California Elder Economic Security Initiative (Cal-EESI)

Transforming the way we Address the Economic Needs of Older Californians
Seniors in California and across the nation are struggling to make ends meet. Their fixed incomes do not cover their ever-increasing costs, and our public policies do not close the gap. Seniors who have spent their entire lives being productive members of society, working and paying into the system deserve better. As  a nation, and a state, it is our responsibility to make sure they don’t spend their golden years struggling to make ends meet.

Led by the Insight Center, the California Elder Economic Security Initiative™ program (Cal-EESI) is a statewide, research-driven initiative at the forefront of a national effort to ensure that older Californians can age with dignity and economic well-being.

The people and organizations that make up Cal-EESI represent a broad coalition of policymakers, advocates, researchers, direct service providers, public agencies, seniors, nonprofits, grant-makers, and senior membership organizations. Cal-EESI is part of a national movement, led by Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW) in Washington D.C.

A More Accurate and Realistic Measure of What it Takes to Make Ends Meet: The Elder Standard Index
A key component of the Initiative is the Elder Economic Security Standard™ Index (Elder Standard Index), a new tool that quantifies the actual costs of meeting the basic needs of older adults, and the only elder-specific financial measure of its kind. The Elder Standard Index measures how much income is needed for seniors in different housing situations, living in a particular county, and in good or poor health, to meet his or her basic needs – without public or private assistance. The Elder Standard Index quantifies basic living expenses for elders 65 and older living in the community – not in institutions.

The Elder Standard methodology was developed by WOW and the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, and applied by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research in California. It uses widely accepted and credible national and state data sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Geographically relevant data is used for each county in California, reflecting local market rates for items such as housing, health care, transportation and long-term care.

An Alternative to the Federal Poverty Line
The Elder Standard Index is based on the costs individuals face on a daily basis – housing, food, out-of-pocket medical expenses, transportation and other necessary spending – and provides a complete picture of what it takes for seniors to make ends meet. The Elder Standard Index shows that many older Americans who are not poor, as defined by the Federal Poverty Line (FPL), still do not have enough income to meet their basic needs.

How the Elder Standard Index is Used
The Elder Standard Index is used by a wide range of people to help ensure that older Californians have the resources they need to live with dignity and economic well-being. For direct service providers, the Elder Standard Index is a much-needed tool that helps providers accurately evaluate their needs and seek additional  funding to increase their capacity. Advocates use the Elder Standard Index to more effectively make the case for and bring about policy change when communicating with decision makers. Policymakers now have the tool they need to more accurately evaluate policy decisions on elder issues – ultimately improving the efficiency of existing services by measuring which programs and policies are most effective in helping elders reach economic security, and directing limited funds to the appropriate programs. And finally, equipped with realistic data on the income needed to make ends meet in retirement, adults of any age can now make informed decisions about when and where they retire, how much they need to save, and whether they will need to continue working even after they formally “retire.”

A Coalition for Change
The California Elder Economic Security Initiative program is guided by a statewide steering committee comprised of action researchers, policy makers, public agencies, nonprofit service organizations, advocacy groups, and foundations. California’s initiative is part of the national Elder Economic Security Initiative (EESI), led by the Washington, D.C.-based Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW) and in partnership with four other pilot states—Illinois, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The initiative will expand across the country over the next five years and will produce a national database with information on all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Ultimately the goal of the National Initiative is to transform the way we measure and address the economic needs of older adults throughout the entire country.

Get Involved
For more information on Cal-EESI and the Elder Standard Index, contact Susie Smith at ssmith@insightcced.org. To join our listserv, click here. To sign our petition in support of the California Elder Standard Index, click here.
 

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