KCBA - Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz - News Weather-Nearly Half of California Seniors Living Alone in Money Struggle, Study Says
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OAKLAND, Calif. - Nearly half of California seniors living alone could not make ends in 2007, says a report released Monday by UCLA researchers.
The report bases its findings on the Elder Index, an estimate of the minimum income needed for seniors living alone; in 2007, that figure was determined to be about $24,000. Economists with Oakland's Insight Center for Community Economic Development determine the Elder Index
The report says housing is the biggest cost for California seniors, with older renters more than twice as likely to be in economic trouble than those seniors who own homes. Economic security also varied among races and genders, with about three-fourths of Latino seniors who lived alone unable to meet their costs, according to the report.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY:
ELDER INDEX-HOMEOWNER $38,080
ELDER INDEX-RENTER $25,492
In Santa Cruz County, nearly 60% of seniors living alone have incomes below the county's Elder Indices, along with nearly 21% of senior couples, the report lists.
MONTEREY COUNTY:
ELDER INDEX-HOMEOWNER $33,698
ELDER INDEX-RENTER $23,413
In Monterey and San Benito counties, nearly 48% of seniors living alone have incomes below their respective Elder Indices, along with nearly 28% of senior couples, the report says.
Franklin Williams, a senior advocate for California Grey Bears, a non-profit organization that provides food and work assistance programs for Santa Cruz seniors, says the worsening economy has seniors making tough choices on where their money goes.
"A lot of seniors if they didn't work here and get (a free lunch), they wouldn't get any food all week," Williams said. "If they weren't able to collect the bagging and the day-old stuff they wouldn't have any food at all."
"A lot of them have to make a decision between medicine and if you have blood pressure medicine and you don't buy it, youre going to die."
The report is critical of the requirements for seniors to access public support, saying many seniors fall through the cracks because of what the report says is an "unrealistic" assessment of their cost-of-living expenses.
