County Looks to Start Senior Cottage Program

Centre County is looking into a new grant program that would help seniors and their families stay close and each have a space of their own.

“Basically, it is a grandparent’s cottage that would be established in the community. The concept is to allow seniors to stay at home and more affordably be at home,” said Ken Pendleton, director of Centre County Office of Aging.

The cottage is for seniors who struggle to live completely on their own, but who aren’t ready to go to a senior living community. The temporary cottages are placed in the backyard of a relative and connects to that relative’s utilities. When the cottage is no longer needed, it is removed from the property and taken to another location.

The program is called the Elder Cottage Housing Opportunity and is funded through the Pennsylvania Department of Aging through a grant. The county plans to partner with Housing Transitions on the project.

The commissioners approved an in-kind commitment in the amount of $6,225 for care and management costs accrued over the grant period and a memorandum of understanding with Housing Transitions, Inc. for the program on Nov. 17. The program is already underway in other areas of the state. Pendleton said neighboring Clearfield County has two cottages in use with another one soon to be established.

“I know the director in Clearfield County and they have reported very favorable results,” said Pendleton, noting the grant process does take time.

In July, the county would find out if it was rewarded the three-year grant.

“The first year would be establishing a cottage, who would build one, who would move it on site once we get all the zoning and our office would be involved in establishing the seniors as the next step,” said Pendleton.

Centre County would be one of three counties in the next phase of the program. The upkeep and maintenance of the cottage is part of the grant.

In order for the project to work, participating municipality’s zoning boards and housing authorities will permit for layovers to allow the temporary cottage on the backyards of properties.

“Housing Transitions would be working through the process of making that possible, purchasing the cottage and having it installed. It is like a modular home. It is very small cottage, usually 400 to 600 hundred feet, something along those lines,” said Pendleton.

Pendleton said the Office of Aging would be working to identify seniors who would be potential candidates for the program.

“Our plan is to approach outlying areas first, because of the fact there is an increased need, an increased level of poverty in our outside areas with our senior population and also the zoning requirements are less complicated, so we believe that could make it more possible to start in this way,” said Pendleton.

“When you look at the cost of having a senior citizen in a nursing home, this would dwarf that. This is a very unique model, but it probably brings a savings to the state and potentially us as well if we are able to keep seniors in a home, rather than a situation where it costs the family more,” said Commissioner Michael Pipe.

“In our rural communities, it may be another step between independent living, where essentially in many of our rural communities we don’t have senior living. We don’t have the amenities that State College, Bellefonte have. There are many families that would have no problem with having this sort of option available to them. It is a very unique initiative and very creative.”

Pipe said Clearfield County can be a helpful resource moving forward with the project.

He added that Centre County handles much of the zoning for rural communities and those offices would be “happy” to help with figuring out how the project would work.

“So initially, the focus of this is to assist the families in areas like Penns Valley, Bald Eagle Valley, Mountain Top and Moshannon Valley for an elderly relative who really can’t live alone anymore, but are functional enough that they don’t need to go to Centre Crest or a facility like that?” asked Mark Higgins.

Pendleton answered, “yes,” noting all those communities fall under the categories of outlying areas, but no plans about exactly where the program would start have been drawn up.

“They certainly fall under that category. We know there is a big need there and they are certainly a lot of family connection there also — families who have a need to help a senior but don’t have the means, financially to take on project of this kind on. So, to be able to have this available to a family while they are helping extended family, it solves a lot of problems all at the same time,” said Pendleton.

He added that studies show that seniors do better when they are in their own communities.

“They are more integral and not segregated away. There are just so many pluses to it. To us, it is an exciting possibility,” said Pendleton.

Commissioner Steven Dershem said the possibility of having family stay close and connected could be a benefit to all involved.

“It doesn’t mean that those seniors won’t need services. It certainly does not exclude the fact that at some point they won’t advance to a different kind of care, but it certainly does make sense to provide the infrastructure to those families working together,” said Dershem.