America is aging.

By 2050, the number of adults aged 65 years and older will nearly double; the number of elders of color will more than triple. The notion of advancing public health for older Americans may seem contradictory in our youth-oriented culture, yet people aged 65 years have an average of almost 20 years or more remaining in their lives, an increase of more than 50 percent during the past century.

Lower income adults become economically insecure older adults who do not have the resources to pay for a decent quality of life in those remaining years. A key lever to promote healthy aging in communities is affordable housing, especially for older adults who have limited incomes. As housing supply and quality decrease for low-income older adults, rising housing costs correspondingly impinge on family support, including availability of food, transportation, in-home assistance, and medical care.

The problem is not new, but a rapid transition to an older society, with marginal assets in disadvantaged communities, highlights a problem requiring comprehensive public policy response.

Read more in the American Journal of Public Health.