Cliff 2011 03 march 10 cty ldrshp conf stevens pt wi
1. Creating Aging-Friendly Communities in Wisconsin Clif Barber, Chris Kniep, Peggy Nordgren Aging in Our Communities Team UW Cooperative Extension Family Living Programs COUNTY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE – MARCH 10, 2011
2. Why an Educational Seminar on Community/County Preparedness for Population Aging? Maturing of America Survey (2005) FINDING: Only 46% of 10,000 U.S. communities surveyed had begun to prepare for the impacts of an aging population.
3. Overview Population Aging Community/County-level Impacts of Population Aging Attributes of Aging-Friendly Communities Examples of County/Community Efforts to Creating More Aging-Friendly Environments Resources for Communities/Counties
5. Aging Whether we like it or not (or whether we admit it or not), all of us – as individuals - experience aging. What are some common ways to measure human aging?
6. Aging in human beings can be measured in a number of ways: chronological, biological, psychological, social, functional, etc.
10. Changing Shape of Population Pyramids The “shape” of a population pyramid is determined by a combination of several factors. One is birth rate. What are some other factors?
18. Increase in Life Expectancy: 1900-2003 From 1900 through 2003, life expectancy at birth increased from 48 to 75 years for men (a gain of 27 years) and from 51 to 80 years for women (a gain of 30 years).
34. Population Aging in WisconsinPercentage of Persons Age 65+ by County: 2010-2035 Wisconsin’s Age Wave See Packet Handout
35. By the year 2035, will the percentof persons age 65+ in your countybe greater than was the case forFlorida in the 2000 Census (~18%)? Yes No Don’t know
37. Median Age by County (2007) Oldest Counties: Iron County-- 47.6 years Vilas County– 46.9 years Door County– 46.1 years Florence County– 45.7 years Price County– 45.6 years Youngest Counties: Menominee County– 28.0 years Dunn County– 31.9 years Eau Claire County– 33.8 years Pierce County– 34.1 years Portage County– 34.7 years
43. How Will the Aging Population Impact Transportation?
44. What are the key attributes or characteristics of aging-friendly communities; that is, when 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 the extent to which it is aging-friendly? Creating Aging-Friendly Communities
45. See Packet Handout - Small Group Activity:Qualities of Aging-Friendly Communities
46. 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.
47. Blueprint for Action Booklet Steps To Becoming More Aging-Friendly Assemble a team of public and private leaders/stake holders. Assess the community’s aging-readiness. Take focused-action. Promote Success Set-a long-term course Obtain resources
48. Partners for Livable Communities Community “Report Card” – How “ageless” is your community http://livable.org/storage/documents/Services/Technical_Assistance/Aging_in_place_technical_assistance2010.pdf
49. World Health Organization Guidehttp://www.who.int/ageing/publications/Age_friendly_cities_checklist.pdf Checklist of essential features of age-friendly cities
53. UW Extension Blog: http://fyi.uwex.edu/agingfriendlycommunities/ See Packet Handout
54. 2008 Book by Gerald Hodge Focus is on Canada, but much of the material is very useful See Part 4: Preparing for the “Seniors’ Surge” Also a good list of internet resources
55. 2009 Report by AARP An excellent resource on planning and design of streets (and sidewalks) that accommodate the needs of older drivers.
56. 2009 Book See Chapter 10 – “Collaboration as the Key to the Successful Future of Aging” – by Bob Scarfo (Washington State University-Spokane)
57. Unless America makes a commitment to livable, “aging-friendly” communities, baby boomers and other persons of a range of ages and with a variety of abilities will find it difficult to age successfully and remain engaged with their communities... On the other hand, 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:
58. ??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?
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE: (Make introductions)The vast majority of Americans want to remain in their communities as they age. Contrary to popular belief, only a small minority actually move to warmer climates upon retirement. Fewer than 5 percent of the 65 and over population reside in nursing homes. Instead, most Americans choose to age in place, within the same communities where they have long lived. With this in mind, every community - from the suburbs to rural areas - will have to adapt to an increasingly older population.
