‘Our interests matter’: Puerto Rican older adults in the age of gentrification

Urban Studies ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (14) ◽  
pp. 3168-3184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivis García ◽  
Mérida M Rúa
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Puerto Rican ◽  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Aging In Place ◽  
Focal Attention ◽  
The Us ◽  
Ethnographic Data ◽  
Us Census

Gentrification scholarship often focuses on the vulnerability of long-term residents in general (for example homeowners, renters, and low-income older adults) to displacement, though not necessarily with focal attention to how this process specifically affects low-income minority older adults. Using ethnographic data, the authors prioritise and examine the experiences of aging low-income Puerto Ricans who, by way of senior-designated affordable housing, remain in some of Chicago’s most rapidly gentrifying communities. Interviews, focus groups, and participant observations are supplemented with data from the US Census from 1970 to 2010 in order to document some of the demographic changes that have been taking place in what were once majority Puerto Rican neighbourhoods. We find that while low-income older Latina and Latino residents are able to stay in a gentrifying neighbourhood, surrounded by new amenities, they still find limited spaces where they feel welcomed, resulting in indirect displacement. We argue that considerations of aging in place should not only include affordable housing, but should also include an accessible neighbourhood in terms of mixed-uses that support the wants and needs of low-income and minority older adults.

scholarly journals Challenges and Supports to Aging in Place in a Gentrifying Context

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 873-873
Author(s):  
Manish Kumar ◽  
Laura Richman
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Aging In Place ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Neighborhood Change ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Age In Place

Abstract Neighborhoods play a central role in healthy aging, with changes to neighborhoods having a profound impact on older adults’ ability to age in place. Using gentrification as an indicator of neighborhood change and applying the theoretical framework of the Environmental Press model (Lawton and Nahemow, 1973), this study examined the relationship between changing environments, affordable housing, and environmental attributes that support and hinder the health and well-being of older adults. A qualitative, case-study approach was used to interview low-income, majority Black older adults in a gentrifying area of Washington DC. 32 individuals (16 in non-profit and 16 in for-profit affordable housing) aged 55 and older participated in semi-structured interviews on perceptions of gentrification, neighborhood change, and challenges and supports to aging in place. Transcripts were then analyzed using the framework method of analysis. Although participants generally reported that gentrification improved their neighborhood’s built environment, many attributed it to a decline in social capital. Affordable housing provided an ability to age in place, though participants expressed uncertainty over their long-term ability to age in the context of continuing change. These findings suggest that while the physical changes accompanying gentrification may support older adults’ ability to age in place, its detrimental impact on social capital further increases their risk for social isolation. While affordable housing may enable older adults to age in place, fostering a greater sense of permanence and well-being will require additional policies that both increase accessibility to the physical amenities provided by gentrification and preserve older adults’ social capital.

Patterns of Psychoactive Medication Use in Community-Dwelling Older Adults in the US in 2016: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

2020 ◽  
pp. 089826432095929
Author(s):  
Rashmita Bajracharya ◽  
Danya M. Qato
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Medical Expenditure Panel Survey ◽  
Survey Methods ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Medical Expenditure ◽  
Psychoactive Medication ◽  
The Us ◽  
Psychoactive Medications

Objectives: We aim to quantify any use and long-term use patterns of psychoactive medications and explore differences in use by sociodemographic factors in older adults (60–85 years) using the 2016 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Methods: Prevalence estimates of any use and long-term use were calculated. Chi-square and crude odds ratios were calculated to estimate differences in any use and long-term use of psychoactive medication by sociodemographic characteristics of respondents. Results: Thirty percent of older adults in the US reported any use of psychoactive medications. Long-term use was significantly higher in women (28.3% [95% confidence interval: 26.5, 30.2]), white (27.8 [26.1, 29.7]), presently unmarried (27.5 [25.4, 29.7]), and low-income (30.3 [27.7, 32.9]) subgroups than in men (20.5 [18.4, 22.5]), Black (14.7 [12.3, 17.1]), presently married (22.8 [20.7, 24.9]), and high-income (21.1 [19.1, 23.1]) subgroups, respectively. Discussion: Despite continued risks associated with use, long-term use of psychoactive medications is prevalent in the older adult population in the US. Given the increased complexity of pharmacotherapy regimens in this population, enhanced efforts at improving use of psychoactive medications should be intensified.

