Most Dutch cities fear senior citizens’ housing shortage

Most Dutch cities are concerned about a threatening shortage in senior citizens' housing. More than half of the municipalities fear that they will not have enough suitable housing in 2020. Four in ten municipalities already have a shortage, according to a study done by Ipso Facto and elderly organization ANBO, AD reports. The ANBO is concerned about the results of the study. "The government's policy is to allow the elderly to live independently at home for as long as possible, and that is also the wish of many older people. But as things stand now, that is unattainable", ANBO director Lianne den Haan said to the newspaper. The study did not go into exact figures, but it is clear that the problem is most prevalent in towns and cities with fewer than 100 thousand inhabitants. The ANBO estimates that their is a current shortage of about 60 thousand homes suitable for senior citizens, and given the aging population, that shortage is expected to triple in the next ten years. The elderly organization thinks that the quickest and cheapest solution ins converting empty buildings and adapting existing homes to be suitable for senior citizens. This includes equipping them with stair lifts, brackets in the bathroom and wider doors and passage for wheelchair accessibility.