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newlenoxpatriot.com LIFE & ARTS
the New Lenox Patriot | April 26, 2018 | 21
TRIAD TALK FOR SENIORS
Housing as you age
Kathie Johnson
Director of Family Services for
New Lenox Township
The United States is
facing a lack of affordable,
physicallyaccessible,
and well-located
homes for America’s aging
population — especially
those with low incomes.
Being properly housed
and cared for is vital to
overall well-being, but can
be harder to achieve as we
age. Individuals, local, state
and federal governments,
as well as private organizations
have to come together
for solutions in the caring
and housing of our older
population.
Local communities can
help by re-zoning to support
the construction of
aging-friendly affordable
housing options, accessible
residential design and community
planning and by advancing
livability through
more accessible transportation
for seniors. Providing
programs such as health
and wellness services, meal
programs, social and volunteer
opportunities makes a
crucial difference in quality
of life.
Federal and state governments
will need to expand
efforts to offer more rental
housing assistance for
people over the age of 62.
The current high cost of
housing forces millions of
low-income older adults
to sacrifice spending on
other necessities, including
food and medicine, which
undermines their health and
well-being.
In addition, changes to
both Medicare and Medicaid
would enable better
coordination of affordable,
accessible housing with
long-term care. Medicare
programs can re-orient their
funding to enable lowincome
seniors to age comfortably
in their homes and
communities rather than in
institutional facilities.
For individuals with disabilities
or chronic conditions,
the ability to age in
place depends on having
access to long-term care in
their homes or communities.
While Medicaid and
Medicare generally do not
cover such costs, some
state Medicaid Home and
Community-Based Services
waivers do. For those who
are not Medicaid eligible or
do not qualify for waivers,
the costs of in-home care
can be substantial.
It is crucial that all levels
of government, the public
and private sectors, philanthropy,
and through the
advocacy of older adults
themselves take steps
needed to ensure that housing
and health care systems
be put in place to support
appropriate and cost-effective
options for vulnerable
older adults as well as those
with means.
Within the private sector,
the aging of American
society provides vast opportunities
to innovate in
the areas of housing and
supportive care. Business
opportunities exist in helping
older adults modify
their homes to suit evolving
age-friendly needs, delivering
services at home, and
developing new models of
housing with services that
promote independence and
integrate residents with the
larger community.
Significant challenges
lie ahead in our effort to
ensure that America’s older
adults will be safely, affordably
and comfortably
housed. The ultimate goal
is for older adults to have
a high quality of life and
for their communities to
be increasingly livable and
vibrant as a result of their
presence.
Sasha Grabenstetter,
Consumer Economics
Educator from the University
of Illinois Extension,
will present “Housing As
You Age” for the April 26
Manhattan-New Lenox
TRIAD meeting.
Grabenstetter will be
discussing:
• Exploring housing options
for later life
• Learning ways to
increase your safety in your
current home
• Discovering resources
to help you plan your future
housing needs.
The April 26 TRIAD
meeting will be held at
the New Lenox Police
Department, 200 Veterans
Parkway, New Lenox at
1:30 p.m. There is no cost,
registration or membership.
These meetings are for all
older adults (age 50 and up).
Please call Kathie at (815)
717-6221 for any questions.
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