Seniors need help with housing costs, social service agencies tell U.S. Sen. Rick Scott
Liz Freeman
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott was home in Naples and got an earful about ongoing hardships for seniors against rising rents and increasing homelessness as the impact of Hurricane Ian continues.
Inflation and isolation, skyrocketing property insurance, caregiver challenges and no long-term care options for low-income seniors were other issues the Republican senator heard about during an hour-long roundtable meeting Friday at Collier Senior Center-Golden Gate.
Scott, of Naples, who is seeking a second term in November, met with a dozen representatives from social service agencies who spoke about the ground-level work they are doing to provide housing, case management and social service support to local seniors in need.
He serves on the Senate Special Committee on Aging and has held similar roundtable sessions in different communities around the state, according to a spokesman.
A former two-term governor elected to the Senate in 2018, Scott acknowledged everything he was being told about housing and seniors’ struggles. He said the issues are widespread and pointed to rising costs for property and escalating construction costs.
“We’ve got to figure this out,” he said. “Because just think about it, as the size of families are (going) down, there are fewer people to take care of you as you age.”
Scott said everybody has an idea for new programs yet nobody has an idea for raising taxes.
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When it comes to government funding that can be directed to helping seniors, he suggested taking money from already funded programs that are ineffective and redirecting that money, which he calls the “repurposing model.”
“It is a way easier way to get things done,” he said.
Scott is being challenged for his Senate seat by Republican Keith Gross of Melbourne, an attorney who has worked as an assistant state attorney and as in-house counsel for businesses, according to Florida Politics.
Former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a Democrat, announced last fall she is challenging Scott.
Hearing about his roundtable in Naples, Mucarsel-Powell put a statement on X that said, in part (using multiple X's): “I thought I’d drop a reminder of the promises he’s made to Florida’s seniors: X Ending our hard-earned Social Security benefits, X Ending lifesaving Medicare coverage, X Ending the Affordable Care Act.”
Scott had pitched a plan to sunset all federal legislation in five years which came under fire and he amended it to include specific exceptions for Social Security, Medicare, national security, veterans benefits, and other essential services.
A year ago he announced his “Protect Our Seniors Act” that would put “guardrails” on any action by Congress that could lead to any reductions or cuts to existing Medicare and Social Security benefits.
Who was at the roundtable?
The agencies taking part in the roundtable besides Collier Senior center were St. Matthew’s House homeless organization, Avow Hospice, the Hunger and Homeless Coalition, Baker Senior Center Naples, Warrior Homes, Collier County government, EMS and the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.
Three seniors shared their plights with finding and keeping affordable places to live and their limited means with Social Security income and inflation.
Michael Nojunas, with St. Matthew’s House, shared how Hurricane Ian’s impact to the region after it hit Sept. 28, 2022 is still being felt. So many seniors who were living in mobile homes or single family homes could not rebuild.
“Overnight they were on the streets,” he said. “There’s been a dramatic increase in first-time homelessness.”
St. Matthew’s was able to pivot to take in as many seniors as it could, he said.
Last week, the hunger and homeless coalition in Collier was conducting its annual “point in time” survey in Immokalee and greater Naples to get an idea of the change in homelessness in the past year. The data is submitted to state and federal agencies and helps to secure grants.
Michael Overway, executive director of the coalition in both Collier and Lee County, said he expects the number to go up from last year’s figure of 703 homeless in Collier, which he said is probably 30% of the true figure.
Jaclynn Faffer, president and chief executive officer of Baker Senior Center Naples, shared how the center offers dozens of services to the growing senior population. The center serves 3,000 through its various programs.
In terms of affordable housing, which her organization is involved with in addressing with other nonprofits in the community, she suggested building the housing for seniors and building the services they need around it.
After the roundtable, Faffer said the more often that the issues facing seniors gets on the radar screen, the more likely it is they get the assistance they need.
“I was glad to be there as a voice at the table and that I had the opportunity to talk about our work with caregivers of loved ones with dementia and senior mental health issues,” she said.
Dale Mullin, founder of Warrior Homes which provides housing for homeless veterans, said it was great that Scott took time to hear from the community about the needs of senior citizens, including veterans.
“We have a senior crisis on our hands, and he promised at his end, to support no cuts in Medicare or Social Security benefits,” Mullin said.
