Talk Justice: Housing Instability and Seniors Aging in Place

In a recent episode of LSC’s Talk Justice podcast, LSC president Ron Flagg is joined by AARP’s executive director of Legal Counsel for the Elderly,Rhonda Cunningham Holmes, and her colleague Rodney Harrell, vice president of family, home and community, to explore the desire of American seniors to “age in place.” As housing instability among seniors continues to rise, the podcast’s guests discuss how civil legal services can help. The Legal Counsel for the Elderly (LCE) helps seniors avoid evictions through social work and legal representation in Washington, D.C.

AARP found that 75% of people 50 and older want to stay in their homes and communities as they age, though 44% expect to move due to challenges like cost, accessibility, and natural disasters. Harrell explains that housing costs and communities aren’t set up for aging adults, saying "Many of our communities don’t have the housing that many aging adults can afford, with features that support them, in locations where they want to live. To meet this growing need, we must expand the nation’s housing stock and work to make our communities more livable with an all-ages mindset."