NARRATIVE:In 2005, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging – together with several partners (e.g. the MetLife Foundation) – conducted a national survey of 10,000 communities for the purpose of assessing the extent to which American communities has begun to plan for population aging. A key finding was that fewer than half (46%) had even begun to prepare for this important demographic trend.NOTE: Report may be found online at: http://www.n4a.org/pdf/MOAFinalReport.pdf
NARRATIVE NOTE:This is a sample slide only. The topics to be covered will vary with the setting, time constraints, and target audience. Topic #4 will vary, and should consist of “best practice” examples located in Wisconsin and are likely to be familiar to workshop participants.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:The primary focus of our presentation is on the question: How prepared is your community for the coming “age wave”? The term “age wave” describes the significant increase in the older population as a result of the aging of the “Baby Boom” generation; that is, those born between 1946 and 1964. You may also have heard this referred to as the “silver tsunami”.This photo of a wave crashing a map image of Wisconsin is intended to foster reflection on the extent to which our communities are “aging-ready”. Our goal is to encourage both individual and collective action to make communities in Wisconsin more aging-friendly.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:Before we discuss the aging of populations, perhaps it will be useful to briefly talk about the aging of individuals…a phenomenon with which all of us are familiar. Whether we like it or not (or whether we admit it or not), all of us are aging.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:How is the aging of individuals measured? Perhaps the most common means is chronological – number of years since birth (number of candles on the cake). But aging can also be measured in biological, psychological, social, and functional terms as well…and even subjectively (how old do you feel?). As an example of a measure of biological aging, hold your hand out flat with the palm facing down. Now gently pull up the skin on the top of you hand; just behind your knuckles. Let go. For an older person whose skin has aged due to unprotected and prolonged exposure to sunlight, the loss of elasticity (the cross-linking of collagen molecules), the skin that was pulled up remains. For a younger person, the pulled up skin returns immediately to its original shape.SOURCE INFORMATION:One reference with regard to the aging of skin: Calleja-Agius, J., Muscat-Baron, Y., & Brincat, M. P. (2007). Skin ageing. Menopause International, 13, 60-64.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:Just as the aging of individuals can be measured – say, using years since birth – so, too, can the aging of entire populations (i.e. groups of people living in a given geographical area). But the means of measuring the aging of populations are different. SUGGESTIONS FOR AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:Before showing the next slide, you may want to ask participants for suggestions on ways they thing that the aging of a population can be measured.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:A population pyramid is a common way of illustrating the distribution of various age groups in a population (e.g. a country or region) which normally forms the shape of a pyramid. A population pyramid typically consists of two back-to-back, horizontal bar graphs, with the population plotted on the X-axis and age on the Y-axis, one showing the number of males (and one showing females (usually on the right) in a particular population, generally in five-year age groups (e.g. 65-69).Males are conventionally shown on the left and females on the right, and they may be measured by raw number or as a percentage of the of the total population.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:Here are three population pyramids for Japan at three points in time: 1950 on the left, 2008 in the middle, and 2050 on the right. The changing shape illustrates the aging of the population (from younger to older).SUGGESTION FOR AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:There are several factors that influence the shape of a pyramid…including it changing shape over time. One is birth rate, or number of babies born in a given year or set of years. Can you think of other factors that would affect the shape of a population pyramid? Tease out: mortality rate (longevity or average life expectancy), and immigration rate. Younger populations are those with a higher birth rate coupled with a fairly high mortality rate…. will have a regular “pyramid” shape – broader base. Older populations are those with a relatively low birth rate coupled with lower mortality rates…will be an “upside down” pyramid.NOTES ON HYPERLINKS: Clicking on the image on this slide is hyperlink to the source page: http://ayrshiregeog.blogspot.com/2007/09/elderly-people-in-japan-problem-or.htmlClicking on the underlined word, “population” , will take you to a website that illustrates that the dynamic change in shape of a population pyramid over time using data from Canada.OTHER:Analogy (optional): The shape of a population pyramid is constantly changing. It’s like holding a snake by the tail and having it eat mice or rats of different sizes who are scurrying around on the floor. Swallowing a small mouse would represent a time when the birthrate if fairly low. This might be followed by swallowing a fairly large rat; symbolizing a significant increase in birth rate. The overall shape of the snake would be one of bulges and dips; depending on the size of the mouse or rat that was eaten; and the rate at which it was digested. I realize this may be a pretty “gross” analogy, but I doubt you will forget it when you think of the changing shape of population pyramids.