Community conversation considers aging issues

In an effort to find out what's important to local residents as they age, Aging Together held its 2010 community conversation on aging Tuesday afternoon following TRIAD's Art of Aging Expo at the Orange Assembly of God Church.
According to Aging Together Chair and Rappahannock-Rapidan Community Services Board/Area Agency on Aging Senior Manager Sallie Morgan, by 2020 the 60 and over population in Orange is expected to more than double which means the needs of the community likely will change. Since 2000, the senior population, those who are 60 years of age and older, in Orange has grown by 36.2 percent, which is faster than the regional average of 32.5 percent. By 2030, the population is expected to have grown by 163 percent since 2000.
Morgan said the increase in the senior population has caused a shift in the family balance. Middle-aged workers are now caring for more senior family members and less dependent children than in the 1930s when there was a higher number of dependent children than seniors.
She said 66 percent of seniors live with family members, while 2 percent live with non-relatives, 5 percent live in group quarters such as nursing homes, 20 percent of women live alone and 7 percent of men live alone. Also, the older population is becoming more diverse.
Members of the baby boomer population, those born in the period following World War II, are more educated, have earned more in their lifetime and seek opportunities for continuing education, working, quality leisure activities, volunteering and care giving. Unfortunately, because there are more blended families and baby boomers tend to have had children later in life, they may not have children to care for them as they age. If they do, those children may also be taking care of their own children at the same time.
Because the aging population is growing, more diverse services and a refocus of those services may be needed. According to Morgan, businesses have traditionally targeted consumers ages 18 to 49. However, that population is only expected to grow 1 percent whereas the 50 and over population is expected to grow 25 percent. Morgan said businesses may need to rethink their strategies.
In order to find out what is important to stakeholders (such as business owners and government leaders), seniors (those from the five-county area covered by Aging Together) and more specifically seniors in Orange, Aging Together interviewed 265 people in an effort to update their strategic plan which was created in 2004. Of those 265 responses, 249 were used to determine the top three goals of each category.
Stakeholders, such as business and government leaders) said expanding services, providing information and supporting caregivers should be the top goals of Aging Together. Seniors agreed with expanding services and supporting caregivers but felt health and wellness was more important than providing information. Orange seniors also said expanding services and health and wellness are important but added volunteerism.
The groups were also asked what should be the top three roles of Aging Together. Stakeholders said convening, offering centralized information and being an educator and champion should be the top three roles. Seniors agreed and Orange said being an educator and champion, convening and being an advocate should be the most important roles.
Attendees of the conversation were then asked where Aging Together should focus its time and resources and what benefits and challenges exist with aging in Orange. Mostly, participants said they wanted more business.
"I've been very disappointed in Orange since I moved here," Ruth Taylor said. "There are no places to shop and only one grocery store. We need transportation to other areas or stores to come here."
Alice Sandridge agreed, saying business is a dire need in Orange.
"Orange will say it doesn't have money for this, where's the money going?" she asked. "You can't buy shoes or a dress in Orange. What are you going to buy, wine or cars? We need business. It's silly to spend money outside of the county [because we can't buy what we need here]."
"We need jobs to keep young people here and we need to provide for young people," Delores McDaniel added.
Several participants also said the Senior Center, formally the Senior Nutrition Center, needs to be more publicized because many seniors aren't aware it exists.
The responses during the conversation on aging will be used to assist Aging Together in determining where it should direct its efforts.
Aging Together, a regional partnership of over one hundred organizations and individuals, is a collaborative effort to help Fauquier, Culpeper, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock counties prepare for the coming age wave. Known originally as the Rappahannock Rapidan Eldercare Coalition, the partnership has adopted the name Aging Together to reflect the reality that aging affects everyone and that the only way to improve supports for older adults and families is to work collaboratively.
The group aims to ensure that citizens living in the Rappahanock-Rapidan area retain their sense of place and community, serve and contribute to that community and are assured of help when needed from family, friends, neighbors and places of worship, as well as from helping organizations and a responsive government. For more information, visit www.agingtogether.org.