Group 2 - Chapter 4: Resources

CHAPTER 4. RESOURCES
Available Housing Resources

Accessory Apartments
Accessory Apartments are a self contained living space with its own bathroom, kitchen and private entrance that has been modified out of unused space in a pre-existing home and then rented out to a boarder (Golant, 1992, p. 218). Accessory apartments need to be specially zoned with the city before they can be rented out.

They are usually built as an addition to an existing home, but also may be converted from existing rooms. In either case accessory apartments house another household. They can be built for numerous reasons: prospects of rental income or housing for family or friends (Under One Roof, 1992, p. 59).

Farmers Home Administration
FMHA or now called Department of Rural Development. Farmers Home Administration was designed to provide new rental housing units for the elderly. It is subsidized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and it falls under the USDA. It also provides subsidized and unsubsidized loans for construction of multifamily rental projects. It is an interest credit, with the tenant paying rent based on their income and with the mortgage interest ranging from 1% up to the current market interest rate. The developer is often a non-profit organization or a Housing Authority. It serves rural communities with up to 20,000 residents (Huttman, 1988, p. 368).

FMHA offers two programs to rural communities: 502, a Rural Housing Loan for purchasing an existing home, and a 504 Loan and Grant Program to make improvements to homes they already own. Grants are for individuals who are 62 years old and over. The 504 Loan and Grant Program may help to provide elderly the funds to make improvements on their homes to make them safer, more accessible, and useable for persons who are developmentally disabled. It also could help pay for major improvements such as installation or repair of sanitary water, waste disposal systems, electric wiring, or repairs to roofs, just to name a few. This grant is intended and can only be used by those in the very low income limits.

The FMHA housing in Guthrie Center and Bayard bases it qualifications on the adjusted gross income guidelines: $27,450 per year for 1 person and $30,600 per year for 2 people. The contact person for this area is Lyle Peasley, Property Manager 1-800-654-4546. It is managed by West Central Property Management.

Shared Housing
Elderly persons can enjoy the advantages of "living with someone else without having to leave their familiar dwelling or deal with the conflicts of residing in a family members home. They can share their current household with a person unrelated to them, a friend, or newly recruited housemate" (Golant, 1992, p. 215).

According to Golant (1992), there are 4 different versions of Shared Housing, and they are categorized by whether an individual or a agent initiates the housing-sharing.

"Self-initiated-existing dwelling: based on an existing friendship or through other informal mechanisms.
Self-initiated-new dwelling: The older person initiates the home sharing, but shares a rented or purchased dwelling with a house mate that neither has occupied previously.
Agency-assisted: The older person uses the matching service of some social service agency (mostly non-profit groups) to link up with a suitable house mate.
Agency-sponsored group housing: An organization either for profit or non-profit develops, renovates, or locates accommodations for several unrelated older persons. The agency assumes ultimate responsibility for maintenance and management (Golant, 1992, p.217-218)."

Home sharing is an alternative long term living arrangement where 2 unrelated people choose to share a house, apartment, condo, or mobile home. Each person has their own bedroom , but shares the common areas such as the living room, kitchen, bathroom, and family room. House mates make mutual decisions regarding expectations for areas or household duties, kitchen usage, telephone, privacy, and guests.

There are a number of reasons a person would consider home sharing:

Financial benefits: For the person on a tight budget, home sharing can reduce the cost of housing by $2,500 or more a year.
Independence: For someone who needs help to stay in their home, a house mate can do yard work, cleaning, provide transportation, or cooking in exchange for a reduction in rent, or room and board.
Security: Someone else living in the home can lessen the fear of being alone, take the mail when you are away, or seek help if you are unable to do that for yourself.
Companionship: There is someone to talk to and to share similar interests.

If you are interested in obtaining information, or applying for shared housing in the Guthrie County area please contact: Beth Bahnson, Elder Family Homes at 515-281-8640.

Echo Housing
Elderly Cottage Housing Opportunity is a small free standing, barrier free, energy efficient, and removable housing unit that are installed adjacent to existing single family homes on the same lot (ECHO Housing Fact Sheet). The owner of the home and lot may be the senior or the sharing party.