Aging Gracefully in Place: An Evaluation of the Capability of the CAPABLE© Approach

2021 ◽  
pp. 073346482110426
Author(s):  
Jill Breysse ◽  
Sherry Dixon ◽  
Jonathan Wilson ◽  
Sarah Szanton
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Aging In Place ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Health Improvement ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Adult Health ◽  
Age In Place ◽  
Home Based

As American adults live longer, society must prioritize effective strategies promoting safe aging-in-place and decreasing institutional health care costs. Social determinants of health, especially housing, critically influence older adult health, particularly for disadvantaged, low-income older adults. Johns Hopkins University developed Community Aging in Place—Advancing Better Living for Elders (CAPABLE©), a client-centered, home-based program to improve older adults’ function and capacity to age in place. This evaluation studied CAPABLE’s long-term effectiveness in four distinct locations in California, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. Seven months after CAPABLE, intervention group participants experienced greater improvements than the control group in activities of daily living limitations (2-point vs. 0.7-point improvement, p = .012), falls efficacy (8.9-point improvement vs. 0.1-point worsening, p = .012), depression (1.3-point improvement vs. 0.4-point worsening, p = .021), and pain (1.5-point improvement vs. 0.3-point worsening, p = .002). These results add to existing research on short-term effectiveness in urban locales, showing CAPABLE yields long-term health improvement for older adults in micropolitan and small urban locations, with different implementation organizations, housing stocks, and clients.

scholarly journals A Pharmacist-Led Medication Coaching Program Serving Senior Residents of Low-Income Housing

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 761-762
Author(s):  
Jennifer Bacci ◽  
Joshua Akers ◽  
Katie Mahan ◽  
Geoffrey Meer ◽  
Jeffrey Kinter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Community Pharmacy ◽  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Organization Structure ◽  
Local Area ◽  
Fiscal Year ◽  
Service Process ◽  
Process Outcomes

Abstract In 2015, one independent community pharmacy partnered with the local Area Agency on Aging to provide medication coaching to low-income, culturally diverse, older adults living in 6 affordable housing buildings in the Seattle area. A pilot was conducted during the 2015-2016 fiscal year to determine the need for and feasibility of the service. Process outcomes, including patient and service demographics, medication-related problems, and pharmacist interventions, were captured via the pharmacists’ patient care documentation. Pharmacists had 34 total visits with 17 unique residents who were taking an average of 8.1 medications. Pharmacists identified 97 medication-related problems, averaging 5.7 problems per resident, and performed 88 interventions, averaging 5.2 interventions per resident. The findings of this pilot demonstrated the needs and feasibility of implementing pharmacists’ services within a housing organization structure and has resulted in the continuation and growth of the program.

scholarly journals The Impact of Function Focused Care From Acute Care to Home Care and Nursing Homes

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 629-629
Author(s):  
Silke Metzelthin ◽  
Sandra Zwakhalen ◽  
Barbara Resnick
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Acute Care ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Functional Decline ◽  
Term Care ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Functional decline in older adults often lead towards acute or long-term care. In practice, caregivers often focus on completion of care tasks and of prevention of injuries from falls. This task based, safety approach inadvertently results in fewer opportunities for older adults to be actively involved in activities. Further deconditioning and functional decline are common consequences of this inactivity. To prevent or postpone these consequences Function Focused Care (FFC) was developed meaning that caregivers adapt their level of assistance to the capabilities of older adults and stimulate them to do as much as possible by themselves. FFC was first implemented in institutionalized long-term care in the US, but has spread rapidly to other settings (e.g. acute care), target groups (e.g. people with dementia) and countries (e.g. the Netherlands). During this symposium, four presenters from the US and the Netherlands talk about the impact of FFC. The first presentation is about the results of a stepped wedge cluster trial showing a tendency to improve activities of daily living and mobility. The second presentation is about a FFC training program. FFC was feasible to implement in home care and professionals experienced positive changes in knowledge, attitude, skills and support. The next presenter reports about significant improvements regarding time spent in physical activity and a decrease in resistiveness to care in a cluster randomized controlled trial among nursing home residents with dementia. The fourth speaker presents the content and first results of a training program to implement FFC in nursing homes. Nursing Care of Older Adults Interest Group Sponsored Symposium

scholarly journals Improvements of Disability Outcomes in CAPABLE Older Adults Differ by Financial Strain Status

