Cities throughout the United States face an important question: How can they plan for a rapidly increasing population of older adults and ensure that resources and services are in place to support aging well in their communities?
Current population trends point to remarkable growth in the number of aging Americans. The 80 million members of the boomer generation (born between 1946–1964) have started to reach age 65, the traditional age for retirement. In California alone, 11% of the state’s population is at least 65 years old. By 2030, the number of Californians ages 65 and older will double, growing from 3.6 million to 8.9 million. The fastest-growing segment of the older population is people ages 85 and older.
Over the past several years, the Center for Civic Partnerships has built on its more than two decades of leadership in healthy cities and communities to assist communities as they plan for an aging population. Our expertise includes:
- Developing effective strategies for aging well planning efforts at the local level
- Researching and publishing a collection of easy-to-use resources, including issue briefs, articles highlighting best practices, and, most recently, a comprehensive toolkit aimed at supporting the aging well planning process for local governments, policymakers, community leaders, advocates, and service providers
- Providing customized technical assistance to local governments in the areas of relationship building, community engagement campaigns, and conducting resident surveys on community-based planning for aging well
- Making presentations at state and national meetings for a wide range of disciplines, including public administration, public health, planning, aging, and many others
This section of our site presents the highlights of our aging well resources. Here you’ll find the tools, best practices, and step-by-step guidance you need to successfully plan for and support aging well in your community.
Now is the time to put these planning tools to use in the community. We look forward to hearing from cities and their community-based partners regarding their application of the toolkit and the usefulness of the resources provided here. We encourage you to begin your own aging well planning initiative. As a result, you’ll see improved health and quality of life for your residents, new opportunities for social innovation, and an engaged group of stakeholders committed to improving and enriching your community.