4 ms·
More older Americans become homeless as inflation rises and housing costs spike
- ETH_start 4y agoThis is the consequence of bad economic policy: massive human suffering.. It is incumbent on the populace to study economics and vote in policies that are economically sound, like lax zoning regulations.
- toomuchtodo 4y agoLook closely at the part where senior housing is what is required (with care available); for a lot of these folks, vanilla housing isn’t enough. That is the policy failure. Has anyone done the math as to how many beds the US is short for seniors who have nowhere to go but also require senior care?
- ETH_start 4y agoThanks for addressing that aspect of it. My take is that the real policy failure with relation to the shortage of senior housing is government incentivizing and encouraging people to abandon the age old practice of the elderly living with their families. Beyond supply issues, nursing homes are notorious for elderly abuse, and this will never be fixed, because fundamentally, the people employed there don't care enough about the patients. You cannot institutionalize the care of people. Even the government engages in rampant abuse of the elderly in care homes: https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5969825 https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5969825
- toomuchtodo 4y agoEncouraging and supporting multi generational houses is one component that needs improvement, but some elderly have no one, and they will need safe housing a reasonable care until they pass, and that too needs policy improvement. Likely requires paying care providers what they’re worth and more taxes for certain economic cohorts. > You cannot institutionalize the care of people. Sometimes, you have no choice, so bring your best game (at a government level) to do so.
- ETH_start 4y agoI believe that if we provide care for the elderly, then inevitably, people will abandon their parents/grandparents. The reason East Asian societies have such strong family support systems is largely necessity: government-provisioned safety nets are very lean by Western standards. I don't agree with any policy that in the long run, engenders government dependency. I believe such policies do far more harm in the long run than good.