2001 Aging Services Environmental Scan

WHAT ARE THE CURRENT CONDITIONS FOR OLDER ADULTS?

HOUSING & HOME REPAIR & MODERNIZATION

The topic of housing for older adults is critical because it is intricately linked with quality of life, self-determination, and independence. The majority of older adults want to stay in their own homes - they do not want to move to nursing homes, assisted living centers or retirement communities. A recent national survey by AARP found that, of respondents ages 55 and older, 89% want to stay in their current homes for as long as possible (Bayer, 2000). Similarly, the vast majority of respondents to a local survey indicated that their ideal living situation is to live in their own home. According to service providers in Austin/Travis County, the top two pressing needs for older adults are affordable, accessible housing and affordable supportive housing. Following closely behind is affordable assisted living. For both urban and rural older adults, the inability to maintain safe, affordable housing or to access needed services near home can be a factor in nursing home placement earlier than necessary. (Latimer & Nolan, 2000). The ability to honor the desire of older adults to age in place is challenging given that the older a person becomes, the less likely he/she is able to maintain his/her property or care for his/her own personal needs.

Private Housing

The majority of older adults own their own homes. According to the 1995 American Housing Survey, 78% of older adults owned their own homes, while 22% rented. The differences between older adults who own versus those that rent are significant. (See Table 4.)

Table 4.
Older Adult Owners Versus Renters in the U.S. - 1995

Source: Citro, 1998

It is evident from this comparison that older renters are at greatest risk for poor outcomes and most likely to have support needs - the combination of low income, living alone, and older age makes them more susceptible to a range of problems.

In Austin/Travis County, the rise in the cost of housing poses a particular problem for older residents. In the last twenty years, the average price of homes in Austin has more than tripled and, since 1992, prices have increased 57%. This increase is positive for older homeowners who want to sell because it increases the return on their investment. However, it also means that property taxes increase, causing a financial burden for older adults.

For renters, the news is not any better. During the last ten years, rents have risen an average of 7% per year, by approximately $.25 per square foot. Today the average rent is $459 for an efficiency and $1,200 for a three-bedroom apartment (City of Austin, 2000). Similarly, in the last 25 years, the cost of low-income housing has risen by 25% in the Austin area (Mazur, Henneberger, Paup, & Vilenkin, 1999).

According to a report by the Texas Low Income Housing Information Service, there are approximately 5,630 elderly homeowners and renters in Austin and Travis County who have an unmet housing need. These older adults have incomes at or below 80% of the median family income (MFI) for Austin.

Figure 10.
Elderly Residents With Unmet Housing Needs by Income In Austin/Travis County
Source: Mazur et. al., 1999

Public Housing

The two primary local public housing providers are the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) and the Travis County Housing Authority (TCHA), both of which own and operate public housing units and manage voucher programs funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Older adults are eligible for a number of the public housing programs administered by HACA and TCHA but these programs are at capacity.

Approximately 27% of HACA residents and 33% of TCHA residents are individuals aged 62 and older (Mazur et. al., 1999). Of the 1,928 public housing units operated by HACA, 428 units (22%) are designated for the elderly and disabled. Of all HACA units, approximately 500 are occupied by the elderly. Both agencies have long waiting lists - 6 to 8 months at HACA and 22 months at TCHA. As of February 2000, elderly residents comprised 15.4% of individuals on the HACA waiting list and 5.5% of those on the TCHA list (City of Austin, 2000; Personal Communication with HACA, September 2000).

Home modification is also important for caregivers. This can decrease stress for caregivers and improve their ability to care for older adults. A study of caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's and dementia found that for 85% of respondents home modifications were beneficial in some way to caregivers. They most frequently adjusted bathrooms and kitchens to improve safety as well as making changes to keep individuals from wandering away from home (Calkins & Namazi, 1988).

In the AARP survey, Fixing to Stay, respondents were asked why they had not made modifications to their homes. The two reasons most often cited were not being able to make modification themselves (37%) and not being able to afford to pay for the modification (36%). Additionally, 23% of respondents did not have anyone to make the modification for them, and 22% did not know how to find someone to hire (AARP, 2000).

