In its native habitat, C. humilis colonizes freely draining, rocky slopes, hot, exposed cliff sides, and dry hills.
In cultivation, this species appreciates similar conditions but tolerates a variety of soil types, so long as the substrate does not retain water.
If your garden soil tends to hold water, consider amending with sand and gravel, or keep your plant in a container instead.
Water
Once established in the landscape, C. humilis is remarkably drought tolerant but will benefit from some supplemental water during dry spells lasting two weeks or more.
For container-grown plants, allow the top inch of soil to dry between waterings, then water thoroughly until excess drains from the bottom of the pot.
Fertilizing
Potted specimens require feeding in the spring, summer, and fall.
A slow release product formulated specifically for palm trees is best applied before watering, to ensure nutrients trickle down to where they’re needed.
Specimens planted in the garden don’t require fertilizer but will benefit from a top dressing of compost in spring and summer.
These extra nutrients will help keep fronds supple and green, and flowers and fruits abundant.
While the C. humilis is the only species in its genus, there are a few named cultivars worth considering.
The naturally-occurring variety, C. humilis var. argentea is also known as the Atlas Mountains or silver palm, with striking glaucous, silver-blue fronds. It’s native to North Africa.
Nana
‘Nana’ is a dwarf cultivar that tops out at around four to six feet tall. This one is ideal for growing in containers or in smaller gardens.
Stella
‘Stella’ is another compact cultivar, at five to six feet tall. The fronds are green on the top with silvery undersides, giving the plant a distinctive two-toned appearance in the garden.
Vulcano
Featuring a compact form with a dense, bushy habit, ‘Vulcano’ has petioles with few or no spines.
Mature plants grow to six to eight feet tall making this a compact addition to the landscape.
Maintenance
Cold hardy and resilient, C. humilis is one of the easiest palms to care for.
To keep it looking tidy, remove browned or spent fronds at the base of the leaf petiole with a pair of clean, sharp pruners.
Always cut as close to the trunk as possible without damaging healthy tissue. Occasionally, European fan palm will branch and spread into a multi-trunked clump.
If you prefer a single-stemmed form, you can remove these shoots as they emerge at ground level.
The study looked at records for more than 250,000 emergency department visits by children who are on Medicaid.
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Cemile Bingol/Getty Images
Children who go to emergency departments in a mental health crisis and need to be hospitalized often end up stuck there for days, a new study finds. That happens in roughly one in ten of all mental health emergency visits for children enrolled in Medicaid across the country.
The most common mental health crises that led to such extended stays, or boarding, were depressive disorders and suicidal thoughts and attempts, according to the study published in JAMA Health Forum.
“So a child shows up at an emergency department with a mental health condition, [and] about one in ten times, they’re staying for three days or longer,” says lead study author John McConnell, director of the Center for Health Systems Effectiveness at Oregon Health and Science University.
McConnell and his colleagues also found that in a handful of states, including North Carolina, Florida and Maine, as many as 25% of mental health visits led to kids boarding at the emergency department for 3-7 days.
The findings aren’t surprising, says Dr. Jennifer Havens, chair of the department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
“But having data like this is very important to see the effect across the country,” she adds. Havens was not involved in the study.
Boarding in the emergency department has been a growing issue across the nation for decades, but the rise has been particularly dramatic in recent years for pediatric mental health cases.
“As the children’s behavioral health crisis nationwide has increased, states have not been able to keep up with behavioral health systems,” says Dr. Rebecca Marshall, an associate professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at OHSU, who also wasn’t involved in the new study.
Though the study looked only at Medicaid claims, the problem happens for children on private health insurance, as well.
“We really have struggled to build capacity over time to increase the number of inpatient beds,” she says. “And so often what happens is kids will come into the hospital, they need an inpatient psychiatric bed and there isn’t one available. So then they wait until a child in one of the psychiatric units discharges and a bed becomes available.”