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:With different ways of measuring population aging in mind – and with an understanding of how population pyramids can be used to illustrate population aging – we turn now to examining population aging: For this presentation, we will share information on population aging from four perspectives: global, national, state (Wisconsin), and county.NOTES: This presentation can be shortened by eliminating one or more of these demographic perspectives.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:Many people are aware that the population in the United States is growing older. What is sometimes overlooked is that populations worldwide are also aging.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:..the percentage (and number) of persons age 65+ in the world with be greater than those age 5 and younger. For many persons, this is surprising…even shocking. Think of the implications of a world in which there are – for the first time ever – more older than younger people. As you can see from this line graph, the percentage of children age 5 and younger has been declining at the same time that the percentage of persons age 65+ has been increasing. Although the percentage of those age 5 and younger is currently higher, it is projected this will change sometime before 2020.NOTES ON HYPERLINKS: If you are connected to the internet, clicking on the graph on this slide opens a hyperlink to the 2007 report from which this graph was taken: Why Population Aging Matters: A Global Perspective. http://www.nia.nih.gov/NR/rdonlyres/9E91407E-CFE8-4903-9875-D5AA75BD1D50/0/WPAM_finalpdftorose3_9.pdf
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE: Within the past few years, there has been a significant increase an awareness of issues related to global aging. This slide shows only a few reports, magazines, book, and monographs published on this topic. SUGGESTION FOR AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION: Ask how many have recently read or seen a newspaper article, magazine cover, or book focused on the topic of global aging.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:Recall that one measure of population aging is median age (the age that equally divides the population into younger and older groups). On this slide and the next – again, taken from the 2008 international population aging report – are bar graphs showing the projected change in median age (from 2008 to 2040) for 12 countries: 6 “developed” countries (this slide: Australia, Germany, Greece, Japan, United Kingdon, and the United States) and 6 “developing” countries (next slide: Brazil, China, Mexico, Pakistan, South Africa, and Uganda).By the year 2030, the median age of the entire developed world is projected to be 45. In Japan and much of southern and eastern Europe, it will be over 50.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:We shift now from a global perspective of aging populations to a focus on aging in the United States. Does anyone know the number and percentage of persons in this country who are age 65+ or older?Answers: Currently, there are approximately 40 million Americans age 65 and older; representing a little more than 13% of the total population.A good source of information on older Americans is the Administration on Aging website (http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/Aging_Statistics/Profile/index.aspx). A few of the graphs in the next few slides were taken from the Administration on Aging website. NOTES ON HYPERLINKS:If you are connected to the internet, clicking on the image of the continental US map opens a hyperlink to the Administration on Aging (AoA) site: Profile of Older Americans: 2009 http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/Aging_Statistics/Profile/index.aspx
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:One of the great success stories of public health is the significant increase in life expectancy. From 1900 through 2003, life expectancy at birth increasedfrom 48 to 75 years for men and from 51 to 80 years for women. Life expectancy at age 65 has also increased since the beginning of the 20th century. Among men, life expectancy at age 65 rose from 12 to 17 years and among women from 12 to 20 years. In contrast to life expectancy at birth, which increased sharply early in the 20th century, life expectancy at age 65 improved primarily after mid-century. Improved access to health care, advances in medicine, healthier lifestyles, and better health before age 65 are factors underlying decreased death rates among older Americans.This line graph shows the increases in life expectancy at birth from 1900 to 2003. For women, 30 years have been added to the average length of life (from 51 to 80); for men, the gain has been 28 years (from 48 to 75). Over the same period of time, there have also been increases in life expectancy for those who reach the age of 65….about 20 more years for women, and 15 or so more years for men.SOURCE NOTES:Data in this graph are from a National Center for Health Statistics Report: Health, United States, 2006: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus06.pdfMore recent data (broken down by race and gender) are available in a 2009 report, but these data do not include trends from 1900. The 2009 report can be accessed at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus09.pdfIn an optional handout, You may want to include information on online life expectancy calculators. Using the online tools, participants can calculate their own life expectancy and compare it with the data in this chart. Examples of free online life expectancy calculators: Boston University School of Medicine: http://www.bumc.bu.edu/centenarian/the-living-to-100-life-expectancy-calculator/Microsoft Network (MSN): http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/calcs/n_expect/main.asp