According to the City of Austin Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Office (NHCD) one in eight households headed by a person 85 or older needs functional modifications to their home.

Current Efforts

The majority of public housing for older adults is available through HACA and TCHA as mentioned earlier. Family Eldercare provides temporary housing for low-income elderly who are experiencing a housing crisis.

There are seven programs providing home repair and modification services - five of that are non-profits providing services beyond what the City and County are providing. The NHCD contracts with the United Cerebral Palsy Association of the Capital Area to operate the architectural barrier removal program. The current waiting list for services is approximately one year and, as of December 1999, there were 748 individuals on the waiting list. Travis County operates a housing and weatherization program for low-income clients. This program provides services for both City and County clients and serves approximately 600 clients (elderly and non-elderly) per year (Personal Communication with Travis County Health and Human Services and Veteran's Services, September 2000).

Local home repair and modification programs provide everything from changing light bulbs to installing ramps to improve accessibility. An exact estimate of the number of older adults served through these programs is not available. Based on the information available, between 750 and 1,000 older adults are served a year. (For more information on Current Efforts, see Appendix A.)

Table 5.
Findings and Recommendations

Best Practices

Single Room Occupancy (SRO)

This is a housing option that comes in a variety of forms. Typically, each resident has a private bedroom/living area and shares communal kitchen and bath facilities with other residents. Another type might include an efficiency style kitchen and bath facility for each unit. There are traditionally three types of structures that have been used for SROs - rehabilitated hotels or motels; adapted reuse buildings such as schools or commercial buildings; and buildings designed and constructed as SRO housing. SRO style housing is another viable way to provide more affordable housing options that would easily support the use of assisted living services (Regnier & Culver, 1994).

Accessory Apartments

Accessory apartments are a way to use extra space in single family dwellings. They are complete apartments that are constructed out of the extra space left by children who have grown up and left home. These apartments can be rented out to generate extra income. Additional benefits for older adults include the added security of having another adult in the house in case of emergency, increased companionship, and opportunities to trade rent for chores such as home repairs or shopping.

Home sharing

Home sharing is when an older adult leases space to an unrelated tenant. Facilities such as kitchen and laundry are shared. These tenants can offer extra income, companionship, and increased security as well as assist with household chores. The National Shared Housing Resource Center in Vermont offers information and technical assistance in the area of inter-generational home sharing.

Robert Shaw Echo Village (Austin)

Owned and managed by the Blackland Neighborhood Development Corporation, this senior housing community consists of six cottages built around a central outdoor communal area. This project enables seniors to remain connected to their communities and each other at a price they can afford - $125/month (Mazur et. al., 1999).

Prairie Creek Village Apartments (Dallas)

Prairie Creek is a 120-unit apartment complex for low-income elderly that has a service coordinator who connects residents with needed services and provides timely information on issues impacting seniors. Services include Meals on Wheels, grocery delivery from an emergency aide program, health education and free blood pressure checks (Latimer, 2000).

Assisted Living

Assisted living can be defined and implemented in a number of ways. It is an increasingly popular alternative to nursing home placement for older adults. Assisted living can be a place where an individual lives, or it can be a program to help someone stay in his/her own home. Assisted living facilities are places where older adults can live independently while receiving support such as meals, health care services, and help with ADLs as necessary. Alternatively the same supports can be provided to an individual in his/her home removing the need for placement in a facility. In recent years, Texas has seen a rapid rise in the number of privately funded assisted living facilities. While these provide an important alternative to individuals who are financially comfortable, they are not an option for low income older adults (Latimer). Nationally, the median cost to live in an assisted living facility is more than $2,500 a month (Providing an Affordable Continuum, 2000).

Umbrella Home Services, Ltd. (New York, Florida, Montana)

This non-profit organization provides home maintenance assistance to seniors. Seniors pay an annual $200 membership fee for a one-story home. Each member receives a 17-point home inspection report every year that helps homeowners prioritize repairs and budget for future needs. Some services included are low cost handyman services, 24-hour emergency response, routine maintenance, home repair and modification, lawn maintenance, and window washing. A study in 1988 showed Umbrella members (homeowners) saved over $1,000 per year in maintenance costs.

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