Seniors, caregivers and advocates for older adults weighed in on local, state and federal policy issues last month at the Clinton Rose Senior Center, 3045 N. Martin Luther King Drive.
Seniors ages 65 and older make up 15% of the population in Milwaukee. Several gathered for a public listening session hosted by the Milwaukee County Commission on Aging.
“Every year we talk about reducing the policies, but each year it tends to grow,” said Brian Peters, chair of the Advocacy Committee for the Milwaukee County Department of Health & Human Services Advisory Council.
Peters was referring to the number of senior-related policy priorities added on the federal, state and local levels.
Here’s what was discussed.
Creating comfortable environments for elders
Maxine May, 76, said the intergenerational housing model fails to meet the needs of seniors, especially those with hearing, vision and speech challenges.
Sharing living spaces with younger adults creates discomfort and communication barriers.
“Sharing a space with a 21-year-old who may have a child that is crying does not work for older adults,” May said. “Intergenerational housing does not work, and that’s a problem.”
The intergenerational housing model has people of different ages living in the same building or neighborhood.
Caregiver support specialist Migdalia Pacheco Pacheco shared concerns about elderly housing safety.
Pacheco said there’s been an increase of fires in South Milwaukee causing people to jump from their windows, and that some seniors are renting homes despite their mobility issues.
More senior minority involvement
Another change attendees said they hope to see is growth in participation among senior minorities.
May said if programs start respecting cultures and expose them to new experiences then more minority residents would participate.
“Something as simple as bringing in critters from the Wehr Nature Center goes a long way,” May said. “There needs to be a balance between programming and the actual activities being brought into these spaces.”
Improving local outreach for seniors will also help them understand what resources are available to them.
“Access to information isn’t reaching the greater population of people, and there needs to be a place for them to at least seek information,” May said.
Expanding benefits
A federal priority for the Milwaukee County Commission on Aging is expanding Medicare to include hearing, vision and dental benefits.
Residents expressed frustration over the expense of glasses and hearing aids due to limited coverage and misleading insurance plans.
“Medicare Advantage may say you have $200 to $300 for only your frames, but not for the lenses,” an attendee said. “It’s a joke.”
Pacheco cares for seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and said they face challenges qualifying for Medicaid as a secondary insurance.
Because of this, seniors can’t afford incontinent supplies and financial support for bed rest care, she said.
Understanding challenges of caregivers
Caregivers at the listening session said that when seniors aren’t properly supported, they have no choice but to stay and fill in that gap.
“Some caregivers can’t work full-time jobs because of this,” Pacheco said.
“(It’s) backbreaking work and they just give you pennies for it,” said a woman who works as a caregiver for her mother.
According to ZipRecruiter, the annual salary of a caregiver in Milwaukee is $31,809.
Providing affordable housing for older adults
The biggest priority addressed at the listening session was the state reassessing what’s considered affordable housing for seniors.
“A lot of seniors only get Social Security, and by the time they pay rent and We Energies, they only have about $200 to live off of for the rest of the month and now they have to go to food pantries and stuff like that,” May said.
“I don’t like seeing older people struggle; that’s a soft spot for me,” a caregiver at the listening session said.
The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee provides over 5,500 low-income households with Section 8 rental assistance vouchers, in which the voucher holder pays approximately 30% of what they earn each month. Many are seniors.
Caregivers also said there should be a trusted individual alongside seniors who can help them fill out and understand housing applications.
“Older adults are getting tricked into moving in these places, and once they’re given a home, they are stuck in it for years,” a caregiver said. “People sign up for stuff and don’t even know what they’re signing.”
Policy priorities next steps
According to Emily Petersen, aging advocacy and policy manager at the Milwaukee County Department of Health & Human Services, feedback from the listening session will be given to the advocacy committee.
The committee will review and use it to update policy priorities for 2026.
These priorities will serve as a guide on what issues to focus on throughout the year but can be altered as new issues arise.
Seniors interested in staying involved can join the Advocacy Council, Senior Center Committee and other committees and councils.
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.
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