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:This line graph from the 2008 report on Older Americans illustrates that – although there has been an increasing number of older persons since 1900 - there will a significant increase beginning in 2011 when the Baby Boom generation begins to turn 65…the beginning of the “age wave”….and a corresponding rise in the number of persons turning 85 twenty years later. NOTES ON HYPERLINKS/SOURCES:Clicking on the graph image is a hyperlink to the source: http://www.agingstats.gov/agingstatsdotnet/Main_Site/Data/2008_Documents/Population.pdfThe entire 2008 Chartbook can be accessed by clicking the hyperlink with the report cover image: http://www.agingstats.gov/agingstatsdotnet/main_site/default.aspx
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:Not only has the actual number of persons age 65+ in the United States increased; but the declining birth rates has also resulted in an increase in the percentage of persons age 65 and older. Whereas they constituted only 4 percent of the total population in 1900, they represent nearly 13 percent today, and this will climb to more than 20% beginning in 2030. By 2050, it is projected that nearly 23 percent (almost 1 in 4) will be age 65%.SUGGESTION FOR AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:Distribute note cards or pieces of paper of two different colors; make sure that 25% of the group receives one color and have them stand up or hold up the card/piece of paper so the entire group can get a “visual feel” for what constitutes 1 in 4…this proportion of the entire U.S. population will be ages 65 or older in about 40 years.NOTE ON HYPERLINK AND DATA SOURCE:Clicking on underlined title of this slide will open a hyperlink to a 2002 federal report containing the information used to create this graph: http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/Reports/medicalinnovation/
SUGGESTION FOR AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:Ask participants to indicate (either by standing up or raising their hands) how many were born between 1946 and 1964….members of the Baby Boom generation.PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:Starting in January 2011, approximately 10,000 people will turn 65 every day— and this trend will continue for 20 years! (HYPERLINK NOTE: clicking on the underlined link will take you to the source document for this information: “Preparing for the Silver Tsunami”, by the Alliance for Aging Research: http://72.32.160.218/content/article/detail/826 ).By 2030, almost one out of every five Americans—some 72 million people—will be 65 years or older. By 2050, the 65+ population is projected to be between 80 and 90 million, with those 85 and older close to 21 million.SOURCE NOTE:Source: Alliance for Aging Research, 2021 K Street, NW Suite 305, Washington, DC 20006; tel 202/293-2856 fax 202/785-8574 ; Website link: http://72.32.160.218/content/article/detail/826
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:Not only is the overall population in the US aging, the elderly population itself is getting older. One reason is increase life expectancy. This graph illustrates that an increasing percentage of those age 65 and older are expected to live to age 90.SUGGESTION FOR AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:Audience participation: ask how many of the participants have a close relative who has lived to age 90 or older. Indicate by a raise of hands or by standing up.NOTE ON HYPERLINK/SOURCE:Clicking on the graph image opens a hyperlink to the source of the information (Fact Sheet on Aging America – Experience Corps) used for the graph: http://www.experiencecorps.org/images/pdf/Fact%20Sheet.pdf
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:The previous slide focused on the percentage of Americans age 65 who are expected to survive to age 90. This slide highlights the trend that an increasing number are reaching the 100-year mark. These are data are based on a 1999 Census Report. The latest Census projection, made in 2003 calls for a US centenarian population of 1.1 million in 2050. That's up from a projection made in 1999 of 834,000. SUGGESTION FOR AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:Have each member of the group turn to someone next to them and briefly tell of someone they know who has lived to age 100 or beyond.May want to share personal stories of people who have lived past the century mark.NOTES ON HYPERLINKS/SOURCES:Clicking on the graph image or the older woman image in this slide opens a hyperlink to a 1999 U.S. Census report (Centenarians in the Unite States) from which these data were taken: http://www.census.gov/prod/99pubs/p23-199.pdfThere is also a new 2010 report on centenarians in the United States (NUMBER OF CENTENARIANS IN THE UNITED STATES01/01/1990, 01/01/2000, AND 01/01/2010 BASED ON IMPROVED MEDICARE DATA, by Bert Kestenbaum and B.Reneé FergusonSocial Security Administration.) Here is the link: http://paa2005.princeton.edu/download.aspx?submissionId=50718
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:Now we turn to aging in Wisconsin.SUGGESTIONS FOR AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:Does anyone know how many residents of Wisconsin are currently age 65+? What percentage of the total population in Wisconsin are age 65 or older? In terms of the proportion of persons age 65 and older, where does Wisconsin rank in the 50 states?
