Atlantic Seniors Housing Research Alliance UPDATE

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Atlantic Seniors Housing Research AllianceUPDATE
Donald Shiner, PhD
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More truth than humour?

• To soon Old, to late smart - the most secure
  prisons are those we construct for ourselves
• Dr G. Livingston

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Psychologist Erik Erikson -8 Stages of Life

• When we are enmeshed in one stage of life, it is
  very hard to forsee the next-This is especially
  true when we try to predict ones own long term
  future life style, housing, finances and frailty.

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Housing Needs of Aging Atlantic Canadians CURA
awarded 2005 Completion 31 Dec 2009 Initial SSHRC
Grant 1 million Additional funds raised 200,000
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4 Research Questions
2005 2006
2007 2008 2009
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Theme 1 cont

• Atlantic seniors live in rural areas (42.2)
  while only 22.6 of all Canadas seniors live in
  rural areas.

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Theme 1 cont

• Seniors homes have two bed rooms or less in 4 of
  10 cases, the majority are 3 bedroom.
• On average there are 1.9 persons per seniors
  household

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Theme 2 cont

• Major repairs are needed for approx 10 of
  existing senior dwellings
• The older the home, the greater the need for
  repair
• 1 in 3 seniors have modified their home

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Theme 4 How transportation issues impact our
seniors

• 78.8 of seniors report they are still able to
  drive a car.
• By 95 years of age 1in 4 seniors are still
  driving.
• 12.7 report they have problems with driving

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Support Services Respondents who need help with service Respondents who would pay for service
Repairs around dwelling 21.7 76
Heavy or spring cleaning 16.9 81.5
Seasonal yard work or outside maintenance 13.4 71.3
Drives when needed 5.4 70.1
Everyday cleaning 3.9 80.4
Grocery shopping and errands 3.6 68.1
Visit regularly 3 52.2
Cooking 2.4 66.3
Taking a bath or shower 1.7 68.1
Hot meals delivered to the door 1.3 83.9
In-home nursing care 1.1 71
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Theme 8 Finances
Percentage of respondents income spent on shelter costs (n1491) Atlantic
Less than 30 53.2
30-39 27.1
40 or more 19.7

• Almost half of our respondents reported less than
  30,000 income per year and a significant
  percentage of these individuals indicated that
  they spend more than 30 of their income on
  shelter costs.
• With 1 in 5 seniors spending 40 or more of their
  income on where they live, they are at risk and
  have a serious housing affordability problem.

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Theme 8 cont Options

• Homesharing - an arrangement where two or more
  unrelated people live together in a dwelling.
  Each person has a private space while sharing
  common areas such as a bathroom, kitchen, living
  room, and dining room. In most cases, one person
  owns the home, and the other pays rent or
  provides some services to the homeowner such as
  cooking, housekeeping, or gardening in exchange
  for free or reduced rent, 28.7 were aware of
  homesharing and 19.2 might consider it as an
  option.

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Theme 8 contOptions

• A reverse mortgage - a plan that allows seniors
  to have extra income by using their equitythe
  value theyve built up in their homes. Under
  this plan, an older homeowner who takes out a
  mortgage on the home is guaranteed a monthly
  income for a fixed period of time (usually 10 to
  15 years) or, in some plans, for life. The
  mortgage and interest do not have to be repaid
  until the term expires, the owner dies, or the
  home is sold 67.6 were aware of reverse
  mortgages and 18.8 might consider this option.

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Key Conclusion

• that Seniors in Atlantic Canada are doing
  everything they can to age in place but are at
  risk of not being able to afford the very homes
  they treasure.