Senior Community Centers

Fall 2008 Newsletter

Sagging Economy Causes Seniors to
Make Tough Choices
Seniors hit hard by rising food, transportation costs

Headlines all over the media these days highlight the slowing economy. From foreclosures to gas prices to food costs, the numbers are rising and everyone is affected – especially seniors.

Gwen, age 65, lives at the Potiker Family Senior Residence and worked for the Navy for 10 years before retiring a few years ago. She receives Social Security benefits that in the past were just enough to get by. Today Gwen has had to stretch her limited income even further to make ends meet. She, like many seniors, has been hit particularly hard by the rising cost of food. “We’re thankful we live here and have the dining room [breakfast and lunch is served in the Potiker dining room, Monday through Friday], but we still have to buy food.” Gwen says that she’s spending a lot more on groceries now than she was a year ago. “We can’t afford living outside [without affordable housing]…we wouldn’t survive.”

Kitty Roberts, Senior VP of Operations at Senior Community Centers has noticed the change. “Meal donations from the seniors are definitely down at all our locations. We used to receive an average of 50 cents per meal across our six locations and now it’s down to 32 cents. The seniors want to contribute but just don’t have it to give.”

Among seniors 65 and older:

• 59% find that is more difficult to pay for essential items such as food, gas and medicine
• 47% are having difficulty paying for utility services such as heating and phone service
• 10% report having to cut back on medications

Gwen and other seniors on fixed incomes have been through their fair share of economic challenges. For most, Social Security and SSI are their main source of income. They have very limited disposable income so when they have to cut their spending or find a way to stretch their money even further, it’s not on movies, vacations, or new clothes. It means they must decide whether or not they can purchase all the medications their doctor prescribed at once, whether they can afford a bus pass, or in the case of seniors who don’t live in affordable housing like Potiker or City Heights Square, whether they have enough money to even eat. Many don’t and therefore rely on the meals provided by Senior Community Centers.

The impact that the economy is having on seniors has not gone unnoticed by local and national organizations. Senior Community Centers’ President and CEO Paul Downey has recently been appointed president-elect of the board of the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs (NANASP). The association’s advocacy efforts with legislators are of increasing importance as it strives to make an impact on local, state and national public policy to increase funding that will improve the health and well-being of all older people.

For more information on how the sagging economy is affecting seniors, see "New Research Shows Cost of Living for San Diego Seniors is Grossly Underestimated".