by Linda L. Esterson, photography by Nikola Tzenov
Aging Together
“We are dedicated to helping seniors and families to find each other and live their best lives together.” – Bobbie-Jo Phelps
Sal Pelicano was 91 years old and living independently. While he was retired, he worked at a local grocery store. His daughter, Lorraine, worried about him. She was seeing her dad’s early signs of dementia and felt that he should not be working or living alone.
Not only was her home not suited for her father to move into, but she and her husband also worked full time, and she was already managing the care of a sister with disabilities. Sal and Lorraine’s situation is a common concern as families struggle to figure out how to support and care for their older loved ones.
According to the Urban Institute, the number of Americans ages 65 and older will more than double over the next 40 years, reaching 80 million in 2040. The Pew Research Center reports that the number of Americans ages 100 and older is projected to more than quadruple over the next three decades.
Carroll County is seeing similar trends. A 2023 population estimate revealed that 18.3% of the county’s residents are older than 65, up from 13.1% in 2010. People are living longer for many reasons, including advances in medicine, access to health care and healthier lifestyles. The aging baby boomer generation (those born between 1946 and 1964) is driving the surge in the senior population.
The staggering growth of the older adult demographic, paired with an affordable housing crisis, means that many families are forced to face tough decisions just like Sal and Lorraine.
Where Can Seniors Live?
The Maryland Department of Aging’s State Plan, which includes population projections for adults 60 years of age and older by jurisdiction from 2020 to 2045, anticipates Carroll County’s senior population to grow nearly 40% from 2020 to 2045. This year, the senior population is expected to reach 55,469.
According to the Carroll County Bureau of Aging and Disabilities, 40 licensed facilities currently provide housing for seniors in the county. Within the county, 887 assisted living facility beds and 897 nursing home beds are available.
Jacyn (pronounced Jason) Phelps, a certified geriatric nursing assistant for a home health care company, visited Sal Pelicano in his Westminster senior apartment multiple times a week for several hours at a time. He went above and beyond the job tasks and spent time with Sal, taking him out to eat for lunch or dinner and at times visiting the local VFW.
At the same time, Sal’s daughter, Lorraine, was trying to find a safer living situation for her father. She attempted to move him into a nursing facility, but Sal refused. And then something happened.
Jacyn and his wife, Bobbie-Jo Phelps, a registered nurse and certified nurse educator, offered to take Sal into their home. They had a basement apartment that was perfectly sized for Sal, which allowed Jacyn to stay home and care for their two young children full-time.
“It gave him something in life that was pleasurable,” Lorraine says about her father’s move to the Phelps’ home. “It was good for him to have the dog come up to him and be there with the kids. He wasn’t just sitting there. He played with them.”
Jacyn took Sal to medical appointments, prepared his meals and reminded him to take his medication, which Lorianne organized in pill boxes for him.
The arrangement also benefited Jacyn and Bobbie-Jo. They saved on daycare expenses. Jacyn stayed home to raise their children, who also benefited from the intergenerational experience. Before he died in 2019 at age 100, Sal, who lived with the Phelpses for nearly 10 years, was provided consistent care from the same people daily in a comfortable home environment. The Phelpses were paid $3,000 per month, less than Sal’s rent, plus home care and living expenses or the cost of an assisted living facility.
“We were so blessed to have Sal in our lives for so long,” Bobbie-Jo says, adding that Sal became part of the family, accompanying them outside the home as well. “He was an incredibly kind man who loved kids and animals, bringing so much joy to our lives. We were honored to have cared for a World War II veteran with war medals.”
Multigenerational Support
Some research suggests that multigenerational living is beneficial to older adults and younger generations living under the same roof. One study by AARP and data analytics company Culturintel pointed to benefits like financial advantages, improved lifestyles and stronger relationships.
In addition, the Pew Research Center indicates that the U.S. population in multigenerational households has quadrupled, comprising 18% of the U.S. population in 2021. One-third of U.S. adults in multigenerational households say caregiving is a major reason for the living arrangement, with 25% citing adult caregiving and 12% citing child care.
Combatting This Growing Need
Jacyn and Bobbie-Jo realized that other seniors in Carroll County likely needed housing and personalized care. They created Placing Seniors with Families (PSWF), which was officially granted limited liability corporation (LLC) status in late August. The emerging company aims to match seniors with families who have the capacity and ability to provide housing and care, similar to a foster situation for children.
“We are dedicated to helping seniors and families to find each other and live their best lives together,” Bobbie-Jo says. “This means living within a family unit with personalized one-on-one care and supporting local families to work from home while teaching their children how to care for others. We’re hoping to partially eliminate the senior housing crisis and help young families to thrive in all the best ways possible.”
According to Bobbie-Jo, safety is the top priority in making these matches, and a thorough vetting process ensures the partnership is safe and beneficial for all parties.
“If any red flags come up during this process, that’s a responsibility I have as a registered nurse… to not continue with that family whatsoever,” Bobbie-Jo explains. “I do my due diligence to make sure it’s a good fit and get all the facts out on the table between the two parties.”
If a match is made and the parties meet and are in agreement about the care arrangement, they will sign their own legal contract through an attorney of their choosing. At the contract signing meeting, PSWF will receive a one-time placement fee, equivalent to the first month’s rental per the agreement.
Families will likely have little medical care experience and will be encouraged to pursue geriatric nursing assistant training, CPR training and first aid training, among other capabilities. She also suggests the addition of video camera monitoring to enable the senior’s family — and the host family during overnight hours — to check in.
After only a few months in operation, PSWF is building its database with interested older adults and families to potentially match. Jacyn and Bobbie-Jo use a team of professionals to help with assessments, marketing and recruiting. Among them are nurses, social workers and trained home safety specialists.
Future plans for PSWF include providing a protected website for seniors and potential host families to pursue prospective matches and offering additional services, such as home care or CPR and first aid training, home safety installation or regular wellness visits if the senior’s family lives out of town, for an additional fee.
“I think it’s a great idea,” Lorraine says about the Phelpses turning her father’s experience into a service for seniors and their families. “It certainly helped us.”
