HCOA Area Agency on Aging (AAA) 4-year Plan 2023 - 2027

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150% FPLAt or Above100 - 149% FPLBelow 100% FPL i County ʻHawaiFigure 9. 60+ Poverty Level Status 82%8%10%Hawaiʻi County Figure 8. 60+ Living Alone OthersLive withLive Alone80%60%40%20%0%65%35% Area Agencies on Aging use social determinants of health indicators to determine program and service needs in the community. They include: living alone, income (at or below Federal Poverty Level), limited English speaking ability, race and ethnicity, disabilities, living with grandchildren, health status and chronic conditions, living in rural areas, social isolation, sexual orientation and identity, and family caregivers, among others. Note: Data for Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 obtained from U.S. Census Bureau, 2016-2020 American Community Survey 5- year Estimates. Nationally, about 27% of all older adults living in the community in 2020 lived alone. They represented 20% of older men and 33% of older women. The proportion living alone increases with age for both men and women. Among women aged 75 and older, 42% lived alone. In Hawaiʻi County, 35% of the sixty and over popula?on lives alone. (Figure 8) Although living alone in itself is not a predictor of decline in health and safety as one ages, a combination of factors including living alone can lead to having unmet needs and a higher risk of institutionalization. One’s support network and available resources can assist in living alone safely in the home. National studies show that as people age, the more likely they are to have reduced incomes. Living on a fixed income, increased medical expenditures, and death of a spouse can lead to limited income available for basic needs. Any family/individual with total income less than an amount deemed to be sufficient to purchase food, shelter, clothing, and other essential goods and services is classified as below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). In Hawaiʻi County, 10% of the 60+ population lives below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), 8% live below 150% of the FPL, and 82% live at or above the FPL. (Figure 9) In Hawaiʻi County, there are pockets of Figure 10. Hawaiʻi County 60+ Below Federal Poverty Level residents aged 60 and over whose incomes are below the Federal Poverty Level. The areas with the highest numbers are disbursed across the island including census tracts 210, 213, and 218, in Puna, South Kona, and North Kohala, respectively. Another large area with high levels of residents living below poverty level is Ka’u, which includes Hawaiian Ocean View Estates, Na’alehu, Pahala, and Volcano. (Figure 10) 22