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:This graph, created by the UW Extension Applied Population Lab based on 2000 US Census data, shows that Wisconsin ranks 20th in terms of the percentage of the population age 65 and older. Note that the percent of persons age 65+ in Florida is currently 17.6; in contrast to 13.1% for Wisconsin.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:There are currently 800,000 persons in Wisconsin who are age 65+. The Wisconsin Plan for Older Persons 2010-2012 projects that this figure will be more than 1.4 million by the year 2035.SOURCE NOTE:Source: Wisconsin Plan for Older Persons 2010-2012 (http://dhs.wi.gov/aging/Publications/Final%20State%20Plan%2007-24-09.pdf )
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:The aging of Wisconsin’s population is dramatically illustrated in these two population pyramids. The one on the left contains U.S. Census data for 1900, and depicts a fairly young population; very few older persons…and those that are counted represent only a small percentage of the total population. The pyramid on the right is a projection by the Wisconsin Demographic Service Center for 2035. A big change in shape! Moving from a young to an older population as evidenced by a significant increase in both number and proportion of older persons. SOURCE NOTE: US Bureau of the Census, 1900; Wisconsin Department on Aging, Demographic Service Center (updated November 2009). Graphs appear in the Wisconsin Plan for Older Persons 2010-2012.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:Here are some slides from the UW Extension Applied Population Lab that show the changing shape of Wisconsin’s population pyramid. This one shows the structure for 1990 ( black) compared to 2007 (orange). SOURCE NOTE: UW Extension Applied Population Laboratory: http://www.apl.wisc.edu/
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:And this slide shows the change between 2007 (again, orange) and a projection for 2020 (black).Note: Switching back and forth between these two slides shows the dynamic nature of population pyramids. SOURCE NOTE: UW Extension Applied Population Laboratory: http://www.apl.wisc.edu/
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:Lastly, we turn to a county-level perspective of aging populations. In the 2000 Census, almost 18% of Florida’s population was age 65+. SUGGESTIONS FOR AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:Twenty years from now (i.e. in 2030), which Wisconsin counties will have this same percentage or higher? (answer on following slides)(toss candy to reward those willing to offer responses…including Hershey kisses in “pyramid” shape)Between 2000 and 2007, which Wisconsin counties aged the fastest (in terms of median age)? (answer on following slides)(candy toss again)In terms of median age, which Wisconsin counties are the oldest? (answer on following slides)(candy toss)
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:In the packet of materials is a table (printed on blue paper) showing Wisconsin county populations through 2030. These data were derived from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, and are available on the web on the WDHS sited entitled, “Demographics of Aging in Wisconsin”.SUGGESTION FOR AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:Audience participation: Look at the far right-hand column in the table printed on the blue paper – county data on number and percent of persons age 65 and older.Raise your hand (or stand up) of your county will - in the year 2035 (see right-hand column of table) have an age 65+ population of:40% or higher in 203530% or higher in 203520% or higher in 2035Remember, the age 65+ population in Florida at the present time is a little under 18%.HYPERLINK NOTE: Clicking on the logo for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services will take you to the Demographics of Aging in Wisconsin website: http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/aging/demographics/index.htmOnce this website is accessed, clicking on “Data Tables (Excel)” will enable you to access – in spreadsheet format – county data on population aging.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVEMention to workshop participants that their packet of handout materials includes a document (one sheet; two-sided print) containing county-level data from the Wisc. Dept. of Health Services “demographics” website. Have participants find their respective counties on this sheet, and ask them to circle the number and person of persons age 65+ the current year (e.g. 2010) and for the year 2035. Have them compare this to the same data for the state of Wisconsin.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:Based on U.S. Census data and projections, the county-maps of Wisconsin illustrate the change in percentage of persons age 65 and older between 2010 (the map on the left) and 2030 (the map on the right). Yellow indicates counties with age 65+ population of 12% or less. Increasing shades of green indicates counties with elderly populations of between 12 and 21%. And increasing shades of blue, counties with aged populations over 21%. The darkest blue – and note how many counties there are – have age 65+ populations that are more than 27%. SUGGESTION FOR AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:Ask participants to share observations regarding why the shift toward older populations in Wisconsin counties.SOURCE NOTE:Wisconsin Plan for Older Persons 2010-2012: http://dhs.wi.gov/aging/Publications/Final%20State%20Plan%2007-24-09.pdf
