As part of our collaboration with the Central Indiana Senior Fund, a fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation, State of Aging in Central Indiana project, we will be posting a series of Community Stories on its website. These stories will be contributed by experts, policymakers, and practitioners.

The current article features Tauhric Brown, president and CEO, CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions. He highlights the latest statistics from the 2021 Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults. (NOTE: As with previous results from this survey, the upcoming release of State of Aging in Central Indiana Report will place the results in context of the associated trends revealed by national, state, and local datasets.).

Tauhric notes, “We have a housing crisis on our hands. The cost of owning and maintaining or renting a home is making it increasingly difficult for older adults living on fixed incomes. We need teamwork to help older adults meet their housing needs.” Highlights from his story include:

• 54 percent of older adults surveyed in Marion County have experienced housing needs, slightly higher than the statewide average of 47 percent. It’s an issue that exists in every county throughout our state. The issue is multi-faceted: We don’t have enough available, affordable housing for people 60 and older.
• The current Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults (CAOA) shows that older Central Indiana residents experience higher need compared to national benchmarks in maintaining a home, having safe and affordable transportation, and building skills for paid or unpaid work.

Read the Community Story by Tauhric Brown, CEO, CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions.