According to the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) guidelines in 2019, a single elder is considered in poverty if their income is less than $12,490. According to the California Elder Economic Security Standard™ Index (CA Elder Index), older adults in California, on average, need two times the FPL amount — single elders who rent have an economic need of $27,816 for a basic and decent standard of living. The CA Elder Index was developed to provide an evidence-based indicator of the actual basic costs faced by older adults ages 65 and over.

D. Imelda Padilla-Frausto, PhD, MPH, UCLA CHPR research scientist, and Steven P. Wallace, PhD, UCLA CHPR Associate Center ;Director, discuss the release the 2019 California Elder Index and trends in the basic cost of living for older adults from 2013 to 2019; uncover the hidden poor — older adults with income above the FPL but not enough income to meet their basic needs; and discuss the implications for older adults during COVID-19. View a recording of the seminar.