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE: Using either the Turning Point “Response Cards”/software – or by a show of hands – have workshop participants response to the questions on this slide.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:It is important to note that the UW Extension Applied Population website has county-level on population aging. HYPERLINK NOTE:If you are connected to the internet, clicking on the screen shot image in this slide opens a hyperlink to the displayed page: http://www.apl.wisc.edu/briefsreports.html#presentationsUnder the “Selected Presentations” section is a report on aging in Wisconsin: http://www.apl.wisc.edu/publications/aging_in_wisconsin.pdf
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:Median age is the age that divides a population into two numerically equal groups; that is, half the people are younger than this age and half are older. It is a single index that summarizes the age distribution of a population.The median age in the United States is current 36.7 (http://www.indexmundi.com/united_states/median_age.html)Here is a county map showing data on median age. Data are from US Census Bureau population estimates, 2007.Oldest counties (by median age): Burnett (45), Iron (47.6), Price (45.6), Vilas (46.9), Oneida (45.4), Florence (45.7), and Door (46.1)Youngest counties (again, by median age): Menominee (28), Dunn (31.9), Eau Claire (33.8), Pierce (34.1), and Portage (34.7)SOURCE NOTE: US Census Bureau, Census 2000 population counts by age and US Census Bureau, population estimates, 2007
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:Within the next 20-25 years, the percentage of persons in Wisconsin who are age 65+ will rise from 13 to more than 20%...and their number will increase from 800,000 to more than 1.4 million. Some counties will have elderly populations that are more than twice what Florida is at the present time. What do you think will be some of the impacts of population aging in Wisconsin?
PRESENATION NARRATIVEHave workshop participants break into small groups. Assign each group to brainstorm the impacts and possible community responses to one of the following areas listed on the front page of the packet handout entitled “Identifying the Impacts of – and Possible Responses to – An Aging Population”): families/family caregiving, housing, transportation. Have one person in each group record responses on the reverse side of this sheet. Mention that responses can be broken down by rural versus urban impacts/responses.Then have each group select a second area (other than the one they were assigned), and have them repeat this process (i.e. identifying impacts and possible community responses).
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:Have one person from each group report the impacts and community responses they identified. This should be done for the families/housing/transportation areas first, and then for the remaining areas.
SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY (CONTINUED)How might the aging of a community’s aging population affect families?Groups report on impacts on families; and suggestions for making a community more aging-friendly in this regard.
SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY (CONTINUED)How might the aging of a community’s aging population affect housing?Groups report on impacts on housing; and suggestions for making a community more aging-friendly in this regard.
SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY (CONTINUED)How might a community’s aging population affect transportation?Groups report on impacts on transportation; and suggestions for making a community more aging-friendly in this regard.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:To this point, we have illustrated the aging of populations, and discussed some its impacts on families and communities. We turn, now, to the third and concluding portion of the presentation: The challenge of creating aging-friendly communities. Our intention here is not to provide solutions; but to begin a dialogue about what makes a community aging-friendly, and to encourage careful assessment of where communities are in terms of being supportive of the needs of persons of all ages; including those who are – and will be – old.We pose two questions:1. What are the key attributes or characteristics of aging-friendly communities? Meaning, what criteria can you use to tell if a community is a supportive place to live for persons of all ages, including those who are elderly?2. How can you tell the extent to which your community is “aging-friendly”?
