Elders Living on the Edge: When Meeting Basic Needs Exceeds Available Income in Wisconsin

Abstract:

How much income do Wisconsin elders need
to meet the rising costs of living? How much
do public support programs such as Medical
Assistance, utility assistance and housing
assistance help elders meet their rising expenses?
To accurately answer these questions, policy
makers, advocates and social service providers
need an accurate measure of elders economic
security. The national Elder Economic Security
Initiative (the Initiative) is a multi-year,
research-driven initiative to raise awareness and
improve public policies for older adults that offers
such a benchmark the Elder Economic Security
Standard (Elder Index).