Fight for a Va. that values and cares for its seniors
What percentage of Virginia’s population must seniors occupy before their needs are at the forefront of public policy, including the budget and priorities of the governor and our state and local leaders? Older adults and aging issues continue to be glaringly absent from important conversations as investments and commitments bypass seniors in favor of children, families and pretty much every other population in the commonwealth.
Older Virginians already represent 22% of Virginia’s total population. By 2030, Virginia will experience the same demographic shift as the rest of the nation when seniors will outnumber all children for the first time in U.S. history. Ageism would have us believe our seniors will all be in nursing homes, but currently 95% of older adults live independently in their communities and there is no reason to believe this will change anytime soon.
The significant contributions of older Virginians are a force that powers our economy, workforce and families. The momentum that comes with the accumulation of knowledge, abilities and rich experiences powers our communities forward, too.
Older Virginians provide
$38.5 trillion in paid and unpaid contributions to the commonwealth. They provide hundreds of millions of caregiver and volunteer hours. They hold tremendous spending, voting, charitable giving and workforce power.
Since Virginia’s priorities favor future generations, let us acknowledge who is raising them. An estimated 40% of grandparents who are the primary (and often sole) caretaker of their grandchildren are older adults. The highest concentration of these grandparents, 17.3% of the state total, is here in South Hampton Roads. How much more must older adults contribute to the commonwealth before they become a priority?
There are days it seems aging well is only for those who can afford it. How much more dire must the situation get for our most vulnerable older adults before they become a priority? They too contribute to Virginia. Older adults are the fastest growing homeless population in the commonwealth as affordable housing becomes increasingly out of reach. An estimated 30% of low-income renters are seniors and an alarming number of our elders spend more than half their fixed incomes on rent that continues to increase at predatory rates.
The key issues of housing, mental health, food insecurity and more affect seniors too, but in compounding ways that are not found in other populations. Now, perhaps more than ever, it’s time our leaders prioritize older adults and aging issues by giving them the investment they deserve.
Increased funding for the home and community-based services delivered through Virginia’s network of Area Agencies on Aging would be a good start. These are life-sustaining services such as home-delivered meals, transportation to doctor’s appointments, benefits counseling, and much more. Area Agencies on Aging are forced to do more with less to meet the needs and fulfill our commitment to the older adults we serve. We too face a fiscal cliff as our pandemic resources disappear.
In spite of these challenging times, or perhaps because of them, we will continue to fight for a Virginia that values its seniors. Because we understand what is good for an older adult is good for us all. Because a Virginia where an elder with a walker must panhandle in 90 degree heat to survive is a Virginia I don’t want to age in.
Virginia is aging and that’s a beautiful thing. But if we don’t prioritize seniors and aging issues — if we don’t commit to building a state that gives its residents the tools and resources for success and prosperity in life’s third phase — we will be left with only one question: What kind of Virginia have we aged into?
Rebecca Brown is the advocacy manager for Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia-an Area Agency on Aging in Norfolk. She is an advocate for older adults and equitable aging, and the chair of the Coalition for Homeless Elders.