DON'T CALL IT A SILVER TSUNAMI…
By MargoWhen our son Ben came home from his first day of 2nd grade last year, he gleefully informed my husband and I that we were the oldest parents in his class. Being the oldest appeared to be a Badge of Honor for him. We tried to share his enthusiasm.
As it turns out, cheap Autodesk AutoSketch 10 we aren’t growing older alone. The Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area is the nation’s #1 fastest growing population of people between the ages of 55 and 64, and the 2nd fastest growing community of people aged 65 and older.
Across the country, Baby Boomers are engaging in a growing dialogue about staying productive and independent as they reach their older years.
Over the past year I had the pleasure of serving as the Project Manager for the Austin Mayor’s Task Force on Aging. Our charge was to create a set of strategic recommendations to accommodate Central Texas’ fast-growing senior population.
The Task Force was comprised of a diverse group of leaders from non-profits, philanthropy, business, and academia. Our charge was to build a plan to ensure our aging neighbors have the resources to be healthy, independent and integrated into community life.
The results of our efforts include a Report and a set of Recommendations that focus resources on prudent investments that will result in social and economic benefits for our community. The Full Report and Recommendations can be found here.
As a community, it is time we embrace our Age Diverse Austin as a Badge of Honor. Terms like the “Silver Tsunami” don’t do justice to the opportunities that more age diversity provide. Arts, transportation and education can thrive in an environment where we are deliberate about creating appropriate supports and intergenerational opportunities.
By investing intelligently we can avoid costly interventions and leverage existing resources to support our seniors.