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:Either individually or in small groups, have workshop participants identify qualities (aka traits, attributes or characteristics) of communities that are “aging-friendly”. Responses should be recorded on the front page of the handout entitled “Qualities of Aging-Friendly Communities”.Reserve about 10 minutes for reports/discussion. May want to record responses on a white-board/easel, etc.Note: Chris Kniep has effectively introduced this segment of the presentation by talking about “round-abouts” as an example of a feature of community transportation that is not aging-friendly.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:The Summer 2009 issue of Generations, a journal published by the American Society on Aging, was devoted entirely to the topic of creasing aging-friendly communities. One of the articles in this issue (Thomas and Blanchard’s piece entitled, “Moving beyond place: Aging in community”) describes six attributes of aging friendly communities. These attributes are listed and defined on the reverse side of the handout entitled “Qualities of Aging-Friendly Communities”Aging friendly communities are usually characterized by six traits or properties. They are…InclusiveSustainableHealthyAccessibleInterdependent, and EngagedSUGGESTION FOR AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:After reading the definitions of these six traits, think about the community where you live. Can use “clickers” for participants to “vote” on whether their respective communities exhibit each of these characteristics.Could also have people stand.HYPERLINK NOTE:Clicking on the journal image is a hyperlink to the Summer 2009 issue; only the editorial preface by Dr. Andrew Scharlach, however, can be read. But you will be able to see the other articles in the issue. Here is the URL: http://www.generationsjournal.org/generations/gen33-2/toc.cfm
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:One of the first steps in preparing or planning for the coming age wave is to assess the extent to which a community or county is “aging friendly”. To this end, we offer several tools that might be useful. One is found in Appendix B of the Blueprint for Action booklet published by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging and the MetLife Foundation. A copy is included in the packet of handout materials.Another version of an aging-readiness questionnaire is a checklist found in Appendix B to a 2007 report published by the National Association for Area Agencies on Aging.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:Another tool that could be used is the Community “Report Card” that was published in the “Aging In Pace Technical Assistance Guide” (Partners for Livable Communities). A copy is included in your packet of handout materials.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:And yet another assessment tool is a checklist in the WHO publication, “Global Aging-Friendly Cities: A Guide”. A copy is included in your packet of handout materials.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVELastly, here is a questionnaire that the Aging in Our Communities Team (UW Extension Family Living Programs) has developed. A copy of this is also in your handout packet.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:This is the section of the presentation wherein you will need to identify communities/counties in Wisconsin that have implemented plans to become more aging-friendly. In different presentations of this workshop, we have used Vernon County and La Crosse Counties as examples, but the examples you use will need to be tailored for your location and target audience.Be sure to select examples of planning and action that reflect that “steps” listed on the prior slide. Also select examples that were done in a “cost-effective” way and that are sustainable.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVEIn the packet of handout materials is a list of resources that communities/counties might find useful as they begin to plan for population aging.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:The UW Extension Aging Our Communities Team has launched a blog aimed at helping to create aging-friendly communities. One of the sheets in your packet describes how to access this blog. The blog contains information that may be helpful to communities and counties. It also affords the opportunity for communities to share what they are doing – to highlight “best practice” examples of aging-friendly environments. HYPERLINK NOTE: If you are connected to the internet, clicking on this screen shot provides access to the blog: http://fyi.uwex.edu/agingfriendlycommunities/
In 2005, AARP published a booklet entitled “Beyond 50.05”, the focus of which was to encourage the development of livable communities. The booklet issues a “call for action” and makes specific recommendations. The booklet concludes with the following: Unless America makes a commitment to livable, “aging-friendly” communities, baby boomers and other persons of a range of ages and with a variety of abilities will find it difficult to age successfully and remain engaged with their communities...On the other hand, those communities that design for livability empower their residents to remain independent and engaged, and offer a better quality of life.
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:In closing, we pose some questions: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?
PRESENTATION NARRATIVE:Responses to these questions will require your involvement in your respective communities and counties.Are you willing to take the risk?
