How CHOC Seniors Are Staying Safe and Cool This Summer
At Monarch Apartment Homes in Palm Springs, California, senior residents gather in the community room for a monthly birthday celebration. More than 20 residents came together for the celebration to recognize their neighbors’ birthdays. Slices of birthday cake made their way around the room alongside stories, jokes, and the shared experience of living at Monarch Apartment Homes.
During the hottest months of the year, gatherings like this serve another purpose: They give residents a chance to stay connected while escaping the extreme heat outside.
This summer and every summer, avoiding extreme heat is an essential part of maintaining quality of life for our senior residents. While staying cool directly affects health, extreme temperatures can also disrupt daily routines, independence, finances, and social connection within the community.
Let’s take a look at how our CHOC residents and staff across California are adapting in different ways, from changing daily schedules to reducing energy costs and creating cool, welcoming spaces where neighbors can gather.
Palm Springs: When It’s Too Hot to Go Outside
The monthly birthday celebrations at Monarch Apartment Homes are just one example of how resident services staff are helping seniors stay both cool and connected.
“Many of our seniors adapted their daily routines around the extreme heat this summer,” says Adriana Banda, resident services coordinator at Monarch Apartment Homes.
In Palm Springs, temperatures in the summer can reach upwards of 100°F. These scorching temperatures make errands hard to do during the afternoon, the hottest part of the day. That puts senior residents in a position where they’re at home, indoors, and often isolated away from friends, family, and neighbors.
While staying inside protects residents from the heat, spending more time at home can also mean fewer opportunities to see friends and neighbors. In turn, the resident services staff at the Monarch has organized indoor social events throughout the summer.
“Despite how isolating the summer heat can feel, our residents continue to make the most of their community and show up for activities that will ultimately benefit them and their well-being,” says Adriana.
The birthday celebration was one example: More than 20 residents attended, giving neighbors an opportunity to laugh, catch up, and spend time together without having to venture into the afternoon heat.
Ray, Resident at the Monarch Apartment Homes
Coachella: The Cost of Staying Cool
Just a few miles away from the Monarch, residents at Placita Dolores Huerta in Coachella also face extreme desert temperatures, along with another concern: the cost of keeping their homes cool.
Air conditioning isn’t optional during the summer, and running it throughout the day can add to residents’ electricity expenses. The apartment homes at Placita Dolores Huerta have solar panels which were serviced recently to keep the system operating efficiently and support lower electricity costs for residents.
CHOC Resident Services Coordinator, Marilyn Muñoz, helps qualifying seniors apply for IID’s Senior Health Energy Lifeline Discount (SHIELD) Program, which provides a 30% discount on electricity-bills for seniors 60 and older.
Property staff also focus on making sure residents’ cooling systems are working properly.
“To better help residents, stay cool, and safe, our maintenance technician Daniel Jasso makes sure every AC filter is replaced, and if needed beforehand, he will change it upon work order request,” says Marilyn Muñoz, resident services coordinator at Placita Dolores Huerta.
Residents also have access to the community room, which is kept at 75 degrees and provides a cool place to spend time outside their apartments. Placita staff have also focused on helping residents remain socially connected during the hottest months, as at Monarch.
“To avoid isolation, I have organized gatherings in our community room such as movie nights, board games, ice cream socials and water days at the splash pad,” says Marilyn.
She has also noticed residents checking on one another and lending a hand when a neighbor needs help, which is another layer of support during the summer heat.
Northern California: Balancing Comfort with Cost
The approach looks a little different in Northern California. At CHOC’s community Walnut Terrace, many residents balance comfort with the cost of utilities.
Here, the residents don’t always rely on A/C the entire day. Instead, some have developed their own routines for taking advantage of cooler nighttime and morning temperatures.
“Many residents here open their screened windows at night and keep them open into the morning hours, then shut them to trap the cooler air,” says Candace Loving, senior housing services coordinator at Walnut Terrace.
“It is a sacrifice for some, however many of the seniors handle the discomfort gracefully, as many of them remember the days in their childhood when central A/C wasn't even an option for them.”
Residents also adjust when and how they spend time outside. Seniors who have dogs take walks earlier in the morning, keep them shorter and stick to shady routes whenever possible. Many also wear hats for additional sun protection.
CHOC staff make similar adjustments to community programming. Activities like gardening are scheduled earlier in the day, and cold filtered water is always available in the community room and during programs.
“In the past, I've held healthy discussion workshops and put segments in the (community) newsletter focusing on the importance of staying hydrated and using sun protection to fight heat and protect against skin cancer,” says Candace.
One Walnut Terrace resident has taken that strategy even further. By opening her windows during cooler hours and closing them before temperatures rise, she told Candace she hasn’t needed to run her air conditioner this summer. She also gardens early and schedules errands and paratransit rides before the hottest part of the day.
Heat Safety Is Community Care
Strategies to keep cool look different in Palm Springs, Coachella, and Northern California, but each community shares a common goal: helping seniors stay safe without sacrificing their independence or sense of community.
That means maintaining A/C and solar-powered systems and helping residents lower utility costs. It can also mean changing gardening programs to the morning, keeping cold water available, or simply giving neighbors a cool place to celebrate birthdays over cake.
As extreme temperatures reshape daily routines, CHOC staff and residents continue to adapt together. They look out for each other, finding practical ways to stay cool and connected.
Founded in 1984, Community Housing Opportunities Corporation (CHOC) is a non-profit affordable housing developer, energy, services and property management provider headquartered in Fairfield, CA; we create and manage equitable communities for individuals, families, seniors, and those with special needs. CHOC believes that economically integrated affordable housing is key to self-sufficiency and achievable with enriching, supportive programs that instill pride in residents, stabilize families, and improve local economies. Visit CHOCHousing.org. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, The Circle.