Nursing Homes Fill Gap as Homeless Seniors Lack Affordable Housing Options
Many older adults with minimal care needs end up in nursing homes because affordable, accessible housing is scarce.
A growing share of nursing home residents—roughly one in 11 nationwide—do not need the intensive assistance such facilities provide, according to United Health Foundation data. Costs for a year in a nursing home average $119,340, far exceeding the $16,000 typical for subsidized permanent supportive housing, yet the latter suffers waitlists exceeding two years and often lacks accessibility. Hospital-to-nursing-home discharges, inadequate shelter conditions for older adults, and policy shifts away from permanent supportive housing leave many seniors homeless or forced into long-term care.
Researchers and clinicians, including Dennis P. Culhane and Jeffrey Farber, argue that age-friendly, low-income housing and a restructured long-term-care system are needed to prevent a looming crisis as baby-boomers age. The article calls for a transformation of funding and service models to keep seniors in the community rather than institutions.
Why it matters
Without affordable, accessible housing, vulnerable seniors risk homelessness or costly institutionalization, straining families and public resources.
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