Elders Living on the Edge: The Impact of California Supports When Income in Retirement Falls Short

Publication Date: February 2008

Publisher: Insight Center for Community Economic Development; Insight Center for Community Economic Development

Author(s):

Research Area: Economics; Population and demographics

Keywords: living standard; elders; economic security; california

Type: Brief

Coverage: California

Abstract:

How much income is needed by our growing population of older adults to cover todays rising costs of living? What is the true impact of public support programs, such as Medi Cal, utility assistance, or housing assistance, on an elders income, housing needs and health care needs? In order to answer these questions, policymakers, advocates, social service providers and elders require an accurate measure of income security for elders. The Elder Economic Security Initiative (EESI), a multi-year, data-driven initiative raising awareness of and shaping policy on elders economic needs, offers such a benchmark: the Elder Economic Security Standard Index (Elder Index). The Elder Index measures what older adults require to make ends meet and remain in their own homes.