For seniors who live alone and may not have easy access to public transportation, relatively simple tasks such as grocery shopping or medical appointments become much more difficult to complete.
Volunteer and nonprofit groups can often step in to fill the void in these situations. Two examples are happening in the Pittsburgh metro area, where seniors are granted access to free, non-medical care to assist with a variety of daily needs.
Spotlight PA, a nonprofit news site that covers the Keystone State, highlighted efforts to help seniors in an article published this week. The report specifically mentions the “Open Your Heart to a Senior” and the “In Service of Seniors: Pittsburgh” programs operated by Wesley Family Services in the Pittsburgh-area counties of Westmoreland and Allegheny, respectively.
The story centered on an 89-year-old woman with limited mobility who lives alone in Westmoreland County. Her neighborhood lacks sidewalks and bus stops, making it highly difficult to get to and from medical appointments.
With the help of Polly Leipold, a volunteer with Wesley Family Services, the elderly woman has been able to receive needed treatment while aging in place at home rather than moving into an independent living facility.
“I’m happy to step in where the family can’t, because not everyone is lucky enough to have family next door,” Leipold told Spotlight PA.
Data from insurance provider Genworth Financial was provided to show the financial benefits of aging in place. In Pennsylvania, the annual cost of living in a semi-private room in a skilled nursing facility is more than $129,000, while the cost of a one-bedroom unit in an assisted-living facility tops $66,000.
The report notes that Medicare does not pay for long-term care needs through a nursing home or assisted-living facility. Similarly, Medicaid does not pay for assisted living and only pays for a nursing home “if it’s medical necessary and a person is impoverished,“ meaning they’ve used up all other assets prior to seeking government assistance.
The staggering costs of elder care come at a time when many Americans worry about how long their savings will last in retirement.
For example, a recent study from financial services provider Equitable found that nearly half of respondents believe that retirement at age 65 is “unrealistic,” with many expecting to wait nearly an extra decade to fully retire.
Meanwhile, states like Massachusetts are attempting to address these issues by funding programs that offer health care, food assistance and other services to seniors.
