BELLEVUE, Neb, – Janette Burke-Ophiem is packing up her home after her senior living facility raised her monthly fees $200. Now, with weeks left to move out, she’s scrambling to find a place she can afford.
- Janette Burke-Ophiem is forced to leave her home after rent was raised
- Now, she’s scrambling trying to find a place she can afford
- United Way for the Midlands say the number of seniors facing homelessness is rising
Janette Burke-Ophiem did not expect to have to move again.
“I thought I was going to stay here, carry me out with the box,” Burke-Ophiem said.
But when her senior living apartment raised her fees by $200, she realized she could not afford to live at home anymore.
“It was a little bit of a shock, so I gave notice and now I am scrambling to find a place,” she told me.
Many of the senior living facilities that Burke-Ophiem can afford have waiting lists. They last anywhere from a few months to more than a year. But with only a few weeks until she moves out, she is not sure if she will have a place to sleep.
And she is not the only one. Homelessness among seniors is a growing concern in our communities, according to United Way of the Midlands.
“We have definitely seen an increase in seniors calling for housing; some are sleeping in their cars,” Myra Ming, director of the 211 call center, said.
Housing assistance is at the top of the list for seniors in need, accounting for 30% of calls. According to Ming, this number has increased over the past year.
“When the housing prices increase they do not have the income to match that so they either have to make a decision between paying their rent or paying for medication and medical bills,” Ming told me.
However, this is not limited to the Omaha metropolitan area. According to Housing and Urban Development, homelessness among people aged 55 and up has increased by about 6% since 2023, and the number is expected to triple by 2030.
Ming believes that the community should begin collaborating to find solutions and resources to address this growing issue.
Burke-Ophiem is still searching for a solution.
“it is rough, its rough, you do not know what to do or who to turn to,” she told me.
She is packing up her belongings, unsure what comes next.