Many states have a shockingly low number of psychiatric beds for kids, says Marshall. For example, Oregon has only 38 beds for highest need pediatric psychiatric cases. “And then we have less than 200 residential beds, and that’s a lower acuity treatment program that tends to be longer term.”
“There’s an enormous problem across the country with a lack of access to mental health services, both on the [inpatient and] outpatient side,” says Havens. Adequate outpatient services can prevent kids with mental health conditions from reaching a crisis point.
Without adequate outpatient and inpatient mental health care options, families are more likely to take their child to an ER if the child is in a mental health crisis.
But “what they find when they go to the emergency department is that there often isn’t any available care,” says Marshall. “There’s nothing immediate.”
Most ERs don’t even have a child and adolescent psychiatrist, says Havens, “because we’ve just never invested in the resources to have this kind of service for kids.”
And when children in mental health crises end up stuck in ERs for days, their symptoms can worsen even if there’s a psychiatrist on staff.
Most of these children boarding in an ER end up stuck in “one small room,” says Marshall, sometimes a windowless room. “They’re not able to leave the room. They can’t exercise. They’re not able to interact with other kids, which is a really important part of development. And often there are not any kind of additional therapeutic activities that you would find in an inpatient unit.”
“I’m not sure what the right words are, but, [it’s] really challenging, heartbreaking situation for families that have a child and they’re trying to kind of find a place to stabilize them, and they’re stuck in the emergency department,” says McConnell.
In case you missed yesterday’s post, we’re enjoying five fabulous gardens this week that were featured on the 2025 Secret Garden Tour in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and today we’re continuing on to stop #2! If you missed yesterday’s post, which features the first garden and more information on the tour, check that out here: Teresa’s Serene Space. Otherwise, scroll on to see a splendid mix of vegetables, flowers, and herbs in Anne Rick’s gorgeous garden.
Anne Ricks’ garden reflects her Italian heritage, as well as her love of cooking. Just steps from her kitchen door, she can reach for herbs, two kinds of tomatoes, figs, and flowers, in beautiful raised beds. La Dolce Vita!
Edibles can just as much interest as your favorite foliage plants, with the added benefit of being able to eat what you grow. In this raised bed Anne has: ‘Bright Lights’ swiss chard (Beta vulgaris), ‘Dolce Fresca’ basil (Ocimum basilicum), Italian oregano (Origanum x majoricum, and curry plant (Helichrysum italicum).
I love seeing Anne’s combination of garden classics with some warm-climate plants that are harder to maintain in many other regions. The salmony-pink blooms of ‘Senora’ zinnia (Zinnia elegans ‘Senora’, annual) and Sombrero® ‘Adobe Orange’ coneflower (Echinacea ‘Balsomador’, Zones 4–9) would look stunning in just about any garden, a fig tree (Ficus carica and cvs., Zones 6–10) makes for a pretty delicious addition.
While Anne has some fantastic fruiting trees, this one is all about the flowers. Golden dewdrop (Duranta erecta, Zones 9–11) is often grown as a shrub, but is occasionally trained into incredible small trees like this one. The gorgeous glaze on this pot would make is beautiful on its own, but some trailing plants take the interest to the next level and play into the “dripping” design.
Another pot squeezes some fresh fruit into Anne’s garden. A lime tree (not sure of the variety—maybe a Key lime?) with Berries Hill Toscana strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa ‘Toscana’, Zones 4–10) at the base of the pot.
Not all of Anne’s plantings are potted. These tiered beds feature African lilies (Agapanthus africanus, Zones 8–10) on the lower level and flurries of orange bulbine (Bulbine frutescens, Zones 9–11) blooms on the upper two.
Roma Tomatoes (Lycopersicon lycopersicum ‘Roma’) , ‘Santo’ cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) and basil at base.
Lastly, a pot featuring one of my favorite color combinations: bright yellow and cool blue. Sunfinity® ‘Double Yellow’ sunflower (Helianthus annus ‘Double Yellow’, annual) with Silver Dollar eucalyptus (Eucalyptus cinerea, Zones 8–10) and Blue My Mind® dwarf morning glory (Evolvulus ‘USEVO1201’, Zones 8–11).
