Characteristics of older adults experiencing unaffordable housing costs and food insecurity

Many older adults are at risk for experiencing poor nutrition as a result of cutting meals to pay for other essentials, such as shelter. This paper looks at the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of 2,329 adults age 65+ in Philadelphia and four adjacent suburban counties who are experiencing difficulties affording their current housing and are cutting meals due to cost. The random survey was conducted in Southeastern Pennsylvania (SEPA) in the summer of 2008. Nearly one-third of adults age 65+ in SEPA (31.7%) found it very or somewhat difficult to afford their housing costs in the past year, and 4.1% of older adults cut a meal due to lack of money. Older adults reporting difficulty in affording their housing costs also were more likely to cut meals than those who had not difficulty affording housing costs. Among those reporting that housing costs were unaffordable, 3.5% cut a meal compared to 0.5% of those who reported housing costs were affordable, representing nearly 18,000 older adults. This paper describes the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of older adults at risk for poor health outcomes because they cannot afford housing and necessary food. The results have important implications for planning nutritional assistance for older adults, especially the need to consider housing and other costs as barriers to nutrition and health promotion for this vulnerable population.