Senior Health and Housing in Crisis: Serious Solutions Demanded

Seniors today are facing serious health and housing issues and there’s a need for equally serious solutions as well. With the continuous growing population of Baby Boomers (from 14 percent to 20 percent by 2030), threats also abound.

The number of seniors (65 and above) in the San Diego County has also grown by 26.4 percent from 2000 to 2013. However, the county also has one of the least affordable housing markets in the country. The California Association of Realtors, in fact, stated how only 28 percent of households could afford buying a median-priced home. Comparing that to the state average of 34 percent and the U.S. average of 60 percent, the county indeed fares high in terms of expensiveness.

To address such issue, the Bipartisan Policy Center suggested expanding the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, encouraging private investment onto cheaper housing. It also recommends a new federal program that utilizes project-based rental assistance and tax credits to pave the way for new construction and get more funding from healthcare programs.

This, together with home care services and others, can also be beneficial to the aging population. By taking note of their needs, the country can be ensured that the future generations won’t be hard up when crises like these arise.

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