The Hidden Poor: Over Three-Quarters of a Million Older Californians Overlooked by Official Poverty Line.

Publisher: The Center Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 100972707 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Print NLM ISO Abbreviation: Policy Brief UCLA Cent Health Policy Res

Original Publication: Los Angeles, Calif. : The Center,

Policy Making* ; Socioeconomic Factors*; Income/*statistics & numerical data ; Poverty/*economics ; Public Assistance/*economics; Aged ; California ; Data Collection/methods ; Food Assistance/economics ; Health Care Surveys ; Housing/economics ; Humans ; Insurance, Health/economics ; Public Assistance/statistics & numerical data ; Social Security/economics ; United States

More than three-quarters of a million (772,000) older Californians are among the "hidden poor"--older adults with incomes above the federal poverty line (FPL) but below a minimally decent standard of living as determined by the Elder Economic Security Standard™ Index (Elder Index) in 2011. This policy brief uses the most recent Elder Index calculations to document the wide discrepancy that exists between the FPL and the Elder Index. This study finds that the FPL significantly underestimates the number of economically insecure older adults who are unable to make ends meet. Yet, because many public assistance programs are aligned with the FPL, potentially hundreds of thousands of economically insecure older Californians are denied aid. The highest rates of the hidden poor among older adults are found among renters, Latinos, women, those who are raising grandchildren, and people in the oldest age groups. Raising the income and asset eligibility requirement thresholds for social support programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), housing, health care, and food assistance would help California's older hidden poor make ends meet.

Date Created: 20150918 Date Completed: 20151015 Latest Revision: 20150916

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