With such a high need for affordable housing, it is critical that we preserve existing affordable housing as we also work to expand its supply.

It all started 82 years ago. The year was 1936; World War II was ongoing and Holocaust survivors were fleeing the Nazi regime in hopes of refuge in America.

There is strong evidence that housing conditions affect population health, but evidence is limited on the extent to which housing with supportive social services can maintain population health and reduce the use of expensive hospital services.

A study released this week found that Medicare-eligible residents of housing with supportive services had lower hospital utilization than a comparable group of seniors living in housing without supportive services.

A recent study found that Medicare-eligible residents of housing with supportive services had lower hospital utilization than a comparable group of seniors living in housing without supportive services. Michael Gusmano, PhD, of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, said that the utilization finding is the key takeaway of the study.

While prior research has shown that housing conditions affect health outcomes of the elderly, there is limited information about the effect support services.

Investing in affordable housing that offers supportive social services to senior citizens on Medicare has the potential to reduce hospital admissions and the amount of time needing inpatient hospital care by better managing chronic health conditions, according to a Rutgers study.

Research has demonstrated that seniors’ housing conditions affect health outcomes, but to date, evidence has been limited on the extent to which supportive services delivered in affordable housing settings improve seniors’ well-being.