Many municipalities have regulations for establishment of such units in single family neighborhoods. Communities may restrict units to affordable rents, or to senior relatives. The two households are expected to provide support for each other and help with home maintenance and expenses. ECHO units can also form elderly housing cluster arrangements on small tracts of land and be leased out by non-profit corporations, local Housing Authorities, or private investors.

Many elderly homeowners are unable because of finances or personal need to remain in their large homes. ECHO Housing is an affordable option for many older persons and their families. ECHO Housing encourages day to day support that benefits both households yet permits the separate households to share meal preparation, chores, transportation and other daily activities. Some of the benefits are security, companionship, giving support, receiving support, economics, and independence.

CCRC
Continuing Care Retirement Community offers a centrally planned administration continuum of shelter, care, and accommodations within a campus like setting. "As a continuing care resident, you can enjoy a comfortable, independent life style, secure in the knowledge that if you become frail or ill as you grow older your needs will be met in a familiar environment." Over the course of residency in a CCRC, an older occupant could conceivably occupy a rental apartment in the independent accommodations of a congregate housing facility, a room for the semi-independent in an assisted living center, and a bed in a skilled nursing home. Short of hospital care, however, older people can be accommodated for the balance of their lifetime within the same facility even as they experience the most age-related mental and physical disabilities. Most CCRC’s are in a campus like setting with physically adjacent buildings (Golant, 1992, p. 260-261).

Most CCRC’s require a one time entrance fee which may be called a purchase price or annuity. There will also be monthly service fees. The continuing care contract should provide residents with long term security and a life long assurance for care. One’s physical and mental health is often subject to review before a CCRC will approve you for a contract. There are different types of entrance fee contracts:

Extensive agreement: provides residents with lifetime access to health care without an increase in the monthly service when care is provided. It requires residents to pay a higher fee initially with the assumption that they will utilize an increased level of health care in the future.
Modified agreement: offers the same access to health care, however residents only pay for care as it is needed. The monthly service fee increases as levels of care increase, although residents may receive a discounted rate for the care and a specified number of days of long term nursing care at no additional cost.
Fee for service agreement: residents may initially pay a lower monthly service fee than with other types of contracts, however, residents are responsible for all costs of additional health care if needed, without the benefit of resident discounts or any free long term care days.

Some CCRC’s may require residents to purchase long term care insurance as a criteria for acceptance. Monthly fees may cover provisions of the following: number of meals per month, scheduled transportation, housekeeping services, unit maintenance, linen and personal laundry, health monitoring services, some utilities, social activities, emergency call monitoring, and round the clock security.

CCRC’s are highly regulated in some states. When looking for one it is recommended that you look for one accredited by the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging.

HUD- Subsidized Low Cost Housing
Individuals that qualify are eligible for Housing Assistance Program. They pay no more than 30% of their annual adjusted income, 10% gross income, or the portion of welfare assistance to meet housing expenses for rent and utilities. You must be 62 years or older and qualify according to the current Housing and Urban Development income limits. After the resident pays their share of the rent the government picks up the rest through Section 8 vouchers.

There are four major financial subsidy components that are of relevance to the elderly:

Rental assistance support for the construction or substantial rehabilitation of rental units.
Rental assistance support of already built rental units funded through other federal programs.
Rental assistance support of already built private sector units with Section 8 certificates.
Rental assistance support of already existing rental units with housing vouchers.

The local Public Housing Authority establishes who is eligible for assistance and may help prospective tenants find adequate units in a designated locality (Golant, 1992, p. 126-127). The Department of Housing and Urban Development strives to improve the quality of existing emergency shelters for the homeless, to make available additional emergency shelters, to meet the cost of operating emergency shelters, to provide certain essential social services to homeless individuals, and to assist in homeless prevention activities.

For mare information contact: Housing and Urban Development, U.S. dept. of, Donna Davis 210 Walnut St, room 239. Des Moines, IA 50309. 515-284-4743.

