In survey, Santa Cruz County seniors cite financial hardship, housing worries

Quick Take

To help local agencies and cities best serve the aging population, the Santa Cruz County Human Services Department is developing a Master Plan for Aging. This week, the agency announced preliminary results of a survey focused on what older local adults say are their most critical needs.

More than a third of older adults who responded to a Santa Cruz County survey have incomes under $50,000 and worry about their ability to remain in their homes.

Santa Cruz County Human Services Department staff announced the release of preliminary results this week for a survey on senior needs that will be used for developing a Master Plan for Aging for a region struggling with an affordable housing crisis.

Earlier this year, the human services department announced the launch of the Age Well Santa Cruz County initiative – a collaboration among the Seniors Council of Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties and the county’s four cities – Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Capitola and Watsonville – to create the master plan. To best understand the needs of older local adults, the county conducted a survey from January through the end of March.

A total of 3,230 county residents between the ages of 40 to over 100 participated. The respondents included residents from all four cities, monolingual Spanish speakers, people with disabilities and people experiencing housing insecurity.

“Looking at the data as we decipher the survey results, we are not surprised to see that respondents struggling the most financially are also those facing the greatest barriers to healthy aging,” said Alicia Morales, director of HSD’s adult and long-term care division, in a statement. “While the responses are rich and valuable on their own, more analysis is necessary to develop effective strategies and partnerships that will best promote healthy aging for all.”

The preliminary results will be finalized in a report at the end of the year.

As the county develops its local survey report and local Master Plan for Aging, the state of California has developed a statewide plan as well. The state established five goals for healthy aging: housing for all ages and stages; health reimagined; inclusion and equity, not isolation; caregiving that works; and affording aging.

Santa Cruz County human services staff organized their survey questions and results around these themes. Here are several highlights from the preliminary results:

38% of respondents aged 60-plus are unsure of their ability to age in place.

38% of respondents aged-60 plus say their health limits their ability to leave their home at least a little.

36% of respondents aged 60-plus provide regular help or care for at least one other person.

Almost 1 in 3 respondents aged 60-plus report an annual income less than $50,000. Respondents in that category report more challenges than others: 60% reported a disability, 57% reported living alone and 5% reported they were unstably housed.