Suffolk County Commission on Creative Retirement

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Dedicated to intergenerational policy, programs,
and issues and the civic engagement of older
adults
Baby Boom, Baby Bust Is Suburbia Ready for the
Aging Wave? Sustainable Community
Development For Successful Aging September 18,
2008
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• According to a 2006 Brookings Institution Report
  -
• One-Fifth of America A Comprehensive Guide to
  Americas First Suburbs
• All but the most fortunate seniors will confront
  an array of constraints on their household
  budgets even as they continue to seek an active
  community life.
• The aging of the population will require a
  continuum of housing responses ranging from
  helping seniors age in place to the production of
  new single-family home communities,
  service-enriched apartments, and continuing care
  retirement communities.

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• Models of initiatives that
• enable older adults to age
• in their own homes as long
• as possible

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• exactly what over the vast majority of older
  adults prefer to do.

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• Where do older adults want to live when they are
  age 85 and older?

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Aging in Ones Own Home and Community

• There are many reasons for encouraging older
  persons to remain in their own homes.
• The strongest argument is that older adults
  overwhelmingly (90) report that they want to
  grow old in their homes and communities.
• Additionally, providing home and community
  services that enable older adults to age in place
  has shown to be the most cost-effective model for
  aging.

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Housing Developments

• Not all older adults want to live in
  age-restricted communities.
• Long Island needs new intergenerational housing,
  most logically in downtown areas where shopping
  and public transportation are available.
• Over the past few years, Del Webb who brought us
  Sun City, is building intergenerational
  communities.

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Aging in Ones Own Home and Community

• The share of older widows living alone rose from
  18 in 1940 to 62 in 1990 while the share who
  are living with adult children declined from 59
  to 20 (U.S. Census Bureau).

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Aging in Ones Own Home and Community

• The most common conditions leading to a
  disability are arthritis or rheumatism, back
  problems, coronary heart disease, respiratory
  conditions, hearing trouble, stiffness, mental or
  emotional problems, diabetes, visual impairments,
  and stroke.
• These disabilities can be managed while living at
  home while receiving medical attention.

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The Demographics of Aging on Long Island 2005

• 67 of Long Islands age 65 population (197,000)
  lives in the community without chronic illnesses
  or self-care limitations.
• Householders Age 65 with Any Disability 34
• Sensory Disability 12
• Physical Disability 25
• Mental Disability 9
• Self-Care Disability 8
• Go Outside Home Disability 15

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Aging in Ones Own Home and Community

• Communities must be able to help those who need
  help while at the same time ensure that the
  community remains attractive.
• Vibrant communities attract and retain people of
  all ages, who want to grow older in that
  community.
• Family members are less likely to live near one
  another today than in the past.

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We Need Older Adults to Remain on Long Island

• To maintain contact with younger generational
  groups.
• To fill positions in the workforce.
• To pay property taxes.
• For their buying power.

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Current Housing Issues

• Because of issues of density and zoning
  restrictions as well as the cost of land and
  environmental concerns, it is unlikely that new
  housing for older adults will be constructed in
  sufficient numbers to meet the growing demand.
• The result will be more-and-more older adults
  either moving out-of-state, away from friends and
  family, or, remaining in their homes and coping
  as best they can to remain there.

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• Housing Models for Consideration

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Natural Occurring Retirement Communities (NORC)

• A NORC community is defined as a community in
  which 40-50 if heads of households are at least
  60 years old
• NORC services are multidisciplinary including
  health care, social services, and related
  services and are based in the community thus
  enabling residents to reside in their homes as
  long as possible
• Older adults are seen as resources and partners
  in the planning and implementation of the NORC
  and in its governance

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Natural Occurring Retirement Communities (NORC)

• Services provided include a wide variety of
  health and human services that assist residents
  with the activities of daily living they can no
  longer handle themselves
• Other services provided include home maintenance,
  minor repairs, transportation services,
  recreation programs, entitlement counseling, case
  management, community nursing, care assistance,
  meal preparation, and nutrition assistance

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The Beacon Hill Village ModelBoston,
Massachusetts

• Who is a Village for?
• Older adults who want to remain in their
• own homes as long as possible.

