Addressing the Needs of our Local Seniors

By Zach Friend, County Supervisor 2nd District

Over the next two decades California’s senior population is expected to nearly double. In our County, our growing senior population faces a number of challenges – many of which will require renewed commitments budgetary and otherwise to ensure we meet them.

A few months ago the Seniors Council and Area Agency on Aging for Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties held a Solutions Summit that looked into some of these challenges and proposed some potential solutions.

Here is a small overview of those issues and ways that the County, the non-profits and the community at-large can work to address them.

Over 25,000 Santa Cruz County seniors do not have enough income to pay for their basic needs. Many seniors have fixed incomes but expenses are not fixed. Rising housing costs — which has increased local homelessness in people age 50 and up — and rising medical, transportation and food costs are all having a significant impact. According to a recent survey, 90 percent of local Meals on Wheels participants say there’s a time each month when they don’t have enough money for food.

Additionally, many seniors surveyed locally noted that paying for dental care is a significant challenge. As dental care isn’t covered by Medicare (and even though it was recently restored through MediCal) many seniors are without dental coverage all together. On top of dental care, paying for health care costs in general (costs not covered by Medicare) are difficult for seniors on a fixed income.

A number of local seniors have noted they’ve had months where they choose between prescription medication and food based on limited incomes and increased costs. A local survey also highlighted challenges with access to behavioral health for seniors, especially as it relates to issues around isolation and depression. More than 1 in 3 seniors cited in this survey have concerns about isolation and mental health challenges.

What are some possible solutions to these issues?

One major issue, understandably, is housing. For the senior population, ways that allow for the ability to age in place, increased creation of senior-specific housing (like the recent St. Stephens development) co-housing options, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), mobile/manufactured homes and more deed-restricted affordable housing are all part of the equation. Put simply, there is a need for an increased supply of housing, including affordable housing for those with very limited income and specifically housing that would benefit seniors.

The County has been streamlining our ADU process to increase their numbers and partnering with non-profit developers to look for more senior-specific housing development options. Additionally, the County has been working on our affordable housing rules to encourage more deed-restricted affordable housing creation and working — even through the courts when necessary — to protect affordability in local mobile/manufactured home parks.

Other solutions include improving behavioral and mental health access throughout the County and providing low and no cost options for dental care. Expanding access to low and no cost oral health providers has been an identified need throughout the County and local non-profit providers, doctors and the County have been working on this issue.

This is just a short list of some of the challenges facing our local senior population. Even though great work is being done every day on this issue by local non-profits and local government, much more needs to be done.

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As always, I appreciate hearing your thoughts. Feel free to call me at 454-2200.