change the narrative,” Haire said. “Choosing to age at home often means choosing to be alone. Choosing to move into a community setting is not only a better financial choice. It’s a choice…[achieve] Through all kinds of social interaction and joy, you can gain health from… sharing your life with others.

For more information about Harry Margolis, check out his Adventures in Aging in America blog and podcast. He also answers consumer estate planning questions on AskHarry.info. To stay up to date with the Squared Away blog, join our free email list. You will only receive one email per week.