We will be in Florida for the remainder of the week, enjoying more stops on this great garden tour, but that doesn’t mean we don’t still have the time or space to see your garden on the blog this summer! Follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.
We want to see YOUR garden!
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
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The U.S. Forest Service has been sending out crews to fight fires without the recommended masks for decades. Hannah Dreier, a New York Times investigative reporter, reveals the dangerous and sometimes deadly repercussions of sending firefighters into the field unprotected.
Companion planting not only brings naturalistic appeal to your garden, but also attracts pollinators and mitigate pests issues.
Black-Eyed Susan is known to beautify your backyard with their bright yellow petals with dark centers.
While blooming period of this perennial is limited to summer and early fall. You can grow strategic companion plants to maintain continuous flowering year-round.
Beyond extending the blooming, companion plants provide essential support for Black-Eyed Susan health and garden sustainability.
These carefully chosen plant partnerships naturally deter harmful pests, attract beneficial insects, and enhance soil nutrition through varied root systems and organic matter.
The result is a thriving ecosystem where Black-Eyed Susans flourish alongside their companions, creating a low-maintenance garden that supports biodiversity while reducing the need for chemical interventions.
Scientific evidence: Companion planting is one of the natural methods to mitigate pests effectively. (Source)
Best plants that you can grow along with Black-eyed Susan to extend blooming and create low-maintenance garden ecosystem are Common Yarrow, Blanket Flowers, Coneflowers, Russian Sage, Salvia, Michaelmas Daisy, Pansy Flowers, and Bee Balm.
9 Black-Eyed Susan Companion Plants to Beautify Your Garden
Successful companion planting requires choosing plants with matching needs—full sun exposure, well-draining soil, and similar watering requirements.
This ensures all plants thrive together without competing for resources or requiring different care routines.
Growing requirements of Russian sage are identical to black-eyed Susans, so they can benefit each other in a variety of ways.
The silvery foliage and lavender-blue flower spikes of Russian sage create stunning contrast with the bright yellow blooms of black-eyed Susans, and both plants attract pollinators while repelling pests with their strong fragrance.
It thrives in full sun and well-drained soils with good drought tolerance once established. Russian sage prefers dry to medium moisture conditions and performs best in alkaline soil, making it ideal for xeriscaping and low-maintenance gardens.
It features tall, upright stems reaching 2-4 feet with silvery-gray, aromatic foliage and spikes of lavender-blue flowers that bloom from midsummer to late fall.
Furthermore, Russian sage’s strong fragrance naturally repels pests, its drought tolerance reduces water competition, and its woody base provides structural support while creating an airy backdrop that complements shorter companion plants.
2. Coneflowers
With their shared love for full sun and well-draining soil, coneflowers naturally pair with black-eyed Susans in the garden.
These native perennials complement each other visually—the prominent cone-shaped centers of coneflowers echo the dark centers of black-eyed Susans while offering purples, pinks, and whites against cheerful yellow blooms.
Both attract pollinators throughout summer and fall, supporting each other’s healthy growth and extended blooming success.
Growth Requirements: They thrive in full sun with well-drained soil and are extremely drought tolerant once established. Coneflowers prefer moderately rich soil with organic matter but can adapt to clay or sandy soils, making them perfect for low-maintenance gardens that require minimal watering.
Features: They feature upright stems reaching 2-5 feet tall with purple, pink, white, orange, yellow, and multi-colored daisy-like flowers blooming from early summer to fall. Coneflowers’ deep roots improve soil health while seed heads feed winter birds, creating low-maintenance pollinator-friendly environments complementing black-eyed Susans.
3. Blanket Flowers
Blanket flowers bring vibrant energy to any garden setting, especially when planted alongside black-eyed Susans.
Their bold orange, red, and yellow daisy-like blooms create a stunning prairie-inspired display that captivates from a distance and rewards close inspection with intricate petal patterns.
