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The background: My 82 year old dad lives in senior housing. It's a great thing for elderly folks on a limited budget. He pays one third of his income for rent with most utilities included. It's a decently sized one bedroom apt in a 26 unit building and he's happy as hell. The management company takes good care of the property, maintenance issues are taken care of promptly and they have a rep on site at least 2 days a week. By all accounts, it's a better place than most of the apartments I've lived in while paying over a grand a month...........but all is not well in this elderly haven.
Yesterday he was telling me that there is a group of people in his building, led by one crusader, that are raising hell with senior services and the state dept. on aging. They want the management company to install AC for the building because the hallways are too hot in the summer, they also want an onsite management team to live in the building, handle complaints as well as liaison with the town senior services. Last but not least, they want an emergency generator so if/when the power goes out, some of them can run their oxygen generators. I guess that some of them are under the impression that having an emergency generator will be just like having regular power.
Not to politicize the topic but the ironic thing about all this; I've met and spoken with the woman leading the charge for these amenities and she's a die hard, Fox watching republican who's discussed the the "awful problem of welfare people, our horrible president and those damn immigrants" with me......on more than one occasion.
So I guess the question would be- are the elderly entitled to more services than the average person? Personally, I think the requests are ridiculous. While I believe that we owe it to our seniors to offer low cost housing alternatives... should they live under better circumstances that the rest of the (full paying) apartment renting population? Are they more entitled than everybody else?
AC in Hall, No
On Site Mgmt, No
Busy Buddy can be liaison,
I don't have a problem with a Backup Gen that can do LIMITED power to the building(s), Critical functions, like Emergency lighting in halls/stairwells, One Emergency Light Per Apt, and 1 Plug (Only powered during outage) .
When you are dealing with seniors, when the O2/CPAP etc goes down next step is Ambulance to ER/Hospital. Slip/Falls because its dark, all increase (tax) costs due to them all being on Medicare if they wind up in ER.
AC in Hall, No
On Site Mgmt, No
Busy Buddy can be liaison,
I don't have a problem with a Backup Gen that can do LIMITED power to the building(s), Critical functions, like Emergency lighting in halls/stairwells, One Emergency Light Per Apt, and 1 Plug (Only powered during outage) .
When you are dealing with seniors, when the O2/CPAP etc goes down next step is Ambulance to ER/Hospital. Slip/Falls because its dark, all increase (tax) costs due to them all being on Medicare if they wind up in ER.
OP, the inconsistency and massive hypocrisy of that old lady you described makes me sick to my stomach. She is self-centered to the max. It's that type which gives old people a bad reputation. Those that live in that building should be thanking their lucky stars to be the recipients of such incredible generosity on the part of the taxpayers.
Your dad, who is "happy as hell", has the right attitude.
AC in Hall, No
On Site Mgmt, No
Busy Buddy can be liaison,
I don't have a problem with a Backup Gen that can do LIMITED power to the building(s), Critical functions, like Emergency lighting in halls/stairwells, One Emergency Light Per Apt, and 1 Plug (Only powered during outage) .
When you are dealing with seniors, when the O2/CPAP etc goes down next step is Ambulance to ER/Hospital. Slip/Falls because its dark, all increase (tax) costs due to them all being on Medicare if they wind up in ER.
My problem with the generator is the millions of elderly that are still living in their own homes or in non subsidized housing that usually don't have back up generators. They make sure that they have an emergency supply of bottled oxygen and if it looks like there is going to be an extended power outage, evacuate to a shelter........like everybody else.
I just looked up the topic and surprisingly, there are states with a law like this. RI has a law that you must have a EG for housing with elevators that have over a hundred units and there may be others. It also looks like several other states have proposals that are looking into the possibilities. It appears to be mostly fallout from Hurricane Sandy.
I'm all in favor of taking care of our seniors but I really think this is pushing things a bit far. I can only think of 2 times in the last 10 years when the power has been out for more than 24 hours. The cost doesn't seem to justify this convenience.
The issue of Limited Backup Gen's need to be planned into the project from the start. Its very costly to add them (to individual apartment) later, they are generally on there own meters, to retro fit in the "One Light/One plug" per apartment on "House" power/GenSet after the fact for the wiring could be cost prohibited.
People in Non/Government housing can pick a apartment that has that option, or install it at there own cost in there own home. Since its a apartment, you can not just put in your own generator.
Having backup supply of O2, Yes they should, but sometime you need to protect people from themselves, for not being prepared. The overall cost might be lower on a total societal cost.
Going to shelters, most shelters are not prepared to supply O2 or Power to concentrator. They will be on the next Trip to the Hospital (and all of the Societal costs that go with it).
There is a solution. There could be several back up generators (portable) on site and available to those who need oxygen. We have a small one in our home. It cost $300 - probably more expensive now.
The other requests, i.e., AC in the halls, lololol. Give me a break. The cost to retrofit is astronomical.
As for a "liaison," I don't get that, either. If they want to vote someone as their "liaison" who keeps in touch with the area Council on Aging or whatever agency handles such things where they live - just do it.
Portable generators are probably not practical for an apartment building. They have to sit outdoors don't they? Any kind of retro-fit is probably expensive, I would have to defer to the technical experts for a solution. Perhaps the management could stock emergency oxygen bottles.
Management has solution for you not having enough O2, Send you off to somewhere where do. The hospital. The Management will not want the cost or liability of stocking them, Your O2 problem is fixed with one phone call.
Hello 911, we have a senior who needs O2, Please come get him/her take them to hospital.
Management has solution for you not having enough O2, Send you off to somewhere where do. The hospital. The Management will not want the cost or liability of stocking them, Your O2 problem is fixed with one phone call.
Hello 911, we have a senior who needs O2, Please come get him/her take them to hospital.
That takes care of the O2 and is reasonable. Blackouts in buildings housing seniors are not and are worthy of solution at least in hallways and stairwells as are provisions for those with mobility issues.
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