2020 ◽  
pp. 073346482097555
Author(s):  
Minhui Liu ◽  
Qian-Li Xue ◽  
Laura Samuel ◽  
Laura N. Gitlin ◽  
Jack Guralnik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Aging In Place ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Attention Control ◽  
Financial Strain ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Home Based Intervention ◽  
Strain Status

The Community Aging in Place–Advancing Better Living for Elders (CAPABLE) program reduces disability in low-income older adults. In this study, we used CAPABLE baseline and 5-month data to examine whether its effects in reducing activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental ADLs (IADLs) difficulties differed by participants’ financial strain status. At baseline, participants with financial strain were more likely to report higher scores on depression ( p < .001), have low energy ( p < .001), and usually feel tired ( p = .004) compared with participants without financial strain, but did not differ in ADL/IADL scores. Participants with financial strain benefited from the program in reducing ADL (relative risk [RR]: 0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.43, 0.86) and IADL disabilities (RR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.54, 0.87), compared with those with financial strain receiving attention control. Individuals with financial strain benefited more from a home-based intervention on measures of disability than those without financial strain. Interventions that improve disability may be beneficial for financially strained older adults.

scholarly journals PERCEPTIONS OF AGING IN PLACE: A FOCUS ON LOW INCOME AND OLDER ADULTS

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. 454-454
Author(s):  
C.R. Bolkan ◽  
B. Mandal ◽  
E. Kim
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Aging In Place ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging

scholarly journals Individual and Environmental Barriers to Successful Aging

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daphne C. Hernandez ◽  
Craig A. Johnston
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Behavioral Changes ◽  
Healthy Diet ◽  
Environmental Barriers ◽  
Aging Adults

The cornerstone to successful aging is maintaining a consistent physical activity routine and healthy diet. This is particular important for aging adults to preserve their independence. However, for low-income aging adults there are significant individual and environmental barriers that reduce their ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Understanding how environmental supports can be found in existing programs geared toward older adults is a way to insure long-term behavioral changes.

Levels of Employment and Community Engagement among Low-Income Adults: Implications for Medicaid Work Requirements

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 1059-1082
Author(s):  
Aparna Soni ◽  
Cong Gian ◽  
Kosali Simon ◽  
Benjamin D. Sommers
Keyword(s):  
Community Engagement ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Poverty Level ◽  
Work Requirements ◽  
Legal Challenges ◽  
The Us ◽  
Time Use Survey ◽  
Medicaid Beneficiaries ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Us Census

Abstract Context: Twenty states are pursuing community engagement requirements (“work requirements”) in Medicaid, though legal challenges are ongoing. While most nondisabled low-income individuals work, it is less clear how many engage in the required number of hours of qualifying community engagement activities and what heterogeneity may exist by race/ethnicity, age, and gender. The authors' objective was to estimate current levels of employment and other community engagement activities among potential Medicaid beneficiaries. Methods: The authors analyzed the US Census Bureau's national time-use survey data for the years 2015 through 2018. Their main sample consisted of nondisabled adults between 19 and 64 years with family incomes less than 138% of the federal poverty level (N = 2,551). Findings: Nationally, low-income adults who might become subject to Medicaid work requirements already spent an average of 30 hours per week on community engagement activities. However, 22% of the low-income population—particularly women, older adults, and those with less education—would not currently satisfy a 20-hour-per-week requirement. Conclusions: Although the majority of potential Medicaid beneficiaries already meet community engagement requirements or are exempt, 22% would not currently satisfy a 20-hour-per-week requirement and therefore could be at risk for losing coverage.

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