These drought-tolerant perennials complement each other beautifully—the warm, fiery tones of blanket flowers intensify the golden yellow of black-eyed Susans while their similar flower shapes create visual harmony throughout the garden bed.
Both attract pollinators throughout summer and fall, supporting each other’s healthy growth and extended blooming success.
Growth Requirements: They thrive in full sun with well-drained soil and are extremely drought tolerant once established. Blanket flowers prefer sandy, poor to moderately fertile soil and actually perform better in less rich conditions, making them perfect for xeriscaping and low-maintenance gardens that require minimal watering.
Features: They feature compact, mounding growth reaching 12-24 inches tall with bright orange, red, yellow, and bi-colored daisy-like flowers blooming from late spring through first frost. Blanket flowers’ excellent heat tolerance and self-seeding nature create low-maintenance, pollinator-friendly environments complementing black-eyed Susans.
Known for its intoxicating fragrance and silvery-gray foliage, lavender transforms any garden space into a sensory paradise while serving as an exceptional companion to black-eyed Susans.
This Mediterranean native offers a striking textural contrast with its narrow, linear leaves against the broader foliage of its sunny companions.
These aromatic perennials complement each other perfectly—lavender’s purple flower spikes create elegant vertical lines that balance the rounded, daisy-like blooms of black-eyed Susans while their contrasting forms add architectural interest to garden borders.
Both attract pollinators throughout summer and fall, supporting each other’s healthy growth and extended blooming success.
Growth Requirements: They thrive in full sun with well-drained, slightly alkaline soil and are extremely drought tolerant once established. Lavender prefers lean, sandy soil with excellent drainage and actually performs poorly in rich, moist conditions, making them perfect for Mediterranean-style gardens that require minimal watering.
Features: They feature woody stems reaching 12-36 inches tall with fragrant purple, pink, or white flower spikes blooming from early summer through late fall. Lavender’s natural pest-repelling properties and deer resistance create aromatherapy-rich, pollinator-friendly environments complementing black-eyed Susans.
With its delicate, feathery foliage that resembles nature’s own lacework, common yarrow brings an ethereal quality to garden compositions featuring black-eyed Susans.
This ancient medicinal herb has graced gardens for centuries, earning its place through both beauty and beneficial properties.
These hardy perennials complement each other strategically—yarrow’s flat-topped flower clusters in white, pink, yellow, and red create horizontal layers that ground the upright stems of black-eyed Susans while their fine-textured leaves provide cooling shade for shallow root systems.
Both attract pollinators throughout summer and fall, supporting each other’s healthy growth and extended blooming success.
Growth Requirements: They thrive in full sun with well-drained soil and are extremely drought tolerant once established. Common yarrow prefers poor to moderately fertile soil and actually spreads aggressively in rich conditions, making them perfect for naturalized areas and low-maintenance gardens that require minimal watering.
Features: They feature spreading growth reaching 12-36 inches tall with fern-like, aromatic leaves and flat-topped flower clusters blooming from early summer through first frost. Yarrow’s deep taproot breaks compacted soil while self-seeding ensures continuous pollinator-friendly coverage complementing black-eyed Susans.
6. Salvia
Salvia commands attention with its bold, architectural flower spikes that rise like colorful candles throughout the garden landscape, making it a dramatic companion choice for black-eyed Susans.
These members of the mint family offer an impressive range of colors and forms that can suit any garden style.
These versatile perennials complement each other dynamically—salvia’s upright flower spikes in purple, blue, red, pink, and white create vertical drama that contrasts beautifully with the horizontal spread of black-eyed Susan blooms while their different bloom timing extends garden interest.
Both attract pollinators throughout summer and fall, supporting each other’s healthy growth and extended blooming success.
Growth Requirements: They thrive in full sun with well-drained soil and are moderately drought tolerant once established. Salvia prefers fertile, well-draining soil with consistent moisture during growing season but tolerates dry periods, making them perfect for mixed borders and cottage gardens that receive regular watering.
