Aging-in-Community

Aging-in-Community

Regional and national demographics are undergoing a structural shift with people living longer. By 2030, nearly 20% of the population will be older than 65. By 2035, adults over 65 will outnumber children under 18. By 2050, there will be more than 1 million Americans older than 100. A ten-year-old child now has a 50% chance to live past 100.

As communities diversify in age, they face issues and opportunities that can include:

• Homeowners aging in their houses, which may no longer be appropriate for their needs, and having few available options to downsize.
• Residents lacking transportation options to run errands, get groceries, and go to the doctor.
• Residents are stuck at home without broadband and a connection to their community.
• Services and facilities are not designed for the growing share of older residents.

To adjust to and plan for this demographic shift municipalities in the Chicago region have joined two national networks. The Age-Friendly Communities network, run by AARP in line with standards set by the World Health Organizations and Dementia Friendly Communities via Dementia Friendly America. AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. Dementia Friendly America is a national network of communities, organizations and individuals seeking to ensure that communities across the U.S. are equipped to support people living with dementia and their caregivers.

Mayors Caucus Initiatives

In 2018, the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus developed the Age-Friendly Communities Collaborative (AFCC) in response to the need to provide a more age friendly approach to community development. The Collaborative provides a forum for regional mayors and municipal representatives to convene on shared concerns and advance more inclusive communities for residents of all ages. Through the Age Friendly Communities Collaborative municipalities are coming together to learn and share strategies for meeting the needs of their aging populations.

In 2021, the MMC launched Aging in a Changing Region with support from the Retirement Research Foundation for Aging to provide free workshop and technical assistance for municipalities interested in developing place-specific strategies for better supporting aging-in-community.

Visit the Age-Friendly Communities Collaborative and Aging in a Changing Region to learn more.