Seniors For Living

Senior living encompasses a wide range of options, from luxury independent living condos to modest assisted living studio apartments to MEDCottages (also known as “Granny Pods”) and everything in between. Most of these options come with a fairly hefty price tag, and as you begin to add supplemental services, the fees continue to add up.

Although there are different funding streams available to help pay for long-term care services in a senior living community, many who live on a fixed income desire a more affordable option.

Most states work with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to offer low-rent/subsidized apartments for seniors who meet the income guidelines. Other options for low-income seniors include housing choice vouchers and public housing. Read more about these senior living arrangements — and search for low-rent senior apartments in your state — at HUD.gov.

Senior apartments generally provide a limited number of services to residents, including housekeeping, laundry, case management, in-house transportation/access to local public transportation, some meals, and personal assistance services (i.e. help with dressing, mail pick-up, medication reminders, meal preparation, etc.). Most of these services are provided through the apartment’s CHSP (Congregate Housing Services Program); fees are income-based on a sliding scale.

- Michelle Seitzer