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The Beacon Hill Village ModelBoston,
Massachusetts

• How are services paid for?
• Members pay an annual fee like they would for an
  insurance policy premium. The membership fee
  includes several services and programs and
  discounts on programs and services that are not
  included in the annual membership fee.
• Fees are paid to a not-for-profit organization
  that the residents establish and control
  themselves, or, to a not-for-profit service
  organization selected by the residents. The
  not-for-profit organization recruits, screens,
  employs, and oversees the workers who provide
  services to its members.

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The Beacon Hill Village ModelBoston,
Massachusetts

• What services does a member get
• for the annual fee?
• The common services that are included in the
  annual fee depend on what the residents decide
  are needed in the community.
• At the Beacon Hill Village in Boston MA, the
  common services are grocery shopping,
  doctor-prescribed transportation to medical
  appointments, information and referral about
  public and private services, geriatric care
  management, exercise classes, and a number of
  educational and cultural programs. In addition,
  members are entitled to 10 to 50 discounts for
  services offered by providers selected by the
  Village.

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The Beacon Hill Village ModelBoston,
Massachusetts

• Optional Services (discounted, fee-based)
• Errands, cleaning, cooking,
• home delivered meals, computer assistance,
• geriatric care management, bill paying,
• pet and plant care, electricians, plumbers,
• home inspections, handyman services, rides,
  personal trainers, massage therapists,
• house checks, and home health care services.

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The Beacon Hill Village ModelBoston,
Massachusetts

• Some programs offer social and cultural events
• Private tours to museums and art shows
• Trips to concerts, restaurants, and special
  events
• Educational seminars
• Conversations with notables

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The Beacon Hill Village ModelBoston,
Massachusetts

• Where do villages currently exist?
• Boston MA - Cambridge MA
• Washington DC - Palo Alto CA
• Madison WI - Bronxville NY
• Dozens are under development throughout the
  nation.

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The Beacon Hill Village ModelBoston,
Massachusetts

• How are annual membership fees set?
• Fees are set by the Villages Board of Directors.
  Fees at existing programs depend on the extent to
  which the services rely on volunteers.
• Some programs rely totally on volunteers while
  others use volunteers on a limited basis.
• Some projects use a Time Dollars (AKA Service
  Exchange) approach where members volunteer hours
  of time, providing transportation, shopping, or
  other services to other members. Records are kept
  of the hours placed in the bank that members can
  us when they need them.

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The Beacon Hill Village ModelBoston,
Massachusetts

• Annual Membership Fees
• Beacon Hill Village, Boston MA 440 Members
• Four full-time staff members offering
• a comprehensive array of services
• 580 for an individual
• 780 for a couple
• 100/150 low income
• Community Without Walls, Princeton NJ 450
  Members
• An all-volunteer program offering
• a more-limited array of services
• 15-30 for an individual

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The Beacon Hill Village ModelBoston,
Massachusetts

• Some programs also offer members
• wellness options such as
• Exercise classes and walking groups
• A prescription drug card
• Personal fitness training
• Discounts at health clubs
• Wellness seminars
• Massage therapy

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The Beacon Hill Village ModelBoston,
Massachusetts

• The Village negotiates with local merchants for
  goods and services for its members. Participating
  merchants must agree to provide 10 to 50
  discounts to its members.

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The Beacon Hill Village ModelBoston,
Massachusetts

• The Village saves its members money through
  volume purchasing.
• The Village provides peace of mind to its members
  because it conducts extensive background checks
  of all participating vendors and suppliers.
• The Village represents its members if theres a
  problem with a vendor or supplier.

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Community Without Walls (CWW) ModelPrinceton,
New Jersey

• The Community Without Walls (CWW) is an
  association of individuals and couples who
  desire, and actively seek, ways to remain in
  their communities as they age. The mission of CWW
  is to enhance the ability of its members to age
  well, and to age "in place."
• A primary goal of CWW is to assist its members in
  acquiring the knowledge that will enable them to
  make the choices they will need to make as they
  age. To further this goal, CWW engages in
  activities such as social support, information,
  education, and advocacy.