Features: They feature clumping growth reaching 18-36 inches tall with aromatic, mint-scented leaves and dense flower spikes blooming from midsummer through first frost. Agastache’s exceptional heat tolerance and hummingbird-magnetism create dynamic pollinator-friendly environments complementing black-eyed Susans.
Agastache brings a wild, untamed beauty to cultivated gardens with its relaxed, naturalistic growth habit that perfectly complements the cottage garden charm of black-eyed Susans.
Also known as hummingbird mint, this North American native offers both ornamental appeal and practical benefits to garden ecosystems.
These aromatic perennials complement each other harmoniously—agastache’s fuzzy flower spikes in purple, pink, orange, and blue create soft, informal textures that balance the crisp, defined petals of black-eyed Susans while their minty fragrance adds sensory dimension to garden experiences.
Both attract pollinators throughout summer and fall, supporting each other’s healthy growth and extended blooming success.
Growth Requirements: They thrive in full sun with well-drained soil and are extremely drought tolerant once established. Agastache prefers lean, sandy soil with excellent drainage and performs poorly in heavy clay or waterlogged conditions, making them perfect for xeriscaping and prairie-style gardens that require minimal watering.
Features: They feature clumping growth reaching 18-36 inches tall with aromatic, mint-scented leaves and dense flower spikes blooming from midsummer through first frost. Agastache’s exceptional heat tolerance and hummingbird-magnetism create dynamic pollinator-friendly environments complementing black-eyed Susans.
8. Pansy Flowers
Pansy flowers bring whimsical charm to garden settings with their distinctive “faces” that seem to watch over neighboring plants like friendly garden guardians alongside black-eyed Susans.
These cool-weather champions offer unique seasonal interest that extends garden appeal beyond traditional summer bloomers.
These cheerful annuals complement each other seasonally—pansy’s velvety flowers in purple, yellow, white, blue, and multicolored combinations provide spring and fall color that bridges the gaps between black-eyed Susan’s summer peak, while their low, mounding habit creates attractive ground coverage beneath taller companions.
Both attract pollinators throughout their respective seasons, supporting each other’s healthy growth and extended blooming success.
Growth Requirements: They thrive in full sun to partial shade with moist, well-drained soil and prefer cool weather conditions. Pansies perform best in rich, organic soil with consistent moisture and benefit from mulching, making them perfect for spring and fall displays in temperate gardens that receive regular watering.
Features: They feature compact growth reaching 6-12 inches tall with heart-shaped leaves and face-like flowers blooming from early spring through summer and fall. Pansy’s cool-weather tolerance extends seasons while edible flowers and nitrogen-fixing properties complement black-eyed Susans.
Bee balm creates spectacular wildlife gardens with its crown-like flower heads that serve as landing platforms for butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, making it an ideal companion for attracting beneficial visitors alongside black-eyed Susans.
This native wildflower brings both ecological value and old-fashioned garden charm to modern landscapes.
These fragrant perennials complement each other ecologically—bee balm’s tubular, crown-shaped flowers in red, pink, purple, and white create architectural interest that contrasts with the simple daisy form of black-eyed Susans while their minty-scented foliage adds aromatic layers to garden compositions.
Both attract pollinators throughout summer and fall, supporting each other’s healthy growth and extended blooming success.
Growth Requirements: They thrive in full sun to partial shade with moist, well-drained soil and prefer consistent moisture throughout the growing season. Bee balm tolerates clay soil better than most companions and benefits from good air circulation, making them perfect for naturalized areas and rain gardens that retain some moisture.
Features: They feature upright, square stems reaching 24-48 inches tall with aromatic leaves and crown-shaped flower clusters blooming midsummer through early fall. Bee balm’s antifungal properties benefit neighboring plants while creating exceptional pollinator value complementing black-eyed Susans.
How to Plant Companion Plants With Black-Eyed Susan?
Planning and Preparation
Before planting, choose companion plants that share similar growing requirements—full sun, well-draining soil, and drought tolerance.
