Keeping seniors in their homes is group’s ongoing challenge

The advocacy group Laguna Beach Seniors is turning 40 this year and working harder than ever to help seniors stay in their homes.

The organization works through the Laguna Beach Community & Susi Q Center, offering classes, activities and other services to Laguna’s older residents. Nearly 9,000 of Laguna’s 22,723 residents were 55 and older as of the 2010 U.S. Census.

The group supports the efforts of a nine-member task force approved by the City Council last year to look at housing options for seniors.

The task force, which has met monthly since June, is focusing on bringing services offered at the Susi Q to seniors at their homes. It will spend the next several months developing recommendations for the Planning Commission.

Spouses die, people become isolated and frail and what used to be routine chores become challenges, said Laguna Beach Seniors board member Chris Quilter. Tack on Laguna’s high cost of living and the lack of an assisted living facility, and a person’s chances for remaining in town diminish with age.

“Half the town is on the side of a hill,” Quilter said. “If your resources are finite, with a modest income, what will happen when all expenses hit [and money runs low]? One option is moving to Laguna Woods, and Laguna Woods is a nice place, but it’s not Laguna Beach.”

Laguna Woods Village is a nearby age-restricted retirement community formerly known as Leisure World..

Quilter said many of the affected people have lived in the city for decades and made significant contributions such as preserving open space.

“Let’s try to keep people here who we should be thanking,” he said.

Laguna Beach Seniors has case managers who work with clients at the center, but that service could be extended to residents’ homes, said Laguna Beach Seniors Board President Tina Haines.

The service could offer practical assistance as well, helping people put away holiday decorations or fix a leaky faucet, she said.

This service approach, known nationally as the “village” model, began in Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood in 2002 with a neighbors-helping-neighbors approach, according to the AARP website.

About 125 similar communities exist throughout the nation today, with most operating via a mix of paid staff and volunteers who assist older residents with everything from transportation and technology training to home repairs and grocery shopping.

These communities frequently provide social activities and classes as well. Members pay annual dues and are encouraged to volunteer themselves.

Quilter emphasized that the village model is one of several strategies the task force will be considering. Others include identifying available land for assisted living or skilled nursing facilities and developing a funding stream.

The concept of home sharing — a senior renting a room in a home with another senior — is also an avenue to pursue, Haines said.

“Our goal is to ensure every older adult in Laguna Beach has their needs met and can remain active in the community for as long as possible,” Haines said. “Staying in home is part of that, but we also want to create a culture where other Lagunans come in and help each other.”

Quilter said the group’s work presents a challenge, but one worth embracing.

“It’s got to be tailored and it’s got to be sustainable,” Quilter said. “What we’re seeing is the need is real. People want to stay put.”