Title
Living Below the Line: Economic Insecurity and Older Americans, Insecurity in Massachusetts 2019
Document Type
Research Report
Publication Date
11-2019
Keywords
elders, economic security, older adults, demography of aging populations, Massachusetts
Disciplines
Demography, Population, and Ecology | Economic Policy | Gerontology | Social Welfare
Abstract
New estimates from the 2019 Elder IndexTM reveal that in Massachusetts, more than six out of ten older adults living alone, and three out of ten living in two-person households, cannot afford the basic necessities of life such as food, housing, and health care. The Gerontology Institute compares household incomes for adults age 65 and above living in one- and two-person households to the 2019 Elder Index for Massachusetts to calculate Elder Economic Insecurity Rates (EEIRs), the percentage of independent older adults age 65 or older living in households with annual incomes that do not support economic security. The EEIRs allow state and local governments to better understand and benchmark how many and which older adults are at risk of financial instability. In every state, more than four out of ten older singles are at risk of being unable to afford basic needs and age in their own homes. Massachusetts ranks worst in the nation with respect to the percentage of singles with incomes below the statewide Elder Index, with 62% of singles living alone being economically insecure.
Community Engaged/Serving
Part of the UMass Boston Community-Engaged Teaching, Research, and Service Series. //scholarworks.umb.edu/engage
Recommended Citation
Mutchler, Jan; Li, Yang; and Velasco Roldán, Nidya, "Living Below the Line: Economic Insecurity and Older Americans, Insecurity in Massachusetts 2019" (2019). Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications. 39.
https://scholarworks.umb.edu/demographyofaging/39
Included in
Demography, Population, and Ecology Commons, Economic Policy Commons, Gerontology Commons, Social Welfare Commons
Comments
For more information about the Elder Index, including county-level Elder Index values, values for homeowners, and values for older adults in poor or in excellent health, see ElderIndex.org and www.umb.edu/demographyofaging/elder_economic_security.