Plan your garden layout by placing taller companions like coneflowers and bee balm behind black-eyed Susans, medium-height plants like lavender and salvia alongside them, and shorter companions like pansies in front.
Prepare the soil by adding compost to improve drainage and fertility, ensuring all plants will thrive in the same conditions.
Planting Technique
Plant black-eyed Susans and their companions in spring after the last frost date, spacing them 12-18 inches apart to allow for mature growth. Dig holes twice as wide as the root ball but only as deep, ensuring the crown sits at soil level.
Water thoroughly after planting and apply a 2-3 inch layer of mulch around plants, keeping it away from stems to prevent rot and retain moisture during establishment.
Establishment and Care
Water newly planted companions regularly for the first few weeks until roots establish, then reduce watering as most companions are drought-tolerant once mature.
Deadhead spent blooms to encourage continuous flowering throughout the season, and divide overcrowded clumps every 3-4 years in early spring.
This simple maintenance routine ensures your companion planting creates a thriving, low-maintenance garden that provides continuous color and attracts beneficial pollinators.
Conclusion
Companion planting with Black-Eyed Susans creates vibrant, self-sustaining garden ecosystems. Carefully selected companions like lavender, coneflowers, and bee balm extend blooming periods, attract pollinators, and reduce maintenance while providing continuous seasonal color through thoughtful plant partnerships.
Khaja Moinuddin, a computer science graduate, finds joy in gardening and homesteading. Join him on this blog as he shares his experiences in homesteading, gardening, and composting
‘California Sunset’ succulents aren’t known for being plagued by pests or disease, but since issues do sometimes arise, it’s best to know what to watch for:
Pests
Be sure to check new specimens after purchase and inspect them after they have been outdoors for the summer.
Some of the most common pests you’ll encounter are aphids, mealybugs, and scale insects.
Aphids
Look for aphids on the undersides of leaves or on stems, where they feed on plant tissue, causing distorted leaves.
Aphids also leave behind trails of honeydew, which can be a telltale sign of a pest infestation, as well as potentially leading to fungal issues.
Mealybugs are common houseplant pests, and can be easily identified on these succulents since they look like white fluff.
These pests suck nutrients from leaves and stems, and can kill the plant if left untreated. Root mealies can also feed on roots in the soil, hidden from plain view.
Growing ‘California Sunset’ in your rock garden or as a windowsill plant will provide you with warm, sunset colors that you can depend on, day after day.
Just remember to give these succulents plenty of direct sunshine, excellent drainage, and infrequent watering to keep them looking perky and healthy.
Are you growing ‘California Sunset’ or other types of graptosedum? Drop your photos, thoughts, and questions in the comments section below!
Roberta Rabinovitz, right, had cancer and had been living with her grandson, sleeping on his couch. With her is Rachel Nassif, day center director at the PACE Organization of Rhode Island in East Providence.
Felice J. Freyer for KFF Health News
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Felice J. Freyer for KFF Health News
BRISTOL, R.I. — At age 82, Roberta Rabinovitz realized she had no place to go. A widow, she had lost both her daughters to cancer, after living with one and then the other, nursing them until their deaths. Then she moved in with her brother in Florida, until he also died.
And so last fall, while recovering from lung cancer, Rabinovitz ended up at her grandson’s home in Burrillville, Rhode Island, where she slept on the couch and struggled to navigate the steep staircase to the shower. That wasn’t sustainable, and with apartment rents out of reach, Rabinovitz joined the growing population of older Americans unsure of where to lay their heads at night.
But Rabinovitz was fortunate. She found a place to live, through what might seem like an unlikely source — a health care nonprofit, the PACE Organization of Rhode Island. Around the country, arranging for housing is a relatively new and growing challenge for such PACE groups, which are funded through Medicaid and Medicare. PACE stands for Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, and the organizations aim to keep frail older people in their homes. But a patient can’t stay at home if they don’t have one.
More people 55 and over without homes
As housing costs rise, organizations responsible for people’s medical care are realizing that to ensure their clients have a place to live, they must venture outside their lanes. Even hospitals — in Denver, New Orleans,New York City, and elsewhere — have started investing in housing, recognizing that good health isn’t possible without it.
