Our Mission:

CARR's recent project Long-Term Care Housing for an Age-Friendly San Diego: A Review & Assessment of Assisted Living Accessibility researched the availability and affordability of assisted living in San Diego's 39 communities.  The results for South Bay demonstrated the community has one bed for every 247 seniors 65+ and 42% of the 65+ population as unable to afford the median lifetime cost of assisted living care ($88,000).  At the close of the project, CARR partnered with a group of SDSU graduate-level social work students to leverage the results and recommendations of the project into coursework for the team's Community Organizing and Problem Solving course, SW 758.

Upon meeting with CARR, this talented group of women quickly understood CARR's "interest in discovering community solutions through research to help seniors of all income levels age-in-place" on their own terms.  Using CARR's plan to partner with Serving Seniors and facilitate focus groups, the team interviewed seniors at the St. Charles Nutrition Center.  Themes emerging from the interviews guided the team's research and the ultimate creation of the potential for an intergenerational pilot program for CARR to administer called "Living Together".  Going forward CARR will be looking for grant funding to implement this innovative program that would directly address "the emotional and instrumental support needs" of South Bay's seniors.

CARR would like to personally thank Joseph Gavin, Director of Integrated Services at Serving Seniors and Melissa Viramontes, HDM/Nutrition Site Coordinator for Serving Seniors for their assistance in coordinating the focus groups, as well as the nutrition center attendees who shared their stories with us.  CARR also owes a big thank you to Jennifer Cosio, Executive Director of SDSU's Consensus Organizing Center, and the entire team of students -- Kelsie Nuno, Katrina Pimental, Ada Rivapalacio, Karen Rojas and Meagan Wallace, all of who are also deserving of congratulations on their recent graduation. (CARR wishes you the best of luck!)

A recently released Bankrate survey reports Americans are saving little or nothing of their annual income and half could end up struggling in retirement.  

20% of those surveyed save 0% of their annual income while those who do save were found to not be saving enough.  Experts recommend setting aside 15% of one’s annual income, but of those surveyed– 16% report saving at the 15% level, 25% report saving 10-6%, and 21% save 5% or less.

The survey notes those 55-64 years of age, who do have retirement savings, have a median savings of $120,000, and those 65-74 years old have saved a median of $126,000.  Even when factoring in Social Security, these reserves will not last long in the absence of paychecks ($1,342 is the 2017 average monthly Social Security benefit) exposing seniors to the risks of a lower standard of living in retirement and/or an inability to afford an emergency expense. 

Another risk retirees must consider is the potential need for long-term care and the associated cost.  Assisted living is an increasingly popular option within the continuum of long term care. CARR recently received funding from The San Diego Foundation to examine the affordability of assisted living in San Diego. The median lifetime cost of assisted living in San Diego is estimated as $88,000 or $4,000 per month for 22 months.  CARR’s Assisted Living Accessibility study found 32 of San Diego’s 39 communities have 20-60% of seniors, 65 years and over, unable to afford lifetime assisted living costs, even when factoring in home equity. 

Since assisted living care remains, for the most part, a private pay option, Bankrate’s survey underscores the urgent need conveyed in CARR’s study for communities, like San Diego, to advocate for and improve access to aging-in-place for their aging population. A full copy of CARR's report is available upon request rcfereformorg@gmail.com. 

ADVICE FOR GRIEVING FAMILIES

(by Rebecca Ruiz)

Coming to terms with the death of a loved one is difficult, especially when few decisions were made about the loved one’s wishes about funeral arrangements. In an effort to make this time easier, The California Department of Consumer Affair’s Cemetery and Funeral Bureau created “Consumer Guide to Funeral and Cemetery Purchases”, to aid and inform family members about their options and rights during the funeral and burial decision making process.

It provides information on the relevant laws and regulations, and the legal aspect of decision-making, and lists all the possible steps and options that may apply during this process. It also encourages making arrangements in advance (also known as pre-planning or pre-need) to save family members from making decisions while grieving, which could keep them from being taken advantage of during their time of vulnerability.

CARR has reproduced the guide so consumers like you can download this booklet, and quickly access its information.

Aid & Attendance (A&A)

Veterans and survivors who are eligible for a VA pension and require the aid and attendance of another person, or are housebound, may be eligible for additional monetary payment. These benefits are paid in addition to monthly pension, and they are not paid without eligibility to Pension.  Aid and Attendance monies increase the pension amount, therefore people not eligible for a basic pension because their income is high, may be eligible for pension at the increased rates. 

 The United States Department of Veterans Affairs has published the 2018 Aid and Attendance Rates; rates were effective 12/1/2017.  They are:

The Aid & Attendance (A&A) increased monthly pension amount may be added to your monthly pension amount if you meet one of the following conditions:

• You require the aid of another person in order to perform personal functions required in everyday living, such as bathing, feeding, dressing, attending to the wants of nature, adjusting prosthetic devices, or protecting yourself from the hazards of your daily environment
• You are bedridden, in that your disability or disabilities requires that you remain in bed apart from any prescribed course of convalescence or treatment
• You are a patient in a nursing home due to mental or physical incapacity
• Your eyesight is limited to a corrected 5/200 visual acuity or less in both eyes; or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less

Click here to find the many other veterans resources listed on our site.