For older adults who live alone and may not have easy access to public transportation, relatively simple tasks, such as grocery shopping or medical appointments, become more difficult to accomplish.
Volunteers and non-profit organizations can often step in to fill the gap in these situations. There are two examples in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area where seniors can receive free non-medical care for a variety of daily needs.
Spotlight PA, a nonprofit news website covering the Keystone State, highlighted efforts to help seniors in an article published this week. The report specifically mentions the Opening to Seniors and Serving Seniors: Pittsburgh projects wesley family services Westmoreland and Allegheny counties in the Pittsburgh area.
The story revolves around an 89-year-old woman with limited mobility who lives alone in Westmoreland County. Her neighborhood lacks sidewalks and bus stops, making traveling to and from medical appointments difficult.
With the help of Wesley Family Services volunteer Polly Leipold, the elderly woman was able to get the care she needed while aging at home rather than moving to an independent living facility.
“I’m happy to be able to intervene in things that my family can’t because not everyone is lucky enough to have family next door,” Leipold told Spotlight PA.
Data from insurance providers Genworth Financial Designed to demonstrate the economic 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 a one-bedroom unit in an assisted living facility can cost as much as $66,000.
The report notes that Medicare does not cover long-term care needs through nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Likewise, Medicaid does not cover assisted living expenses, only nursing home expenses, “if medically necessary and a person is indigent,” meaning they have exhausted all other assets before seeking government assistance.
While many Americans worry about how long their savings will last in retirement, senior care costs are staggering.
For example, a recent study by a financial services provider fair The study found that nearly half of those surveyed believe retiring at 65 is “unrealistic” and many expect to wait nearly a decade before fully retiring.
Meanwhile, states like Massachusetts are trying to address these issues by funding programs that provide health care, food assistance and other services to seniors.
