Policy options for integrating health and housing for low-income older  adults

Affordable housing communities that provide supportive services are an important platform for meeting the health and social needs of low-income older adults. Almost three million older adults live in thousands of publicly subsidized senior housing communities across the country. By virtue of their low incomes, age, and disability status, approximately three-fifths of these older adults are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.

Affordable housing communities that provide on-site supports can help better address the medical and social care needs of their residents, supporting them to age successfully in community. Several affordable housing communities have introduced services to better meet their residents’ social, health and functional needs, but more could be done to support residents’ health, including more intentional collaborations with health care plans and providers.