Accessible Housing Matters Podcast Features Chief Executive Officer Maria Zamora on “Aging in Place.”
Researchers have found that just short of half — 44 percent — of all homeless people older than 50 years old hit the streets for the first time after they were 50.
Host of Accessible Housing Matters Stephen Beard interviews our very own Maria Zamora, Chief Executive Officer and President of Center for Elders’ Independence. In the podcast, Maria talks about aging in place, the PACE model of care, and how accessible medical care is linked to numerous housing challenges faced by seniors today.
Research shows that nearly 90% of seniors want to stay in their own homes as they age, and respecting their aging-in-place preference is crucial to supporting them. Center for Elders' Independence, a PACE provider in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, works to promote aging in place, which has been shown to contribute to overall life satisfaction and improved quality of life in our senior populations.
Maria:
"PACE is a very comprehensive, holistic approach to caring for very vulnerable, medically complex seniors. When you join a PACE organization, you have a whole care team wrapped around you. Throughout each PACE center, you access your medical care or rehab services, physical and occupational therapy, or speech therapy. We have registered dieticians for nutritional support, therapeutic and recreational activities and transportation services. We coordinate all of this care, plus we provide medications and equipment that the participant may need to be more independent in their home.
What's beautiful and a critical aspect of the PACE model is socialization. We all know how devastating the impacts of isolation can be to our elders. The importance of human connection is why we bring some of our participants into the PACE center, so they have that care and companionship within the center. So it's not just about providing someone in the home; it is a beautiful combination of what works best for them."
To hear this story and much more, listen to Accessible Housing Matters podcast with Maria Zamora and host Steven Beard. Click Here to Listen