88% of seniors want to age-in-place

A new report has called for increased preparation to support the predicted significant growth in the US's senior population. Current challenges to the elderly include the lack of both affordable housing for low-income seniors and integrated health care services. 44,000 older adults are homeless, with 1.8m facing severe problems paying their rent, and the current crop of housing is unsuitable for seniors that experience mobility difficulties. The Bipartisan Policy Center is calling for increased public spending to offer a successful aging experience for all Americans, and to deliver lower health care costs in the process.

Over the next 15 years, the explosive growth of the nation’s senior population will present unprecedented challenges. Unfortunately, millions of Americans will find they lack enough savings to fund their retirements. Some will struggle to afford their housing, while others will find their housing is ill-suited for living independently. Many will eventually need help with the “activities of daily living,” like eating, bathing, and dressing, assistance that can be both costly and taxing on other family members. Most older Americans will suffer from at least one chronic condition.

A successful response will require a much higher level of focus and preparation than exists today in the United States. Experimentation and innovation, as well as a willingness to move beyond established conventions, are essential elements of this process. An ability to see important connections that span across the seemingly disparate disciplines of housing, architecture, health care, information technology, telecommunications, transportation, urban planning, and financial services is critical. Communities across the country must make meeting the needs of their older residents a priority consideration as they plan for the future. This work must proceed apace with the urgency it deserves.

This report examines four specific aspects of the challenge before us: