The community needs to draw upon the skills and sagacity (perception or judgment – maybe even wisdom) of seniors

The community needs to provide the respect and recognition seniors have earned (dignity)

Over the next 40 years the senior population will grow at a disproportionately high rate when compared to other age groups.

Assumed an extended lifespan, quality of life is a major concern for seniors.

Numbers are increasing.

Life expectancy is increasing.

The life expectancy of one who reaches 65 years old is an additional 19.3 years to 84.3 years, nearly two years more than the life expectancy in 1990.

Expectations are that there will be a 158 percent increase in population of those over age 60 by 2040 and a 316 percent increase of those 85 and older.

In 2000, there were 1.23 million residents in Sacramento County of which nearly 15 percent or 178,000 were over age 60,

Baby Boomers were in their peak economically earning (financially productive) years in the 1990s. They paid the most they ever had into Social Security and in taxes (more relevant are those for Medicare and Medicaid) on average. Their contributions paid for those who came before them.

The expectation is that there will be a 2 percent increase between the numbers of seniors age 60 or older in Sacramento by 2010 over the amount in 2000.

Because of the lost revenues to Social Security and diverse taxes and the increase of those drawing from the system, multiple problems arise.

Women live longer than men. As a result, 37 percent of women aged 60 and older are widowed as compared to only 11 percent of males.

Of seniors today, more than 85,000 live without a spouse compared with approximately 94,000 living with a spouse.

Seventy percent of all seniors living in Sacramento County are white. Asians represent 10 percent and Blacks/African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos both represent seven percent. Eight percent categorized themselves as being of more than one race and another seven percent as “other.”

Six percent of the senior population in Sacramento County either does not speak English well or not at all. They are labeled “linguistically isolated.”

Nearly 74 percent of area seniors have a high school diploma or higher.

Many seniors cannot afford to retire and return to the work force.

One of the most pressing financial concerns is housing or home maintenance. An older adult’s ability to pay for housing while meeting the rising costs for other necessities such as food, health care, medications and transportation, may determine whether or not they will have the opportunity to “age in place.”

Seventy-five percent of seniors are homeowners. Twenty-five percent are renters.

Renters are more likely to be challenged to find safe housing in a desirable neighborhood and are at higher risk of losing their home due to rate increases.

Thirty-five percent or more of area seniors’ income is used for housing.

In 2000, the median annual household income for all Sacramento County residents roughly was $44,000. For those ages 65 to 74, the median annual income was only $36,506.

For those over age 75, some 75 percent of them lived in households with incomes of less than $15,000 income.

More than 50 percent of Baby Boomers are concerned with whether or not they will have sufficient retirement funds.

Average retirement savings had declined from $120,000 in 2001 to $93,000 in just 2002.

Only five percent of all County seniors live in group quarters.

Housing Concerns:

1. Affordability – Seniors are more likely to pay as much as 50 percent of their income for housing than are non-seniors who typically pay approximately 35 percent.
2. Adequacy – Older homeowners tend to live in older homes: many with deferred maintenance needs.
3. Accessibility/Adaptability – Among others, two needs come to the forefront:
   • Universal design to allow for comfort in multiple locations within proximity of their own dwelling.
   • Accommodations for mobility aids such as wheel chairs or driving carts.
4. Coordinated Services – For example, help with meals, transportation, household chores, errands or health care referrals.

Homeowners age 62 and older are allowed to borrow against the equity in their home through a reverse mortgage.

Renters are at a higher risk of losing their rentals due to rate increases than are homeowners.

Due to escalating demand and a supply that has not kept pace, rental housing prices have been increasing steadily since the 1990s.

For older adults on fixed incomes from a retirement plan or Social Security, high rental costs in relation to income may make the difference between an older adult’s ability to age comfortably in place and enjoy a good qualify of life or a significantly reduced standard of living and even possible homelessness.

Older women may be especially vulnerable to the challenges of affordable housing since they tend to live longer than men and typically have lower income levels.

On April 23, 2004, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors endorsed a requirement that all new residential developments include housing that is affordable for low-income individuals and families.

Assisted living refers to housing that is a combination of housing and personalized support and health services in a non-institutionalized setting designed to maximize personal independence. Current there is no state-level funding for assisted living, the cost of which currently is between $2,000 and 4,000 a month based on location and level of care.

Residential care is more institutionalized and provides a greater level of personalized assistance and medical care.

Older adults are less likely than other age groups to be the cause of traffic accidents and injuries.

Persons over the age of 60 account for only 17 percent of all licensed drivers in the County.

Seniors who are hurt as a result of a vehicle accident are more likely to suffer severe and even fatal injuries than other age groups – often due to their age.

Nationwide, 21 percent of Americans 65 and older do not drive because of:

1. Declining health
2. Concern over safety
3. No access to a vehicle
4. Personal preference.

More than 50 percent of non-drivers age 65 and older stay home on any given day because they lack transportation options.

Alternatives to private automobiles include:

1. Public transportation
2. Dial-A-Ride services
3. Non-motorized transportation

Common challenges to walkable neighborhoods include:

1. Crime and safety concerns
2. Missing or damaged sidewalks
3. Heavy traffic
4. Lack of resting places
5. Traffic lights that do not allow sufficient time for pedestrians – especially older adults – to completely cross the roadway before the traffic flow resumes.

As of March, 2004, forty-nine percent of County seniors were registered as Democrats and nearly 40 percent as Republicans.

There are more than $50,000 veterans over the age of 60 living in Sacramento County.

Older adults feel that their health status is good to very good.

Lack of exercise, tobacco or alcohol abuse and obesity contribute to illness and premature deaths of seniors.

According to a report released in June 2002 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “300,000 people die each year from diseases and health conditions related to sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits.”

Medicare is a federally-funded health insurance program that pays for:

1. Most types of health care for persons 65 years of age and older
2. Persons considered permanently disable as defined by the Social Security Act
3. Persons with end-stage renal disease

Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) is a state-administered, federally-funded program designed to serve low-income individuals who are:

1. Aged
2. Blind
3. Disabled
4. Members of families with dependent children

Almost 77 percent of aged Medi-Cal eligibles also have Medicare coverage.

Medi-Cal generally pays the Medicare premiums, deductibles and any co-payments for those dual beneficiaries, also known as “Medi-Medi” beneficiaries.

Medi-Cal pays for services not covered by Medicare, such as:

1. Drugs
2. Long-term care
3. Limited assistance to a small number of Medicare eligibles that have incomes a bit higher than what is considered the medically-indigent standard.

Many adults over the age of 65 are eligible for Medicare because of their age and Medi-Cal based upon their income.

For older veterans, Medicare is the primary source of health care coverage and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is a secondary payer for services.

Unintentional falls were the leading cause of hospitalization for nonfatal injuries for all seniors.

Of the five leading causes of natural death for seniors over age 60, more than 50 percent were a result of heart disease (nearly 28 percent) and cancer (23.5 percent).

The other causes of natural death varied by race/ethnicity, with the top reasons including:

1. Pneumonia & Influenza
2. Cerebro-vascular Disease
3. Cirrhosis: Kidney Disease
4. Chronic Respiratory Disease
5. Diabetes
6. Artery Disease

Disabilities fall into five major categories:

1. Vision
2. Hearing
3. Physical Communication
4. Cognition
5. Physical Agility

The average rate of violent crime against those 65 and older is less than two per 1,000 populations.

The greatest threat of crimes against seniors comes from abuse or neglect.

The most common for of elder abuse in Sacramento County in 2003 was financial abuse.

Financial abuse takes two basic forms:

1. That committed by a caregiver or family member
2. That committed by “con artists” and bogus contractors who target older persons to cheat them of their savings and other assets.

SOURCE: A Profile of Older Adults (in Sacramento County California 2004), a project of the Sacramento County Adult and Aging Commission in collaboration with more than 100 community organizations and individuals.

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