The State of Maryland is one of the smallest states in the country. Located on the eastern tip of the US, what Maryland lacks in size, it makes up for in terms of population. The state is one of the most bustling states in the union, with an estimated population of 6.06 million in 2019.
Senior Citizen Statistics in Maryland
Out of the 6.06 million people in Maryland, 12% of them are seniors. Twenty-seven percent of those seniors are living in Maryland. Some in a senior apartment or other living options in Baltimore and nearby areas.
Six percent of senior households in the state have an annual income of less than $10,000, while twenty percent of those households have a yearly salary of $20,000. Twenty-seven percent of Maryland residents who are 60 years old and older received food stamps in 2018.
The median household income for a Maryland senior is $48,632. The average Social Security Income in the state is $17,290 per year.
There are 146,375 working seniors in Maryland. Twenty-two percent of Maryland seniors are veterans.
The number of people aged 65 and over in Maryland is projected to rise 48% over the next 15 years, from 837,124 to 1,235,695. The number of Maryland residents 85 and over will increase by 48%, from 119,341 to 176,713.
Senior and Retirement Options in Maryland
1. Aging in Place
Aging in place means that a high remains in his home for the later years of his life. He is not moving into a smaller house, senior apartments, or a retirement community. This is a lifestyle choice that is becoming one of the preferred living options among seniors in Maryland.
When a senior decides to age in place, there will be gradual changes in his home, such as help for safety and mobility, to accommodate him in his declining years. Living in the area is a popular choice for many Maryland seniors as they can continue in an independent lifestyle and remain very active. Aging in place received a boost from our modern-day technology, allowing them to stay in their home with the ongoing development and implementation of assistive technology, which refers to the assistive, adaptive, or rehabilitation products designed to provide greater independence to people with disabilities or limited abilities caused by the aging process.
Aging in place needs to consider the following:
- Making the home safe
- In-home caregivers or companions
- Living with chronic diseases at home
- Understanding the risks involved
- Consider a geriatric care manager
- Transportation
- Making a care plan
In Maryland, 27% of seniors live alone.
2. The Village Concept
The village community model is a combination of aging in place and a type of interdependent living that helps to make aging alone a more extended possibility. It is an innovative, do-it-yourself take on life in what a traditional American village usually offers – trusted relationships with neighbors and the community.
Many seniors look at the village concept as an opportunity to create a positive environment for aging. In the village model, older members of the community are linked with one another, assisted by a network of volunteers and paid services. The members of the village help each other. Other villagers come to visit and bring what you need if you are sick. Service providers provide additional help. When one member needs to see a doctor, a volunteer can take him to the doctor. When you have a plumbing problem, the village will send to your home a trusted plumber who services the entire town. Social events keep all members connected.
Besides the usual neighborliness of village members, a typical one provides for the educational, social, and day-t0-day needs of the members through a formal structure administered by the coordinator.
Social events typically include lunches, dinners, game days, trips to museums, and other places of interest, parties, meditation, and discussion groups based on the members’ interests and backgrounds.
3. Independent Senior Housing
As people get old, they always consider relocating to simplify their living arrangements. Those who are still mentally and physically capable of living on their own prefer to enjoy the companionship of other people their age. They consider moving to an independent living community. Independent living communities provide active residence seniors who want to live in a secure environment with specific services for low-maintenance living and on-site amenities for recreation and socialization.
Types of independent living communities:
- Retirement communities – These are neighborhoods for active and independent seniors who want to live among their peers. These are settings for active, age-qualified, and age-restricted adults.
- Senior apartments – They are usually part of a facility that provides different levels of care, which range from independent to assisted arrangements, including memory care and skilled medical care.
- Low-income housing – They are affordable senior housing subsidized by the government, supportive housing, or public housing. They are similar to senior apartments that charge below-market rates.
Independent living is paid for by the seniors themselves unless they qualify for a low-income subsidy or government-subsidized housing.
There are 112 independent living communities in Maryland. The average cost of senior living in the state is $3,238 per month, which is higher than the $1729 per month national average.
4. Residential Care Home
Older adults who usually need care live in assisted living communities. But there is another option – residential care home. It is also known as a board and care home or personal care home.
These places provide care to small groups of adults over the age of 60. In some states, residential care homes have only six or fewer residents. These homes are typically located in the middle of suburban communities as they are private homes that were converted and provided staff to serve a small group of adults.
A residential care home provides a higher level of care than assisted living, but a lower level than a skilled medical facility. The advantage of residential home care is that service is personalized because there are few residents in a home.
Residential care homes are licensed and supervised by the State of Maryland. The residential care homes provide full-time, family-type living in a private residential home for elderly persons with a disability, who is not related to the owner. The essential services include housing and nutritional meals, help with activities of daily living, personal care, physical transfer, assisting with medications, social events, health care services, and transportation to health care services.
5. Continuing Care Retirement Community
A Continuing Care Retirement Community or CCRC offers a secure and protected environment for seniors, with access to both medical and medical services, should they be needed. It is usually a large campus with separate housing units for residents who live independently, assisted care facilities that offer more support, and nursing home care for residents who need complex care and assistance. Residents can move from one housing to another as their needs change.
Costs for residing in a CCRC are typically high, with residents paying a monthly fee and a hefty entrance fee. The range of contract agreements, entrance fees, terms, and monthly service fees are set by the individual CCRC, subject to the regulations of the Maryland Department of Aging. At present, 38 CCRCs operate in Maryland.
6. Assisted Living Community
Assisted living communities to provide a home and support services to serve the needs of residents who are unable to perform, or who need assistance in performing activities of daily life. An assisted care facility may help with household chores, meal preparations, dressing, bathing, or managing medications. Residents in an assisted living facility generally have less complicated support and health needs than people in homes or a senior apartment. This is a housing option that allows seniors to remain in a home-like setting in their communities and promotes their independence and dignity.
Assisted living facilities may range from a small home with one resident to more extensive facilities with 100 or more living units.
There are many senior housing facilities in Maryland. There are 696 assisted care or senior apartments in the state. The average monthly cost for senior living in an assisted community is more than $3,000.
7. Nursing homes/skilled facility
A skilled medical facility provides a rehabilitation center for in-patients that is staffed with medical professionals. The facility is similar to senior apartments but offers the medical services of nurses, occupational and physical therapists, audiologists, and speech pathologists.
A skilled medical facility accepts a senior who is undergoing medically necessary rehabilitation treatment. A medical home, on the other hand, provides permanent residency for people who need custodial care. These are senior homes with medical staff looking after their health 24/7.
Skilled medical facilities for a senior citizen provides 24-hour assistance with activities of daily living and healthcare.
The average cost of senior apartments or independent living community with skilled medical care for a senior citizen in Maryland is $8,448 per month.
