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I'm thinking generators and a little AC would be a LOT cheaper than assisted living.
That's for sure. With someone coming in to care for them and make sure they take their pills and eat their meals, most could get along without assisted living. I don't think the government paying for someone to do care taking would be anywhere near as expensive as paying for them to be in assisted living.
The apartments are typically so tiny that a window air conditioner is enough in this state. Probably an air conditioner in one room and a fan to blow the cool air into the other room. We are talking about apartments that are 400 square feet or even less--that's how it is in this state anyway.
They don't get washers or dryers or dishwashers or garbage disposals. They carry their laundry outside in all kinds of weather to a building on site. They get a tiny bedroom and a combo kitchenette-living room. A bathroom you can barely turn around in. I've seen them.
(As I said before, I think prisoners probably get better housing, meals, probably don't have to go out in the snow to do their own laundry....)
That's for sure. With someone coming in to care for them and make sure they take their pills and eat their meals, most could get along without assisted living. I don't think the government paying for someone to do care taking would be anywhere near as expensive as paying for them to be in assisted living.
The apartments are typically so tiny that a window air conditioner is enough in this state. Probably an air conditioner in one room and a fan to blow the cool air into the other room. We are talking about apartments that are 400 square feet or even less--that's how it is in this state anyway.
They don't get washers or dryers or dishwashers or garbage disposals. They carry their laundry outside in all kinds of weather to a building on site. They get a tiny bedroom and a combo kitchenette-living room. A bathroom you can barely turn around in. I've seen them.
(As I said before, I think prisoners probably get better housing, meals, probably don't have to go out in the snow to do their own laundry....)
I agree with you, all of it, with one minor addition: more like 288 sq. ft. -- if that. One room. Tiny kitchen (sometimes without tiny stove but with just microwave). Tiny bathroom.
And, yes, you're right -- a visiting caretaker -- even for 8 hours a day -- is much less than an assisted living home (where they were get care that is not nearly as good), at least by 1/3 less average nation-wide.
The problem is: the demand for in-home caregivers is far greater than qualified caregivers. And lots of seniors are on their own and don't know how to go about getting one. Not to mention that it's almost impossible to get Medicare to pay for one. But Medicare will pay (pay more) for a lousy nursing home as long as the recipient is almost destitute.
I can tell you horror stories, of assisted living and nursing homes, that you'd never believe.
The problem is: the demand for in-home caregivers is far greater than qualified caregivers. And lots of seniors are on their own and don't know how to go about getting one. Not to mention that it's almost impossible to get Medicare to pay for one. But Medicare will pay (pay more) for a lousy nursing home as long as the recipient is almost destitute.
Medicare pays for medical services both at home and in a nursing home but doesn't pay for custodial care in either.
The coverage it provides is not income-based. Perhaps you're thinking of Medicaid?
Medicare pays for medical services both at home and in a nursing home but doesn't pay for custodial care in either.
The coverage it provides is not income-based. Perhaps you're thinking of Medicaid?
I don't think so. Maybe. I'll have to look it up -- I'm probably wrong. LOL
My mother was in a nursing home for more than 100 days -- she was going to have to start paying over $3000/mo. but she passed away before then. THEN does Medicaid kick in if the patient has no assets?? I'm asking you because I'm not sure.
Nope, you can do your own legwork. But, if these are "subsidized," who is paying the difference (the "subsidy") and who are they paying it to? Start there.
I can research TX but don't have access to other state's databases.
In TX in recent years, developers buy, renovate, or build independent-living complexes to get a tax income credit under the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. They are then required to rent a certain number of units at reduced prices to people who meet low-income requirements until the federal or state loans are repaid.
Some of the older complexes not developed under the LIHTC fall under the traditional HUD rent subsidies along with some help from charitable foundation donors, but they're increasingly rare. We've had an explosive growth of 55+ apartments under the LIHTC program, every couple of months another one opens somewhere in the state. Even so they're not keeping up with the demand.
I agree with you, all of it, with one minor addition: more like 288 sq. ft. -- if that. One room. Tiny kitchen (sometimes without tiny stove but with just microwave). Tiny bathroom.
My first subsidized apt in Redding, CA was 250 square feet. The one I'm in now in Crescent City, CA is 115 square feet. I do have a full size fridge, stove/oven and microwave, though. Once I figured out how to downsize even more, it's actually working okay. It's amazing how little space one really needs. And I even do crafting and sewing in here ha ha. I have very high ceilings, so we're talking shelves, shelves, shelves . And I actually have a bathtub - yay!
Both places were/are well managed and very well-maintained. Couldn't stand my last manager, but she did take care of the place. I love the one I have now. And they let us have a small dog/cat. I'm quite happy here. I can even walk to the ocean (though, it's pouring down rain today lol).
Sounds like these old folks should have planned better for old age.
I don't feel anyone is entitled to anything. It's highly unlikely they pay market rent, let alone enough to be demanding all these changes. Changes that they don't have a right to demand in the first place.
Spare me. My father was kicked out of his career occupation a few years before he would have gotten a pension. He hired a lawyer and got 10% for five years. His broker managed to lose his money. At the very least, he lost his license and spent some time in the big house.
I really think my father just wanted to die after those things happened. After all, he had been a poor, hungry, fatherless kid during the depression. It's not what he'd planned.
