Aging Into Poverty

In Chapter One we meet Mary and follow her journey through all of the principal options for senior living – independent living, assisted living, living independently in the community with support and ultimately a skilled nursing facility.  Sharp details the budget and eligibility criteria, the timing, and tradeoffs that caregivers need to consider.

In Chapter Two Sharp walks through American history to look at how we have taken care of the dependent elderly from colonial days to modern times. From village elders who auctioned off widows to the lowest bidding farmer to the policy tradeoffs that left hundreds of thousands behind with the enactment of Medicaid and later Obamacare, America’s privatized care system struggles to care for the poor, the old and the sick.

In Chapter Three “Who Gives Care?”  we shift the lens to look at the caregiver.  As much as 75% of caregivers both paid and family members are women.  Daughters step up twice as often as sons.  By virtue of giving care, women put themselves at risk for falling into poverty later in life.  

Chapter Four “A Patchwork Quilt” identifies the various programs which Sharp accessed to support her role as a caregiver to help her mother live safely in a home environment.  Meals on Wheels, Senior Day Care, IHSS, and HEAP are among the supports described.

The book culminates with Chapter Five – “Solutions”. Acknowledging the gaps in public policy options, Sharp describes creative solutions for caring for the dependent elderly.  From backyard ADUs to family agreements and technology assists, these solutions can help families think out of the box. 

Aging Into Poverty is a thoughtful sharing of personal narrative with extensive research on available services and eligibility requirements.  Until such time as we have a comprehensive program to care for our dependent elderly at home in the community, we have Aging Into Poverty to help seniors and their caregivers to be aware of the gaps in our current system and to navigate the options for mom.