The baby boomers are coming of age, which means a large segment of the population is now nearing or in retirement. An older demographic means a different atmosphere for many towns and, most importantly, different needs.
Housing, transportation options and social service needs aren’t the same for older people as they are for, say, young families or middle-age professionals.
Making sure municipalities are able to properly accommodate older people is important, particularly in Maine, which has the oldest median age in the country, according to a 2012 Department of Health and Human Services aging report. With the population bubble of baby boomers reaching retirement age, the number of Mainers 65 and older is expected to grow; all the while, growth in the under-24 age bracket is slowing.
Economist Charles Colgan spoke recently in Wells, noting that the fastest growing segment of the population in Maine is the 65 years old and older set.
Maine is not alone in addressing an aging population, of course, and to that end, the AARP and World Health Organization have been working to create the Global Network of Age Friendly Communities. Locally, Saco is poised to become the area’s first such community. The city began this process last week with an assessment of its current state and what could be done to make the city more “age friendly.”
Topics up for discussion included social participation, health employment, communication, outdoor spaces, transportation and housing, among others.
By gathering to assess the current state of the city in regards to seniors, the city is taking a proactive step forward in being an attractive place for people to come and retire, and perhaps more importantly, for long-time residents to age in place.
Simple improvements like adding more bus runs to and from grocery stores and health care centers, sidewalk improvements and wheelchair-accessible public spaces can make a big difference in improving people’s quality of life. Bigger changes like affordable senior housing and affordable assisted living centers can also allow older people to remain in their communities even after they can no longer care for a single-family home.
Creating these accommodations for older people not only makes the community more welcoming to them, but also to their families. Improvements such as those public spaces and transportation also benefit the entire community.
We hope Saco finds success in improving its “age-friendliness” and earns the AARP/WHO designation, eventually sharing their process with other area communities to help positive ideas spread.
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