(2022-09-24) Stuck In Place How Older Adults End Up Trapped Inside Their Own Homes

Stuck in place: How older adults end up trapped inside their own homes. Seven months ago, Betty Gray could climb the 11 inside steps leading to her Berkeley apartment, though it would take her about 15 minutes.

She remembers stumbling backward, rolling down all 11 steps and the sound of her head smacking the concrete floor at the bottom

Gray spent her days in a cushioned chair by the front door

Like many people, Gray does not want to go to a nursing home

But her low income and need for an accessible living unit severely limited Gray’s choices. Even with a Section 8 housing voucher to help, she struggled to find adequate quarters, leaving her stuck in a place that wasn’t a good fit — physically or mentally.

Though assistance is available to help low-income older adults remain in their own homes, many are unaware of such programs or how to access them, says Denny Chan, directing attorney with the policy and advocacy organization Justice in Aging.

“Our system of supports and services that allows older adults to age in their community is broken and racialized,” Chan said. “The inadequate access to home- and community-based services and the racialized rental housing burden work together to hurt many older adults of color trying to stay in their homes and communities.”

Seniors also struggle to access home-health aides and other services that help them remain safely at home, says Mollie Gurian, vice president for home and community-based policy for LeadingAge. “You either have to be poor enough to be on Medicaid or you have to be rich enough to pay for it,” she said.

*there are successful programs helping to keep elders at home, for instance the Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, a Medicare- and Medicaid-funded service that matches people with home care, transportation and adult day primary care.

But PACE and similar programs often aren’t open to all older people and remain small in size.*