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The “Age Wave”How prepared are our communities?

Northern Great Lakes Visitor CenterJuly 24, 2014

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Facilitators:

• Liz Lexau, UW-Extension Family Living Educator

• Tim Kane, UW-Extension Community Development Educator

• Carrie Linder, Bayfield County Aging & Disability Services Manager

• Clif Barber, University of Wisconsin-Madison/UW Extension Family Living Programs

Aging in Place

• Americans want to age in place.

• Communities

will have to

adapt.

How prepared are our communities for the impacts of a rapidly aging population?

10,000 Americans

are turning 65 every

day…a trend that

will continue for the

next 20 years!

Nation’s Aging Population Booms

2005 National Survey of 10,000 Communities

National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) and the MetLife Foundation

What percentage of

communities in the

United States have

started to plan for the

impacts of population

aging?

Finding:

Fewer than 46% of

communities have

begun to assess their

“aging-readiness”

and prepare for the

impacts of an aging

population.

2010 Follow-Up Survey

Reported that…

“only limited progress in advancing the goal of preparing for an aging population. Many communities are struggling just to maintain the status quo.”

Questions to Guide Discussion:1. What are some indicators of population aging?

2. What are some of the impacts of population aging on our communities?

3. What are the key attributes or characteristics of “aging-friendly” communities?

4. What steps can a community take to become more aging-friendly? What survey instruments can be used for an initial assessment?

5. What resources are available for communities?

Measures of Aging

What are some ways

of measuring the aging

of individuals?

What are some ways of

measuring the aging of

entire populations?

Individuals Entire Populations

Measures/Indicators of Population Aging

• Life expectancy

• Number of persons age 65+

• Percent of persons age 65+

• Median age

Population Aging in the United States

Increase in Number and Percentage

Percentage of Americans Age 65 Expected to Survive to Age 90

Growth of U.S. Centenarians

Aging of the Baby Boomers…

• Baby boomers started turning 65 in January 2011.

Approximately 10,000 of them turn 65 every day — and this will continue for the next 20 years!

• 2030: 65+ projected to be 72 million people (20% of population.)

• 2050: 65+ projected to be 80 to 90 million people and those age 85+ close to 21 million

Population Aging in Wisconsin

Increasing Life Expectancy

Wisconsin Projections

Increasing Proportion of Persons Age 65+ in Wisconsin

2010 (13.7%) to 2040 (23.7%)

Percent of Population Age 65+State Rankings (2010 Census)

Ranked 1st 17.3% Ranked 22nd 13.7%

Iron (51.0)

Vilas (50.7)

Florence (49.9)

Door (49.4)

Bayfield (49.4)

Adams (49.2)

Burnett (49.1)

Price (48.3)

Oneida (48.0)

Washburn (47.7)

Population Aging in Wisconsin’s Counties Median Age by County (2010 Census)

Median age

for WI: 38.5

Ten “Oldest” Counties in Wisconsin: See Packet Handout

Projections for Oldest Counties

Median age

in 2010

# persons age

65+ in 2010

% persons age

65+ in 2010

Projected % in

2035Iron 51 1,502 25.4% 35.9%

Vilas 50.7 5,556 25.9% 36.8%

Florence 49.9 931 21.0% 35.4%

Door 49.4 6,245 22.5% 36.9%

Bayfield 49.4 3,112 20.7% 41.6%Adams 49.2 4,899 23.5% 39.6%

Burnett 49.1 3,569 23.1% 32.1%

Price 48.3 2,968 21.0% 37.2%

Oneida 48 7,800 21.7% 32.1%

Washburn 47.7 3,380 21.2% 32.8%

Ashland 40.3 2,567 15.9% 29.4%

Percentage of Persons Age 65+ by County: Changes Between 2010 and 2035

Wisconsin’s Age Wave

What Impacts Will Population Aging Have on Wisconsin Communities?

Areas of Community Life Impacted by Population Aging

1. Housing2. Transportation, accessibility, and parking3. Sidewalks & Pedestrian Crossings4. Community and Health Care Resources5. Family caregiving6. Nutrition and Wellness7. Arts, Culture, and Lifelong Learning8. Employment and Workforce development9. Public safety and emergency planning10. Respect and Social Inclusion11. Community Connectedness: Civic Engagement and Volunteer

Opportunities12. Taxation, Finance, Protection Against Fraud13. Community Leadership and Intergenerational Collaboration

Packet Handout: Activity – Identifying Impacts

Group Reports:

1. Housing2. Transportation, accessibility, and parking3. Sidewalks & Pedestrian Crossings4. Community and Health Care Resources5. Family caregiving6. Nutrition and Wellness7. Arts, Culture, and Lifelong Learning8. Employment and Workforce development9. Public safety and emergency planning10. Respect and Social Inclusion11. Community Connectedness: Civic Engagement and Volunteer

Opportunities12. Taxation, Finance, Protection Against Fraud13. Community Leadership and Intergenerational Collaboration

Creating Aging-Friendly Communities

• What are the key attributes or characteristics of aging-friendly communities”

• How can you tell whether a community offers a supportive environment for persons of all ages, including those who are elderly?

• How can a community measure or assess the extent to which it is aging-friendly?

Qualities of Aging-Friendly Communities

Qualities or Attributes of an Aging-Friendly Community

• Inclusive

• Sustainable

• Healthy

• Accessible

• Interdependent

• Engaged

Source:

Thomas, W. H.,

& Blanchard, J.

M. (2009).

Moving beyond

Place: Aging in

community.

Generations,

33(2), 12-17.

1. Assemble a team of public and private

leaders/stake holders in the community;

provide education to increase awareness of

population aging.

2. Assess the community’s aging-readiness.

3. Take focused-action.

4. Promote Success.

5. Set-a long-term course.

6. Obtain resources.

Steps to Becoming More “Aging-

Friendly” and “Aging-Ready”

Assessment Tool #1: Appendix B of “Blueprint for Action”

Assessment Tool #2: Community “Report Card”

Assessment Tool #3: Checklist of essential features of age-friendly cities

Assessment Tool #4: Cooperative Extension Survey

Survey Focuses on 13 Areas1. Housing2. Transportation, accessibility, and parking3. Sidewalks and Pedestrian Crossings4. Community and Health Care Resources5. Family caregiving6. Nutrition and Wellness7. Arts, Culture, and Lifelong Learning8. Employment and Workforce development9. Public safety and emergency planning10. Respect and Social Inclusion11. Community Connectedness: Civic Engagement and Volunteer

Opportunities12. Taxation, Finance, Protection Against Fraud13. Community Leadership and Intergenerational Collaboration

Survey Response OptionsAfter reading a list of aging-friendly attributes for each area, the respondent indicates how many on in her/his community:

1 = None of them

2 = A few of them

3 = About half of them

4 = Most of them

5 = All of them

Resources(updated in 2013)

• Websites• Reports• Books• Journal articles• Agencies and

organizations

UW Extension FYI Blog: http://fyi.uwex.edu/agingfriendlycommunities/

Those communities

that design for

livability empower

their residents to

remain independent

and engaged, and

offer a better quality

of life.

A Call for Action:

?Questions We All Need to Ask?• Is your community a good place

to grow up and grow old?

• Will your community meet your needs when you are 65, 75, 85, 95…or even 105?

• If not, what can you do now to begin to make your community a friendly and supportive environment for persons of all ages?

Be a catalyst for action!Are you willing to take the risk?

Questions