What's a Senior to Do? - Part 1

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Several people on YouTube travel around the country to visit small and dying communities. It is easy to say that the young people moved out in search of jobs in the city – and many did, but not all. Seniors are having to leave their hometowns, as well. They are going in search of the goods and services they need but no longer can obtain in their own communities.

Let’s create a scenario to illustrate the problem:

John and Mary are getting up in years. Neither is extremely old, but they have arthritis, and their eyesight and hearing are failing. Their ability to get out and about in order to shop for groceries, pick up their prescriptions, and even pick up a takeaway from their favorite restaurant is diminishing. Mary hasn’t been able to drive for more than ten years due to her own health issues. Now, John can see that his driving days are dwindling, as well.

They live in a small town. The mega mart, drug store, and restaurants in town all have pickup service but do not deliver. Nor do they affiliate with delivery services. There is no taxi service nor bus service, except for the county-run shuttle bus that takes seniors to doctor appointments but not to just anywhere they may want to go.

Another problem John and Mary are facing is that they no longer are up to caring for a lawn. They looked into hiring a lawncare company only to learn that those companies only wanted to care for large lawns for people who could pay for extra services that, of course, would run up costs. They tried hiring a teenager to care for their lawn, but he refused to follow instructions and made a mess of Mary’s prized flowerbed.

In short, John and Mary are looking at having to sell their home and move to the big city, a place fraught with very high prices and an even higher crime rate. The amount that John and Mary would receive from the sale of their home in their hometown would not purchase a home in the big city. They are looking at having to move to a condominium or apartment. Because the homeowner association fees are so high on condominiums, they are looking at renting an apartment.

They have located two or three nice apartment communities, but they know that most renters are much younger than they are and live much different lifestyles than they do. They stay up much later, play music much louder, and tie up the washing machine in the laundry room. Mary suggested that they look at a 55-plus apartment, but the costs were higher than the couple can afford.

After fifty years of working hard, paying taxes, helping their children to get a good education, and saving what little they could, they are being forced to go backwards all the way to a one-bedroom apartment much like the one they rented when they first got married. John and Mary feel trapped between the proverbial rock and a hard place.

So, you ask why John and Mary don’t live with one of their children. The answer is simple: there is no room for them in their children’s homes, and the local jurisdiction or the homeowners association will not allow an accessory dwelling unit to be built on the property or even a travel trailer to be used as a residence on the property. One of the children’s husbands wanted to close in his garage to create an in-law suite; however, he had to keep the garage doors in place in order not to change the appearance of the house. That meant his in-laws would have been living in a dark and damp cave with no windows and no egress door. No, thank you!

As a result of these unwelcome options, too many seniors are living in their cars, including SUVs and minivans. They cannot afford to pay to park in recreational parks, so they boondock; that is, they park on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (in twelve western states), the Forest Service (in every state), and state forests and parks (in some states). Some of those charge parking fees, but their rates tend to be less expensive than rates in recreational parks. Quite often, there are no hookups to water, electricity, or sewer; no access to showers or toilets; and no security services. Seniors living this lifestyle must carry water in jugs, store their food in ice chests, and use cassette toilets or self-made ones. Some join fitness centers in order to take showers, while others shower at truck stops. To provide their own security service, many travel with dogs of breeds that increasingly are being banned by communities. Get the picture?

Is this any way for our seniors to live? No! So, what is the answer? If jurisdictions will not provide for the elders or allow the children to provide for their elders, just who is going to provide for them? Let’s explore possible solutions. Believe it or not, there are one or two possibilities that are starting to brew. Check back soon as we take a look at a newcomer to the game.