And among older adults, the need is especially growing. In the U.S., 1 in 5 people who were homeless in 2024 were 55 or older, with the total older homeless population up 6% from the previous year. Dennis Culhane, a University of Pennsylvania professor who specializes in homelessness and housing policy, calculated that the number of men older than 60 living in shelters roughly tripled from 2000 to 2020.
“It’s a national scandal, really, that the richest country in the world would have destitute elderly and disabled people,” Culhane said.
Over decades of research, Culhane has documented the plight of people born between 1955 and 1965 who came of age during recessions and never got an economic foothold. Many in this group endured intermittent homelessness throughout their lives, and now their troubles are compounded by aging.
But other homeless older adults are new to the experience. Many teeter on the edge of poverty, said Sandy Markwood, CEO of USAging, a national association representing what are known as area agencies on aging. A single incident can tip them into homelessness — the death of a spouse, job loss, a rent increase, an injury or illness. If cognitive decline starts, an older person may forget to pay their mortgage. Even those with paid-off houses often can’t afford rising property taxes and upkeep.
“No one imagines anybody living on the street at 75 or 80,” Markwood said. “But they are.”
Kriss Auger, social work and behavioral health manager at the PACE Organization of Rhode Island, outside the organization’s van. PACE, funded by Medicare and Medicaid, gives many different kinds of services to older Americans, including transportation.
Felice J. Freyer for KFF Health
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Felice J. Freyer for KFF Health
President Donald Trump’s recent budget law, which makes substantial federal cuts to Medicaid, the public insurance program for those with low incomes or disabilities, will make matters worse for older people with limited incomes, said Yolanda Stevens, program and policy analyst with the National Alliance to End Homelessness. If people lose their health coverage or their local hospital closes, it will be harder for them to maintain their health and pay the rent.
“It’s a perfect storm,” Stevens said. “It’s an unfortunate, devastating storm for our older Americans.”
Adding to the challenges, the Labor Department recently halted a job training program intended to keep low-income older people in the workforce.
A 1997 federal law recognized PACE organizations as a provider type for Medicare and Medicaid. Today, some 185 operate in the U.S., each serving a defined geographic area, with a total of more than 83,000 participants.
They enroll people 55 and older who are sick enough for nursing home care, and then provide everything their patients need to stay home despite their frailty. They also run centers that function as medical clinics and adult day centers and provide transportation.
These organizations primarily serve impoverished people with complex medical conditions who are eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare. They pool money from both programs and operate within a set budget for each participant.
PACE officials worry that, as federal funding for Medicaid programs shrinks, states will curtail support. But the PACE concept has always had bipartisan support, said Robert Greenwood, a senior vice president at the National PACE Association, because its services are significantly less expensive than nursing home care.
The financing structure gives PACE the flexibility to do what it takes to keep participants living on their own, even if it means buying an air conditioner or taking a patient’s dog to the vet. Taking on the housing crisis is another step toward the same goal.
In the Detroit area, PACE Southeast Michigan, which serves 2,200 participants, partners with the owners of housing designated for senior citizens The landlords agree to keep the rent affordable, and PACE provides services to their tenants who are members. Housing providers “like to be full, they like their seniors cared for, and we do all of that,” said Mary Naber, president and CEO of PACE Southeast Michigan.
For participants who become too infirm to live on their own, the Michigan organization has leased a wing in an independent living center, where it provides round-the-clock supportive care. The organization also is partnering with a nonprofit developer to create a cluster of 21 shipping containers converted into little houses in Eastpointe, just outside Detroit. Still in the planning stages, Naber said, the refurbished containers will probably rent for about $1,000 to $1,100 a month.
In San Diego, the PACE program at St. Paul’s Senior Services cares for chronically homeless people as they move into housing, offering not just health services but the backup needed to keep tenants in their homes, such as guidance on paying bills on time and keeping their apartments clean.
