THE IMPOVERISHED ELDERLY

I joined a friend yesterday as she made her bi-weekly Meals on Wheels rounds.  It’s been many years since I delivered Meals on Wheels in Dallas with my young daughter in tow on Thanksgiving. Our deliveries were mainly to the elderly living alone in public housing.  I vividly remember how happy they were to see two faces at their door.  The meal was secondary.  Fifteen years earlier, I was a frequent visitor to “the projects” in South Dallas as part of my caseworker job at Dallas County Mental Health and Mental Retardation.  While the government-provided apartments were small and unadorned, they were sufficient to house a family.  Again, the people living in those apartments were no different than you or me, but life was undoubtedly more of a struggle.  I always felt welcome in their homes and never felt unsafe in the neighborhood.

 

Oh, I’m aware that people of all economic levels live in various conditions, including tents at the border, on the streets of every major city, and in shacks along the roads in South Africa. I’ve always had empathy for those who are disadvantaged, but the plight of the elderly in our country right now smacked me in the face. Living in a bubble for many years didn’t prepare me for what I experienced yesterday.

 

Many of the people we encountered were living in dilapidated single-wide mobile homes, while some were living in travel trailers that were so small that it was hard to imagine how they turned around. One shabby 15-foot trailer housed two elderly adults. Most homes had electricity and air conditioning, but I saw open windows and fans blowing hot, 100+ degree air.  All 30 people were friendly and seemed happy.

 

I wondered what happened to them during the electric grid failure of February 2021 and what would happen if they lost electricity this summer during what might be the hottest summer ever recorded.  I was told that the town’s Fire Department rescues them and takes them to a shelter, but those living away from the city probably don’t fare as well.  After all, we have more health issues as we age, and our bodies don't respond to temperature variations very well. The loss of electricity is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

The average Social Security check is $1614 monthly, with many receiving only $800 monthly.  So…it’s the streets, a kind relative/friend, living in subsidized housing (when you’re finally approved), or living in a trailer in the middle of nowhere.  As we age, we fear losing independence and privacy.  Living in a ramshackle house or a tent on the street becomes a logical choice over losing independence.

 

I finished the day with conflicting emotions.  Observing poverty on behalf of the elderly in the outback areas of the county left me with overwhelming sadness, even more so than when I saw younger people who were homeless and living under bridges. At the same time, I was grateful that I’d been able to live comfortably, despite my frequent complaints about the cost and hassle of the upkeep of my place.  I feel guilty that I ever complained at all.  

 

I worry about the elderly and the living conditions on top of health issues. I wonder about their happiness.  From the outside, one wonders how they could be happy, and I remember the song about money not buying us love.  A recent study published in Forbes revealed that happiness increases with higher salaries. A study in 2010 showed that happiness plateaued after an annual income of $90,000, which the more recent study disproved. Money might not buy love, but those with more money report higher overall satisfaction.

 

And then, one doesn’t have to wonder about the difference a few more dollars would make in each person’s life I encountered yesterday.

 



 

 

 

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