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Community Without Walls (CWW)Princeton, New
Jersey

• Services provided include volunteer assistance
  with shopping, chores, and medical
  transportation.
• There are many social and educational activities
  conducted.
• Theres a 25-30 per year membership fee.

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The Partners in Care Village Model Pasadena,
California

• Community volunteers help other residents with
  the non-medical tasks and chores of daily living
  that enable people to remain in their homes.
• Volunteers earns credit hours that may be banked
  for use at a later time, donated to another
  person, or to the general bank.

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Home Sharing Model

• Definition
• Two or more unrelated people sharing a single
  family home.

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Zoning

• A review of the zoning codes of Suffolk Countys
  five western Townships and Nassau Countys three
  Townships and two cities defines a Family as
  (paraphrased)
• One or more persons, whether or not related by
  blood occupying a single, one-family dwelling and
  living as the functional equivalent of a natural
  family.
• Thus, there is no need for a homeowner to obtain
  a permit to be a home sharer.

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Benefits

• Companionship
• Safety and Security
• Financial Stability
• Services

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Benefits, continued.

• Independence
• Uses existing housing stock
• Stabilizes neighborhoods
• Provides peace of mind because references and
  background checks are completed (unlike under a
  traditional rental agreement)

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Qualifications Homeowner

• 60 years of age and older (usually)
• One private bedroom
• Shared or private bath
• Independent
• May charge rent

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Qualifications Home Sharer

• At least 18 years old
• Stable Income
• Submit to criminal background check
• Independent

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References

• Employer
• Co-worker
• Previous/present landlord
• Minister
• Neighbor
• Personal Friend

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How to Match

• Personal Characteristics
• Geographical Considerations
• Furniture/Storage space
• Rent Amount
• Male/Female

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How to Match, continued

• Access to public transportation
• Smoking/non-Smoking
• Pets/no pets
• Storage/No Storage
• Compatibility

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- A 22-year old home sharing program
HouseMate Match) with over 400 matches in the
Atlanta suburbs reports the average length of a
home sharing match is 2.5 years.- On Long
Island, HomeShare Long Island has made 70 matches
in both Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
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Home Sharing vs. Renting

• Home Sharing assists the Homeowner by
• conducting thorough background and reference
  checks
• and
• finding another Home Sharer in the event that the
  match doesnt work out.
• The homeowner may be too busy or feel
  uncomfortable completing these activities.

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The Golden Girls Model

• Two-to-three homeowners in the same community
  decide that one or more of them will move into
  one of their homes while the other(s) sell their
  homes, or, all sell their homes and use the
  proceeds to jointly purchase a home for group
  use.
• The homeowners share the costs of maintaining the
  home.
• The homeowner secures any necessary permits to
  modify the home.
• The costs of modifying the home for group use are
  shared by the two-three people involved.

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Home and Community-Based Services

• Adult Day Care
• Caregiver Programs
• Case Management
• Emergency Response Systems
• Home Health Services
• Home Repair
• Home Modification
• Information and Referral
• Legal Assistance
• Home Delivered Meals
• Personal Care
• Senior Center Programs
• Telephone Reassurance
• Transportation

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For Further Information Beacon Hill Village

• For assistance in establishing a village
  Intergenerational Strategies Call 631 232 1262.
  www.igstrats.org
• For more information about Beacon Hill Village
• go to www.beaconhillvillage.org
• A comprehensive founders manual is available
• and can be purchased on the Beacon Hill Village
  website.

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For Further InformationHomeShare Long Island

• Contact
• Suffolk County
• Family Service League
• [phone] ext. 2225
• Extension 228
• Nassau County
• Family and Childrens Association
• [phone] ext. 2250

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Information about Home and Community-Based
Services

• Nassau County Department
• of Senior Citizens Affairs
• [phone]
• Suffolk County Office for the Aging
• [phone]  
• New York State Office for the Aging
• 1-800-342-9871

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Intergenerational Strategieswww.igstrats.org(631
) 232 1262

• We are available to assist community
• groups to learn more about these housing
• alternatives
• conduct feasibility studies
• develop their common vision
• develop marketing strategies
• develop financial plans
• Assist in program start-ups