Retirement Community
It is also refereed to as senior communities and are age segregated communities. It can be like any other neighborhood except restricted to people 55 or older or 62 and older. It may include different dwelling types such as single family detached houses, row houses, townhouses, manufactured home units, condominiums, cooperatives, and rental apartment units (Golant, 1992, p. 62).

Not every retirement community provides medical facilities and nursing homes, but many have certain level of services within the community or in close proximity to the community.

Differences in minimum age is usually established when the original community entitlement and funding is obtained. Those with a 55+ age restriction usually only require one resident to be 55 and other residents may need to be over 18, but permitted to be younger than 55. In a 62+ community usually all residents must meet the age requirement. Regulations require amenities, activities and services that cater to seniors to be provided are available. Active senior communities are oriented toward an active lifestyle, usually geared toward younger seniors. They might offer golf, tennis, swimming pools, exercise rooms, and a variety of clubs and interest groups (Barbara Krueger & Associates, 1996 [On-line]). Units can be rented or purchased (Iowa Housing Fund pamphlet, 1995).

Adult Day Care
Adult day care is also known as therapeutic day care, day treatment services, and day health care. It provides a variety of health, personal care, and social support services in a protective and organized setting. These facilities especially address the needs of the functionally impaired elderly (both physically and mentally) during transitional periods and supplement the assistance offered in some congregate housing facilities.

The typical adult day care facility is open 9:00 am to 3:00 p.m., usually Monday through Friday. It is housed in facilities such as nursing homes, senior centers, and churches. Centers average 20-22 participants a day. At a minimum, most provide four basic services: meals, transportation to the center, health assessment, and personal care. Services offered can include exercise, counseling, nutritional education, case management, therapeutic procedures (physical, occupational, and speech), and intermediate and skilled nursing care.

Staff of the centers typically includes a nurse or social work director, therapists, social workers, nursing aids, and unskilled assistants. Adult day care centers receive referrals from hospitals, visiting nurses, home health care workers, and service agencies. They are usually linked to other social and health agencies (Golant, 168).

Most centers are operated by private non-profit organizations, but about 10% are independently run on a for-profit basis. They are typically affiliated with or sponsored by nursing homes, general and rehabilitation hospitals, social service agencies, housing agencies, and churches (Golant, 1992, p. 168).

For more information contact: County View estates, Guthrie Center, IA 515-755-2125

Nursing Facilities
Nursing facilities are institutions or distinct parts of institutions housing 3 or more individuals for a period of time exceeding 24 consecutive hours, whose primary purpose is to provide health related care and services including rehabilitation for individuals who, because of mental or physical conditions require nursing care and other services in addition to room and board. Nursing facilities do not engage primarily in providing treatment or care for mental illness or mental retardation (Handout: Health Care Facilities in Iowa).

Most elderly are admitted into a nursing home directly from another health care facility, typically after a short stay in a hospital. The characteristics of the elderly who are in nursing homes are well known. This population is dominated by very old (80+) women who are living alone, widowed, white, and require regular assistance with several activities of daily living especially toileting, feeding, and amulation, and they are likely to be disoriented or exhibit some memory impairment (Golant, 1992, p. 39).

Nursing facilities can be private, public, profit, or non-profit. They can have health, welfare, social services, and mental health departments. At the beginning of the 1990’s, there were more than 40,000 licensed facilities housing more than 1 million individuals (Golant, 245-247,251).

Telephone Directory

Government

Iowa Department f Human Services: Bureau of Individual and Family and Support and Protective Services; Don Dassar, Chf. (515) 281-3186; Fax (515) 281-4597; Department of Elderly Affairs; Betty L. Grandquist, Exec. Dir. (515) 281-5187; Long Term Care; Carl McPherson, (515) 281-4656

Department of Human Services: Regional Office-; Guthrie: Call Council Bluffs Office; Dean Sparks, Adm., (712) 328-5697 or TDD (712) 328-4838

Local/Area Service Center; Guthrie: Jack Slauson, Guthrie Center, (515) 747-2293; Open 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m./5 days a week. They provide a variety of programs to help individuals including; economic programs and services programs (Guthrie, N.p. Aug. 1994).; Local Public Welfare Agencies; Guthrie: Connie Palmer, Relief Dir.; Courthouse, Guthrie Center, (515) 747-2546

