Report Raises Alarms about Older Americans' Housing Needs via GlobeSt.com

A just-released report from the Center for Housing Policy points out one interesting trend: Namely that in the United States, the 65-and-older population will swell to nearly 90 million by 2050; approximately one in five people will be 65 or older. And the report entitled “Housing an Aging Population-Are We Prepared?” points out another interesting trend: Namely that there may not be enough housing options to meet that fast-growing demographic.

The issue is, of course, the baby boom population; the leading edge of which began turning 65 in 2011. But the study also points out that there will be a lot of growth in the 85-year-old-plus category as well; which is anticipated to triple from 5.8 million in 2010 to 19 million in 2050.

“The policymakers concerned about older adults have been thinking about this issue from a healthcare perspective, but little has been considered from the housing standpoint,” says Maya Brennan, senior research associate for the Center for Housing Policy in Washington, DC. “One of the biggest findings in this report is that older adults already have tremendous housing challenges.” One of those challenges, she tells GlobeSt.com, is affordability. Another involves mobility challenges. “One in four of those 65 years of age and older will have some kind of lower body limitation, making it difficult for them to get in and out of the home in which they live, or to move around inside their homes,” Brennan adds. Then there are the socio-demographic aspects of this group; namely that many of them are alone.

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