What’s Missing in the Supportive Housing Continuum? Older Adults, New Ground: Redefining Housing for Our Aging Population Mark Hinderlie October 4, 2017

Hearth has operated Ruggles Assisted Living for 15 years The service model works but the funding model doesn’t, so we’ve been thinking about this for a long time

What’s the Supportive Affordable Housing Continuum in the Context of Seniors ? Let’s see…

It starts with accessibility… … since seniors at some point will have trouble climbing four flights of stairs, safely negotiating transactions the rest of us take for granted

Next we add a resident service coordinator to a senior building… … so seniors can access community based support services as needed while retaining their independence

For some populations – the homeless, the disabled, people with behavioral health or substance misuse issues for example – the acceleration of their aging that occurs means community based services may not be enough, so… We also need service enriched housing with services – social workers, nurses, personal care homemakers –on site to enable seniors to remain independent in their own homes

And when seniors need even more support – care management, 3 meals a day, help with activities of daily living (ADLs) – They need affordable assisted living to provide for those more intensive needs, OR…

And be at risk of losing their independence, at greater cost They will end up prematurely in skilled nursing/long term care facilities… And be at risk of losing their independence, at greater cost

But there is very little public funding for affordable assisted living available… So too often lower income seniors end up in more expensive yet more restrictive nursing home settings

That’s what this panel is about… We can do better! That’s what this panel is about…

Factors that Affect Health

Boston Area Elder Living & Long Term Care Costs Supportive housing costs less than home & nursing home care Sources: MetLife Survey of Long-Term Care Costs, UMass Boston Gerontology Institute, MA Elder Economic Security Standard Index

Mark Hinderlie, President & CEO Thank you! Mark Hinderlie, President & CEO Hearth, Inc. 617-369-1553 mhinderlie@hearth-home.org

Supportive Housing Makes $en$e The cost of Hearth housing is at most one-half the cost of institutional alternatives such as long term care or shelter beds. There are high costs associated with leaving elders in shelter or on the street which include costs such as increased use of emergency medical care for routine care. Cumulative annual cost savings of greater than $800,000 based on 18 residents who moved to PSH from skilled nursing care and group homes at Commons at Buckingham, Columbus Ohio PSH developed by National Church Residences At Ruggles Assisted Living, Hearth is able to provide access to this high level of care for Boston’s very low income, frail elders who otherwise would be living in nursing homes on Medicaid’s tab.