My first subsidized apt in Redding, CA was 250 square feet. The one I'm in now in Crescent City, CA is 115 square feet. I do have a full size fridge, stove/oven and microwave, though. Once I figured out how to downsize even more, it's actually working okay. It's amazing how little space one really needs. And I even do crafting and sewing in here ha ha. I have very high ceilings, so we're talking shelves, shelves, shelves . And I actually have a bathtub - yay!
Both places were/are well managed and very well-maintained. Couldn't stand my last manager, but she did take care of the place. I love the one I have now. And they let us have a small dog/cat. I'm quite happy here. I can even walk to the ocean (though, it's pouring down rain today lol).
I am glad you're happy -- and I mean that. But I have a touch of claustrophobia and I just can't even begin to see myself living in that small a space. I live in 600 sq. ft., right now, and all I have is my cat; a computer/computer desk (rather large); 4 bookcases -- full of good nonfiction and classic fiction; my clothes; and two comfortable living room chairs -- and the place is too small for me. I don't even have a kitchenette table and chairs -- I don't have even a small dining room!
But I'm in the process of moving into a large place -- 800+ - in a 55+ retirement community.
I will never qualify for subsidized housing -- well, I probably won't -- but I'd willingly pay more taxes for those in subsidized housing to have larger, nicer apartments.
Well the thread has wandered a bit so I'll add a little more of what I know about the living situation where my dad lives. Except for the handicapped apartments, I believe the layout is the same throughout all the apts. 1 bedroom and a kitchen/dinette area that runs into the living room. The apts are a good 4 -500 sq ft. The AC in the apartments is provided by the residents via window units and since all the utilities are included in the rent, there's an extra charge of a flat $70 for the summer months.
The hallways are hot but not unbearably so. Summertime, there are fans at either ends of the hallways on both floors. So - No, I don't think AC in the hallways is a big issue. With only 26 units, I don't see it being worth the aggravation to have a live in couple. As contentious as some of those residents seem to be, I bet their job would consist of responding to one complaint after another.
In retrospect, using "entitlement" in the thread title was a poor choice of words. It may describe the woman leading the charge....or her attitude but I think most of the residents are grateful to have a low cost housing option.
I strongly believe that we should have more places like that for our seniors. I've worked with the elderly in the past and for many, it can be a choice of food, medicine or rent when they're not in subsidized housing. The waiting list in my dad's building is something like 5 years long so the demand far outweighs the availability.
However, the emergency generator campaign still bugs me. In the last 10 years, I can think of maybe three times when the power has been out for more than 12 hours and I just don't think that warrants the cost of an EG set up. This isn't assisted living, a nursing home or located in the middle of nowhere. When everybody else lost power after the last hurricane or blizzard, they went to the local emergency shelter for power or heat.........and the people in my dad's building were no exception. They were offered evacuation and transportation and most took advantage of that offer. Even with an emergency generator, they'd still be essentially living without power.
So my issue isn't with subsidized housing for the elderly, IMO we don't do enough for the elderly in this country. My issue is with this person who wants more........and probably always will. I should have couched the thread more as a rant than an "entitlement " issue. .........but it has brought up some interesting perspectives.
I'd like to ask NOmoresnow where her figures on subsidized housing come from. I'm pretty fair at searching the internet and I can't corroborate her claims about the owners receiving market rates. From what I understand, the owner receives a set amount per apartment, an amount that's substantially less than market rate. It seems like a trade off for never having to advertise for tenants and a set amount of income every month that you can bank on. The owners also get low cost loans and tax breaks from HUD or USDA. Hard info on just how much money they (the owners) get from the government per rental is hard to find if not nonexistent. The only thing I can add to that topic is a talk I had with the part time office person in the building. I asked her if the owners ever thought of giving up the subsidized housing in favor of regular renting. She said that they'd make more money on the private market but have a lot more headaches. Sounded reasonable to me but what do I know. If that's not true, link me to something that is.
My first subsidized apt in Redding, CA was 250 square feet. The one I'm in now in Crescent City, CA is 115 square feet. I do have a full size fridge, stove/oven and microwave, though. Once I figured out how to downsize even more, it's actually working okay. It's amazing how little space one really needs. And I even do crafting and sewing in here ha ha. I have very high ceilings, so we're talking shelves, shelves, shelves . And I actually have a bathtub - yay!
Both places were/are well managed and very well-maintained. Couldn't stand my last manager, but she did take care of the place. I love the one I have now. And they let us have a small dog/cat. I'm quite happy here. I can even walk to the ocean (though, it's pouring down rain today lol).
I think I would go whacko. But you also have to consider the location. If you were in the northeast where you would be stuck inside for almost half the year, you might go whacko too. I'm fine in summer when I can get out of the house. I could live in a tent--hey, I DO live in a tent for part of the summer. I cook outside and I like it. All I would need is a sheltered bed at night.
But living in a tiny space and being stuck in it for months at a time--even though you CAN get out once in a while to a warm car to go to a warm grocery store and then back home again--is just too confining. If I lived in a beautiful place with a mild climate--like Hawaii, put me in 115 square feet and I think I'd be okay.
I think the subsidized housing in certain parts of the country should be larger AND the laundry should at least be inside the building if it can't be inside the individual apartment. Elderly people and disabled people should not be required to venture outside in ice and snow, dragging bags of laundry back and forth. (We have a disabled friend who lives in one of the rat holes in this state and he has to get to the laundry building, probably a two minute walk for an able bodied person, in his wheelchair. He can hardly get there at all in the ice and snow that lasts for 3-4 months here. Not to mention the sub zero temperatures.)
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LOL
. And I actually have a bathtub - yay!