Iowa Department of Elder Affairs: Hotline: 1-800-532-3213; Receives complaints or answers questions about the care provided to residents of nursing homes, boarding homes, and other facilities.; Elder Family Homes; To apply for shared housing call Beth Bahnson, (515)281-8640

Central Iowa Regional Housing Authority: Marie Mace (515) 243-0257

Lutheran Social Services of Iowa (DSM): Dir. Carol Fredrich, (515) 274-4946; Elder Care Program
Dir. Pat Nawrocki, (515) 274-4946; An organization made up of Lutheran Churches that provide various services to communities.

County Extension Education Directors: Carol Smith and Paul Charter, Guthrie Center, (515) 747-2276; Provide information on the housing and services available to the elderly in Guthrie County.

Extension Housing Specialist-Iowa State University: Department of Human Development and Family Studies; Mary Yearns, (515) 294-8520; Fax (515) 294-1908; Provides information on how to make your home fit your needs by using Universal Design.

Farmers Home Administration: Guthrie Center, (515) 747-8397; Loans made to income eligible home-owners for home improvement, home purchase and also farmer program loans (Guthrie, N.p. Aug. 1994).

Guthrie Center:

New Homestead Care Center, (515) 747-2204: A 66 bed nursing facility

Country View Estates, (515) 755-2125: A 41 bed nursing facility

Guthrie County Hospital, (515) 747-2201: A 34 bed nursing facility and inpatient/outpatient services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Guthrie County PHNS: (Public Health Nursing Service), (515) 747-3972; Provides services such as professional home care services, clinical services, home health aid services, homemaker services, and physical, speech, and dietary program (Guthrie, N.p. Aug. 1994).

Bayard

Bayard Care Center: A 50 bed nursing facility.

Farmers Home Housing (FMHA): In Bayard contact Lyle Peasley, 1-800-654-4546, for housing availability.

Surrounding Areas

Adair Healthcare Center: Adair, (515) 742-3205; Adair Healthcare is a nursing facility licensed for 48 residents. They offer single, semi-private, double, and ward (4 bed) room units.

Panora Nursing and Rehab Center: Panora, (515) 755-2700, Fax (515) 755-2586

Craft Care Center: Panora (Chronic Confusion/Dementia); (515) 755-2125; A 103 bed/13 bed nursing and rehabilitation facility

St. Anthony Regional Hospital and Nursing Home: Carroll, (712) 792-3581; A 79 bed nursing facility.

Skilled Nursing Facility and Alzheimer’s Unit: Jefferson, (515) 386-4107; They have a total of 84 bed in their nursing facility and 10 of them are reserved for Alzheimer’s patients.

Thomas Rest Haven (Intermediate Care Facility): Coon Rapids, (712) 684-2253; An intermediate care facility with 65 beds.

Additional Senior Services

Congregate Meals: Panora Community Center, (515) 755-2980; Nutritious meals offered to Senior Citizens over age 60, providing a social environment. Also deliver to homes (Guthrie, N.p. Aug. 1994).

Meals-On-Wheels: Bayard Care Center, (712) 651-2085; New Homestead Care Center, (515) 747-2204

Rural Alzheimer’s Outreach Project: Covers Guthrie, Audubon, and Carroll Counties, 1-800-432-8926; To education the public concerning Alzheimer’s Disease and to aid and support; Alzheimer’s patients and their families (Guthrie, N.p. Aug. 1994).

Alzheimer’s Support Group: Craft Care Center, Panora, (515) 755-2700; Provide support to family and those with Alzheimer’s.

Adult Day Care: Country View Estates, Guthrie Center, (515) 755-2125; Provides short term supervised care to provide relief to caretakers (Guthrie County Directory of Community Resources, 1994). Open seven days a week and hours vary depending on clients needs (Guthrie County Directory of Community Resources, 1994).

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	Contact: Mary Yearns yearns@iastate.edu http://www.exnet.iastate.edu/Pages/housing/