--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: expanded to a second location in…" description: "\"“expanded to a second location in Portland—this one had 142 units and capacity for impoverished elderly people on government support—the state required..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/atul-gawande-1871_health_expanded-to-a-second-location-in-portlan_1694641.jpg" --- # expanded to a second location in Portland—this one had 142… ![“expanded to a second location in Portland—this one had 142 units and capacity for impoverished elderly people on government support—the state required Wilson and her husband to track the health, cognitive capabilities, physical function, and life satisfaction of the tenants. In 1988, the findings…” quote by Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/atul-gawande-1871_health_expanded-to-a-second-location-in-portlan_1694641.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/atul-gawande-1871_health_expanded-to-a-second-location-in-portlan_1694641.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/atul-gawande-1871_health_expanded-to-a-second-location-in-portlan_1694641.jpg) > ““expanded to a second location in Portland—this one had 142 units and capacity for impoverished elderly people on government support—the state required Wilson and her husband to track the health, cognitive capabilities, physical function, and life satisfaction of the tenants. In 1988, the findings were made public. They revealed that the residents had not in fact traded their health for freedom. Their satisfaction with their lives increased, and at the same time their health was maintained. Their physical and cognitive functioning actually improved. Incidence of major depression fell. And the cost for those on government support was 20 percent lower than it would have been in a nursing home. The program proved an unmitigated success.”” [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The housing program showed that supportive, low‑cost senior housing can improve wellbeing and health while reducing expenses. **In simple terms:** Supportive housing boosts health and saves money. Key Takeaway Invest in community‑based senior housing. Themes elder care public policy health outcomes cost efficiency Mood optimistic pragmatic Type informative inspirational When to use this quote - urban planning - government budgeting - senior services - healthcare cost control Key Concepts social determinants of health housing as health intervention Questions to Reflect On - How can similar models be adapted elsewhere? - What policies are needed to scale such programs? A Different Perspective Results may vary with different populations or funding structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [1988 Findings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/1988-findings-1090050/) [Elderly People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elderly-people/) [Freedom Satisfaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-satisfaction-1090051/) [Government Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-support-838581/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Health Maintained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health-maintained-1090049/) [Major Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/major-depression/) [Nursing home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nursing-home/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [We cannot rest and sit down lest we rust and decay. Health is maintained only through work. 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As consciousness gives us the sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ligotti/what-meaning-our-lives-may-seem-to-have-is-the-work-of-a-relatively/) [Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ligotti/) > [She has a very low self-esteem. She has like zero self confidence. And your words? she takes to heart. She will try to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine/she-has-a-very-low-self-esteem-she-has-like-zero-self-confidence-and/) [Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine/) > [“It is not pleasant to experience decay, to find yourself exposed to the ravages of an almost daily rain, and to know that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/it-is-not-pleasant-to-experience-decay-to-find-yourself-exposed-to/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [“Also, isolation leads to chronically lowered levels of the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin.  It is one of the bizarre ironies of major depression that being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lee/also-isolation-leads-to-chronically-lowered-levels-of-the-feel-good/) [James Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lee/) > [“people who have the genes for unipolar major depression cannot turn off their stress response. When they experience stress from jobs, deadlines, family trouble,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burgess-wes/people-who-have-the-genes-for-unipolar-major-depression-cannot-turn/) [Burgess,, Wes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burgess-wes/) > [“To begin with, there is an almost compulsive promiscuity associated with homosexual behavior. 75% of homosexual men have more than 100 sexual partners during…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/to-begin-with-there-is-an-almost-compulsive-promiscuity-associated/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [“Freud was fascinated with depression and focused on the issue that we began with—why is it that most of us can have occasional terrible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/freud-was-fascinated-with-depression-and-focused-on-the-issue-that-we/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [Mental health can be just as important as physical health - and major depression is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental illnesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-greger/mental-health-can-be-just-as-important-as-physical-health-and-major/) [Michael Greger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-greger/) > [There is a whole book of poetry written by a woman with sucidial ideation, borderline personality disorder, major depression and who is a self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-e-cidal/there-is-a-whole-book-of-poetry-written-by-a-woman-with-sucidial/) [Sue E Cidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-e-cidal/) ## More by Atul Gawande > [Don’t let yourself be. Find something new to try, something to change. Count how often it succeeds and how often it doesn’t. Write about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/don-t-let-yourself-be-find-something-new-to-try-something-to-change/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“Wilson spent several days camped out