St. Paul’s PACE program also helps those already in housing but clinging to precarious living arrangements, said Carol Castillon, vice president of its PACE operations. The program connects them with community resources, helping fill out forms for housing assistance, and providing meals and household items to lower expenses, she said.
At PACE Rhode Island, which serves nearly 500 people, about 10 to 15 participants each month become homeless or at risk of homelessness, which was a rare situation five or six years ago, CEO Joan Kwiatkowski said.
The organization contracts with assisted living facilities, but its participants are sometimes rejected because of prior criminal records, substance use, or health care needs that the facility operators feel they can’t handle. And public housing providers often have no openings.
So PACE Rhode Island is planning to buy its own housing, Kwiatkowski said. PACE also has reserved four apartments at an assisted living facility in Bristol for its participants, paying rent when they’re unoccupied. Rabinovitz moved into one recently.
Housing and medical care
Rabinovitz had worked as a senior credit analyst for a health care company, but now her only income is her Social Security check. She keeps $120 from that check for personal supplies, and the rest goes to rent, which includes meals.
“It’s tiny but I love it,” Roberta Rabinovitz, says of her apartment at the Franklin Court assisted living facility in Bristol, Rhode Island.
Felice J. Freyer for KFF Health News
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Felice J. Freyer for KFF Health News
Once a week or so, Rabinovitz rides a PACE van to the organization’s center, where she gets medical care, including dental work, physical therapy, and medication — always, she said, from “incredibly loving people.” When she’s not feeling well enough to make the trek, PACE sends someone to her. Recently, a technician with a portable X-ray machine scanned her sore hip as she lay in her own bed in her new studio apartment.
“It’s tiny, but I love it,” she said of the apartment, which she’s decorated in purple, her favorite color.
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism.
Dreaming of a dazzling spring garden? Now’s the time to make it happen. Join Fine Gardening’s Editor in Chief, Carol Collins, for a live conversation with bulb expert and author Joseph Tychonievich—and get all your spring-bulb questions answered.
From daffodils that shrug off deer to tulips worth replanting year after year, Joseph has tested, trialed, and written about the most reliable (and breathtaking) spring bloomers. You’ll hear his best tips for:
Sourcing and choosing bulbs that will thrive in your climate and garden conditions
Designing plantings for maximum impact and minimal maintenance
Hiding fading foliage without sacrificing style
Dealing with common bulb pests and problems
Experimenting with containers, lawns, and unexpected planting spots
This will be an interactive question-and-answer session, so bring your bulb dilemmas and curiosities—whether you want to know which crocus is worth planting by the hundreds, how to keep squirrels away from tulips, or which bulbs perform best in shade. Submit your questions in advance, and Joseph will tackle them live.
When you leave this webinar, you’ll have practical know-how of bulb care and tons of inspiration for creating a spring display that stops traffic.
All About Spring Bulbs in the Garden
Join to take part in this interview with Joseph Tyconiviech – horticulturist, author, and bulb expert – LIVE. Ask your questions about spring bulb care, pest management, planting, and design in this special event!
Seminar: Approx. 1 hour
September 12, 2025, 9am EST
FREE
About Joseph
Joseph Tychonievich is a lifelong lover of plants and gardening. He got his degree in horticulture from Ohio State University and went on to work for specialty rare plant nurseries in Japan and Michigan. Joseph is the author of several books including The Comic Book Guide to Growing Food: Step-by-Step Vegetable Gardening for Everyone. His writing has been published in Fine Gardening, Horticulture, and The New York Times. He is the editor of the North American Rock Garden Society’s quarterly journal. He currently lives and gardens in South Bend, Indiana, with his husband, three cats, and a truly excessive number of plants.
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone’s hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil.
Corona CT 3344 Premium Stainless Steel ComfortGEL Hoe/Cultivator, Red
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Dual working heads—2 tools in 1. Sharp hoe to break up clumpy soil. Cultivator for weeding. Package Weight: 0.34 kilograms.
A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
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