Sometimes, it is not as if older people may not live alone by themselves, but that they do not have a residence on which they can really count. Senior living arrangements may be a tricky subject indeed. In the event elder members of society can neither afford their current domicile nor live with their kin, they may be charged with finding a different space to call their own.

At the same time, however, there is a strong likelihood that they will not be able to work anymore given their advanced age, or the likelihood that they do not have a huge amount of savings to put toward securing a place. Subsidized senior housing, then, might be these individuals’ saving grace. For the reader who is not too familiar with the concept of subsidized housing, here are some ideas about what subsidized senior living may entail:

Obviously, critical to understanding subsidized senior housing is knowing what “subsidized” means in the first place. Something that is subsidized is paid for (at least in part) by government monies, also predictably known as “subsidies.” As such, subsidized senior living spaces are just what they sound like. Where exactly do these subsidies come from, though, and what must people do to qualify for them? Responding to the first part of the question, subsidized senior housing is provided for at both the state and federal levels by housing administrations.

As for the requirements, financial breaks on senior living are realized only for applicants (be they the prospective inhabitants themselves or their family sponsors) whose income is insufficient enough to warrant clemency. As of fiscal year 2009, the income limit is $46,000 for individuals and $53,000 for married couples. Anything above these tallies is grounds for refusal of benefits, pending review by appointed governmental agencies.  

Subsidized senior housing, as with any form of subsidized housing, is low-income residence. It should be noted this does not necessarily equate to the facility being low in quality as well, although the size of each unit in a reduced income complex may be relatively small. Subsidized senior living is a public service, and therefore reflects the moralistic nature of governmental aid.

As hinted at, subsidized senior housing may—or usually will—only cover a portion of rent payments, but if nothing else, the portion of the payer’s income or money saved to be paid every month will be significantly lower. Besides, subsidized senior living spaces grant minor modifications to the premises in light of seniors’ special needs.

Of course, cognisance of the benefits of subsidized senior housing is not worth much unless an elderly person and his or her family can locate a suitable, affordable residence. It may be hard to know where to begin such a search and who to trust upon receipt on receiving tidbits of information.

One useful conduit for details on subsidized senior living and/or subsidized housing for people with disabilities is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, referred to as HUD for short, allows for visitors to its website to search for affordable apartments across the United States based on state, county, and even individual municipality. 

Heretofore, most of our options for long-term care have involved seniors living in their own separate houses or apartments, even if that means they require a home aide or are living in a second unit right below their children. That said, group homes are a departure from this category, as the name would imply.

The concept of a group home is actually used for a variety of purposes the world over. Usually, group homes suggest that the people inside are disabled or disadvantaged in some way, as with the developmentally disabled, drug addicts, and people who have been victims of abuse. Old age, it must be stressed, is not a disability; some fortunate individuals are capable of living their lives without some major problem until they die of natural causes. Still, as we well know, this is not always the case. As such, a group home may well cater to that. Some notes about group homes for seniors:

As for what exactly constitutes a group home, there are a few commonalities. Group homes are often “homes” in the sense that their structures are actual houses, often converted from a previous one- or two-family residence. As for group home inhabitants, they are qualified by being unrelated to one another; such separates a “group” from a “family.”

In terms of the origins of this definition, group homes are functions of Real Estate Law more than Elder Law or even health care. Depending on the location, these units may also be assessed minimum and maximum permitted occupancies, as per zoning laws and the like. 

What also marks a group home population is that they share a common characteristic. As mentioned above, some group homes are designed for victims of abuse, victims of self-abuse or simply those who were born with a debilitating condition. With senior homes of this sort, though, the unifying principle is usually that the inhabitants are older adults who need some amount of assistance in their everyday lives.

Thus, a group home for seniors is likely not just a living space for the makeshift housemates, but a conduit by which they may receive certain services fundamental to long-term care, including help with bathing, cooking, eating and toileting.

As is almost always a concern, payment options may be more limited with group homes than with other facilities. Compared to nursing homes, for instance, many of which are dependent on help from Medicaid and Medicare, these other homes for seniors are not held to the same set of state and federal regulations as their counterparts. Nonetheless, as many nursing home residents (and their families) must secure some sort of private health insurance, group home inhabitants may also count on some form of outside coverage plan, or simply a monthly rate which income or savings can address.

Of course, some accommodations for older people do not preclude them from living near their families. In fact, they may even live on the same piece of property. Quite often, elderly individuals will reside in units that are their own separate dwelling spaces, but are usually contained on the same lot or even are attached to the building in some way.

As is wont to happen with long-term elderly care (note the aforementioned discussion of home health aides and their various synonyms), there are numerous names for these structures. Some may refer to a particular unit as an in-law apartment, secondary suite or even a granny flat (primarily in other English-speaking countries). However, for our purposes here, we will refer to a qualifying residence as either a guest apartment or guest house. Some notes about the use of these spaces:

Though it likely goes without saying, a guest apartment or guest house lies ancillary to the main home. Such accommodations are usually capable of being self-sufficient apart from the primary residence, including standard amenities like a bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom/converted sleeping space.

Thus, they are not meant for a whole family, but rather an individual such as a senior citizen living on his or her lonesome, and with little need for anything beyond these simple features. Certainly, though, a guest apartment or guest house may still be furnished with specially designed facilities, floors and furniture designed to prevent falls or serious injury. 

As to where these types of dwellings tend to stand in relation to the main structure, as noted, they may be either part of the same building or nearby. Concerning a guest apartment, although they may be dictated by the preexisting conditions of the house, there are definitely options to be played around with.

For one, depending on what is feasible, a guest apartment may either lie above the first floor of a one-family home, below it, as in a converted basement, or connected even to a detached garage. As for a guest house, sometimes termed a garden suite, it may be a separate unit on the premises, which may be more characteristic of a larger estate. Plus, when a family member ceases to use it, it may be rented out to non-relative guests, making it a “guest house” in the truest sense of the word(s).

Imaginably, the creation of a guest apartment or guest house in the absence of one requires the means to make this decision a reality. First and foremost, the family opting for this course of action will likely need to front most or all of the cost themselves, or will be paying out of pocket in installments.

Beyond this, though, before constructing such a unit, interested parties must receive clearance from the proper authorities lest they erect something illegally on their space. Accordingly, they should consult the municipal body with jurisdiction over these matters for assistance and clarifying information a midst the planning process.