This tour was eye-opening and made me aware that so many seniors had a problem with affordable housing. At the beginning of the tour, I thought that it was wonderful that there were so many places in San Diego that offer housing to seniors and other groups of people. However, I realized that there is not enough for everybody. Even though more housing is still being built, it takes a lot of work and time, while more and more seniors are ending up homeless. From this tour, I realized that affordable housing for seniors is a big issue, while they have to deal with other costs as an aging population.
The first two houses, where we got to go inside and interact with the residents, showed me that there are a range of places from decent to the bare necessities. Potiker was spacious and had a lot of recreational activities for the residents to participate in. Things like the computer lab and the garden are for the residents to be able to enjoy their time there and live in a positive environment. At Sara Francis Hometel, even though it was not just for seniors, it was still affordable housing and a start for getting back on their feet. Since it was not just for seniors, it didn’t really accommodate for their needs, such as railings along the walls. The hallways were narrow, so it would be difficult for people with wheelchairs and walkers to pass through. I also thought it was great that there were people who lived there that actively helped out in the building. Since they are part of the community and interact with the other residents, they know what it’s like and would know of any issues.
North Park Senior Apartments targeted more specific groups, such as the elderly LGTBQ community. I thought that this would help them find a more comfortable living space, where they would not worry about people judging them based on their sexual orientation. Although, it is still under construction, it gets the word out there that these type of housing units are possible. An affordable housing unit for seniors, where they can have a sense of community. I also learned that it takes a lot of planning and negotiating to get these places built. Cristina mentioned that they ran into some problems and they are in a race with time. Although it takes a lot of work, there are people out there who recognize this critical issue for seniors and are really trying to help them.
I joined LCS because I noticed that there are so many health complications that the aging population faces. However, there are also many elderly people that are perfectly healthy. I wanted to know the different lifestyles, environments, and any other factors that affect their lives now. I want to find those connections and make my own conclusions about them, so that I can apply it to my future career. Through this program, I am involved and get to explore different communities throughout San Diego. I get to really look and observe a place rather than just pass through it.
The first two houses, where we got to go inside and interact with the residents, showed me that there are a range of places from decent to the bare necessities. Potiker was spacious and had a lot of recreational activities for the residents to participate in. Things like the computer lab and the garden are for the residents to be able to enjoy their time there and live in a positive environment. At Sara Francis Hometel, even though it was not just for seniors, it was still affordable housing and a start for getting back on their feet. Since it was not just for seniors, it didn’t really accommodate for their needs, such as railings along the walls. The hallways were narrow, so it would be difficult for people with wheelchairs and walkers to pass through. I also thought it was great that there were people who lived there that actively helped out in the building. Since they are part of the community and interact with the other residents, they know what it’s like and would know of any issues.
North Park Senior Apartments targeted more specific groups, such as the elderly LGTBQ community. I thought that this would help them find a more comfortable living space, where they would not worry about people judging them based on their sexual orientation. Although, it is still under construction, it gets the word out there that these type of housing units are possible. An affordable housing unit for seniors, where they can have a sense of community. I also learned that it takes a lot of planning and negotiating to get these places built. Cristina mentioned that they ran into some problems and they are in a race with time. Although it takes a lot of work, there are people out there who recognize this critical issue for seniors and are really trying to help them.
I joined LCS because I noticed that there are so many health complications that the aging population faces. However, there are also many elderly people that are perfectly healthy. I wanted to know the different lifestyles, environments, and any other factors that affect their lives now. I want to find those connections and make my own conclusions about them, so that I can apply it to my future career. Through this program, I am involved and get to explore different communities throughout San Diego. I get to really look and observe a place rather than just pass through it.