in one government office after another until she had secured an exemption. Unbelievably, she and her husband cleared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/wilson-spent-several-days-camped-out-in-one-government-office-after/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [What is needed, however, isn't just that people working together be nice to each other. It is discipline. Discipline is hard--harder than trustworthiness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/what-is-needed-however-isn-t-just-that-people-working-together-be/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“8. Chapter 4 describes the birth of the assisted-living facility concept (Park Place), designed by Keren Wilson to provide her disabled mother, Jessie, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/8-chapter-4-describes-the-birth-of-the-assisted-living-facility/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [When we lived in a society where we had large families that lived together, especially in agricultural societies like my grandfather and father grew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/when-we-lived-in-a-society-where-we-had-large-families-that-lived/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [My biggest fear, that 27 percent of Americans under 65 have an existing health condition that, without the protections of the Affordable Care Act,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/my-biggest-fear-that-27-percent-of-americans-under-65-have-an/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“..how we seek to spend our time may depend on how much time we perceive ourselves to have. When you are young and healthy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/how-we-seek-to-spend-our-time-may-depend-on-how-much-time-we-perceive/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“I cannot pretend he escaped unscathed. The extended period of low blood pressure damaged an optic nerve and left him essentially blind in one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/i-cannot-pretend-he-escaped-unscathed-the-extended-period-of-low/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [The battle of being mortal is the battle to maintain the integrity of one’s life,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/the-battle-of-being-mortal-is-the-battle-to-maintain-the-integrity-of/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“an average of $94,000 during the last year of life with a metastatic breast cancer. Our medical system is excellent at trying to stave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/an-average-of-94-000-during-the-last-year-of-life-with-a-metastatic/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“we need practice to get good at what we do. There is one difference in medicine, though: it is people we practice upon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/we-need-practice-to-get-good-at-what-we-do-there-is-one-difference-in/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [People underestimate the importance of dilligence as a virtue. No doubt it has something to do with how supremely mundane it seems. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/people-underestimate-the-importance-of-dilligence-as-a-virtue-no/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [Developing a skill is painful, though. It is difficult. And that's part of the satisfaction. You will only find meaning in what you struggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/developing-a-skill-is-painful-though-it-is-difficult-and-that-s-part/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [Just look at the list of who the lowest-paid people are. Pediatricians are at the bottom. You would also look at internists. You would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/just-look-at-the-list-of-who-the-lowest-paid-people-are-pediatricians/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“When Felix came to this crossroads, the orthopedic shoe to drop wasn’t his. It was Bella’s. Year by year, I witnessed the progression in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/when-felix-came-to-this-crossroads-the-orthopedic-shoe-to-drop-wasn-t/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) [Explore all 200 Atul Gawande quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) ## More Health quotes > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [Water is life, and clean water means health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/water-is-life-and-clean-water-means-health/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [It is irresponsible to set an arbitrary cap on how much therapy a Medicare beneficiary can receive. 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What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [Leaders need to compromise, negotiate with members of both parties and ideologies, and reform health care the right way - by developing a strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/leaders-need-to-compromise-negotiate-with-members-of-both-parties-and/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [I listen to my body, I give it things it wants and I eliminate things it doesn't want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britt-ekland/i-listen-to-my-body-i-give-it-things-it-wants-and-i-eliminate-things/) [Britt Ekland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britt-ekland/) > [As an adventurer...I try to protect against the downside. I make sure I have covered as many eventualities as I can. 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That's a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/making-sure-that-people-have-access-to-preventive-medicine-for-the/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [Not only is a healthy America a strong America - it's vital to our national defense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/not-only-is-a-healthy-america-a-strong-america-it-s-vital-to-our/) [John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/) [Browse all 17,127 Health quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“expanded to a second location in Portland—this one had 142 units and capacity for impoverished elderly people on government support—the state required Wilson and her husband to track the health, cognitive capabilities, physical function, and life satisfaction of the tenants. In 1988, the findings were made public. They revealed that the residents had not in fact traded their health for freedom. Their satisfaction with their lives increased, and at the same time their health was maintained. Their physical and cognitive functioning actually improved. Incidence of major depression fell. And the cost for those on government support was 20 percent lower than it would have been in a nursing home. 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