Thousands of seniors are struggling with severe economic insecurity, having "too much" income to qualify for public assistance yet not enough income to make ends meet on their own.
On this page, access the data, publications, downloadable reports, and methods for California’s “hidden poor” population.
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Hidden Health Problems Among California's "Hidden Poor"
February 2016
Fact Sheet
Almost one-quarter (24.2 percent), or 655,000 California adults ages 65 and older living alone or with only their spouse/partner had a 2013 income above the federal poverty level (FPL) but below the Elder Economic Security Standard™ Index (Elder Index), according to the U.S. Census American Community Survey. This group of "hidden poor" are almost twice as likely to identify as being in poor or fair health, feel depressed, and report that they cannot get timely health care compared to their wealthier counterparts.
Using 2013-2014 California Health Interview Survey data, authors found 34 percent of the hidden poor group self-identified as being in "fair" or "poor" health, a rate almost twice as high as those with incomes above the Elder Index (17.5 percent). Hidden poor seniors had a higher rate of feeling depressed "some, most or all of the time" (10.6 percent) compared to 3.4 percent of the wealthier group. Almost twice as many had difficulty obtaining timely medical care (22.2 percent) compared with the wealthier group (11.9 percent). Older adults among the hidden poor also face barriers to care.
The Hidden Poor: Over Three-Quarters of a Million Older Californians Overlooked by Official Poverty Line
August 2015
Policy Brief
Over three-quarters of a million (772,000) older Californians are among the “hidden poor,” older adults with incomes above the federal poverty line (FPL) but below a minimally decent standard of living as determined by the Elder Economic Security Standard™ Index (Elder Index) in 2011. This policy brief uses the most recent Elder Index calculations to document the wide discrepancy that exists between the FPL and the Elder Index. This study finds that the FPL significantly underestimates the number of economically insecure older adults who are unable to make ends meet. Yet, because many public assistance programs are aligned with the FPL, potentially hundreds of thousands of economically insecure older Californians are denied aid.
Read the press release.
Economic Need among Older Latinos: Applying the Elder Economic Security Standard™ Index (Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology)
July 2013
Journal Article
Latino elders in California have lower rates of home ownership overall, and fewer have paid off mortgages than average among low-income seniors. Home ownership is typically the largest investment that older adults have, and paid off mortgages guarantee a lifetime of lower and fixed housing cost compared to renting. As a result of low home ownership rates, Latino elders are the most impacted by reductions in payments by Social Security, supplemental security income and in-kind benefits. Their plight is overlooked by many government programs and analysts because of the outdated and inaccurate federal poverty line, the official measure of poverty that is uniform across the entire country and that is used as an eligibility criteria for many public assistance programs.
In this study, the authors propose the Elder Economic Security Standard™ Index (Elder Index) as a more accurate measure of need. The Elder Index looks at the true cost of living in every California county using data from the American Community Survey and other public data sources. The results show that the amount needed for basic economic security in California is higher than the federal poverty level in all counties, and averages about twice the federal level. Particularly hard hit are Latino elders, who "are already struggling to make ends meet under current policies, let alone after cutbacks," write the authors.
Half a Million Older Californians Living Alone Unable to Make Ends Meet
February 2009
Policy Brief
Using the Elder Economic Security Standard™ Index (Elder Index), the authors of this policy brief find that nearly half a million elders (495,000) living alone in California in 2007 could not make ends meet—lacking sufficient income to pay for a minimum level of housing, food, health care, transportation and other basic expenses. The authors find particular cost inequities for elderly renters, for Latinos, women and the very old and find the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) that many programs use as part of eligibility guidelines is inadequate to support the needs of many seniors in California.
The Elder Index is an estimation tool based on the actual cost in each county of basic necessities for older adults. This policy brief presents the first data on older Californians using the 2007 Elder Index. The supporting materials web page includes additional detailed county by county information.
This analysis in this report was supported by: UCOP-California Program on Access to Care, Los Angeles County Area Agency on Aging, Aging & Independent Services of San Diego and the Insight Center for Community Economic Development.
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