SALT LAKE CITY - Millions of homeowners age 50 and older still are at risk of foreclosure, according to an AARP national report released today.

Utah doesn't track mortgage defaults by homeowners' age, although the state remains in the top 10 for its high foreclosure rate. For those over 50, says housing counselor Linda Walker with the AAA Fair Credit Foundation, falling behind on house payments is another peril of being in the so-called "sandwich generation."

"It's harder for 'em to start over, if they lose that house - and they don't have parents or grandparents a lot of times that they can go to and ask for help. A lot of times, they are supporting an elderly parent, or their own kids."

Walker used to see homeowners in their 50s and 60s as clients a few times a year. Now, she sees about 10 a week. AARP found that young homeowners still have higher delinquency rates, but the rate has increased faster among senior homeowners, climbing from 1.1 percent to 6 percent in the past five years.

People fall into a gap of sorts when they're close to retirement age, says Walker. If they have retirement savings, they can't access them without a penalty. They aren't old enough to qualify for a reverse mortgage. If they've lost home equity, there's nothing to borrow against, and the report says that is the case for 16 percent of homeowners older than 50. In these situations, she adds, there is no shame in asking for help.

"Money situations are hard for people to deal with, and they don't want to tell people about 'em. But the more people know, the more they talk about it, the more they know where to go to get help."

She recommends a nonprofit, HUD-approved counseling agency, and says there is no need to pay anyone to help with a mortgage modification.

According to the AARP report, people age 75 and older have a higher foreclosure rate than do younger seniors. That doesn't surprise Walker, who says there often is no one to help older Utahans sort out their personal finances.

"I've had a few that have only owed $8,000 to $15,000, and they just didn't open their mail - and they've actually had enough money to pay for it in the bank. One spouse or the other died, and the other spouse didn't know how to take care of bills."

The National Consumer Law Center released a report last week about the growing number of older people losing their homes to liens for unpaid taxes.

The AARP report is online at aarp.us/NXuq0d . The NCLC report is at nclc.org.



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A new national survey says one in five Americans 50 and older has nothing in savings for retirement.

Wisconsin workers young and old are being urged to take action now, to avoid added financial stress in their later years.

The survey results were issued by AARP this month.

Just affording basic expenses right now is a concern for many. But AARP Wisconsin's Communications Director Jim Flaherty said you don't want to be caught off guard when retirement nears.

He acknowledged that it can be hard for younger adults to plan that far ahead, when they're juggling expenses like student loan debt - or for older individuals managing costly medications, and higher grocery bills.

"A lot of times, because they're just trying to get by and they do have to live paycheck-to-paycheck," said Flaherty. "But this is one way to say, 'Hey, if you can live with a little less from your paycheck every week, that will sure grow.'"

Researchers note that 57 million Americans don't have access to a retirement plan through their work.

Wisconsin has not yet joined the list of states that have created state-operated retirement accounts, where employers and their workers can contribute money each pay period.

Supporters hope the issue is revisited next legislative session.

Flaherty said a combination of individuals being proactive and policymakers easing household budget pressure can hopefully put more people on a path toward a healthy retirement.

He said making progress can deter them from looking elsewhere to spend their golden years.

"Let's have an infrastructure that makes drugs affordable, that makes healthcare affordable, that makes retirement savings something that's part of their plan," said Flaherty. "And that'll keep Wisconsinites here."

And groups like AARP have encouraged Congress to address long-term stability concerns for Social Security, so that younger workers can anticipate full benefits.

Some Republican lawmakers have floated cuts, but senior advocates contend any solutions to make the program stronger should not be tied to deficit talks.

Oregon is working to address the state's digital divide with hundreds of millions of dollars in funding.

Infrastructure presents the largest challenges for connecting people in Oregon to high-speed broadband internet.

Nick Batz, director of the Oregon Broadband Office, said there are more than 170,000 residencies in the state with no or slow internet access.

"Our goal through the broadband office and with all our stakeholders throughout Oregon is to provide access to all 112,000 unserved locations and as many of the 60,000 underserved locations as we can," Batz explained.

The state has received federal funding from a variety of sources, including nearly $690 million from the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, and more than $150 million from the Capital Projects Fund approved in the American Rescue Plan Act from 2021.

Oregon's Digital Equity Plan has also been approved and along with it, nearly $10 million in funding.

Bandana Shrestha, state director of AARP Oregon, said there was a time when high-speed broadband internet was considered a luxury.

"Now, it's such a big necessity for everyone, including for older adults," Shrestha pointed out. "Because we know that if you don't have connectivity, you're not going to be able to see your doctor when you want to. Telemedicine is not going to be possible."

Batz added his office is working to ensure every Oregonian can get on the internet.

"It is an interesting challenge," Batz observed. "Nothing has been done like this in Oregon's history of trying to get internet access to everybody. So, it's going to be quite the challenge and it's absolutely going to require participation from everybody to make this happen."

Nursing homes across South Dakota will soon receive a boost in support, as part of the most recent legislative session.

Facilities caring for Medicaid recipients are reimbursed by the state for some of the cost. Reimbursement rates have been calculated based on patient needs, occupancy and funds available in the state budget. Last year, the South Dakota Legislature increased the rate from about 75% to 100%.

House Bill 1167 now allows the Medicaid reimbursement rate to be adjusted annually, to keep up with inflation and other changes.

Erik Nelson, advocacy director for AARP South Dakota, is glad lawmakers are giving nursing homes attention.

"We have seen a number of nursing homes close in recent years," Nelson pointed out. "Financial considerations were a factor in that, along with workforce and some other issues."

Since 2019, 15 nursing homes have closed across the state, with six of the remaining 98 on a federal list of facilities not meeting basic standards of care. In addition to a lack of funding, the average staff turnover rate is 54%.

State lawmakers also approved the use of $5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding toward expanding telehealth services in facilities including nursing homes, allowing patients to receive some health care services remotely.

Nelson noted telehealth is one way to supply needed support.

"For not only the residents, but the family caregivers that are supporting their loved ones in the nursing homes," Nelson emphasized. "And of course, the staff of the nursing home that's in the community."

Census data show South Dakota's population is aging and by 2030, one-fifth of residents will be older than 65.