HOW SAN DIEGO IS PREPARING FOR BIG DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFT
By 2030, 10.8 million Californians will be age 60 or older, and they will make up one quarter of the state’s population. From 2000 to 2030, the number of San Diego County residents over the age of 60 is expected to more than double.
To be successful, counties, cities and their leaders must navigate this demographic change as they plan for a new and different future while still delivering the services residents expect.
Surveys conducted by AARP consistently show that roughly 80 percent of adults age 50 or older want to “age in place” in their homes and communities.
They want to continue to see their doctors, live near friends, and be close to children and grandchildren. Such connections are not just nice to have — they are important to the health and wellbeing of the entire community. For residents of all ages to succeed in their community, there are critical components and services that should be offered, such as ensuring adequate transportation options that are not car-centric; addressing financial vulnerability, particularly in California with its exorbitant housing costs; ensuring older adults can stay socially and civically connected, and more.
In the San Diego region, a quiet but robust movement is underway to create communities that are more welcoming and inclusive for people of all ages. Though not widely recognized, San Diego County and the cities of San Diego, Carlsbad, Chula Vista, La Mesa and National City have already taken bold actions to prepare for changing demographics and trends leading to an older America. Their actions reflect each community’s excitement and enthusiasm for the future.
With visionary leadership from organizations such as The San Diego Foundation, Del Mar Healthcare Inc. and San Diego State University, and people such as San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, current San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, Carlsbad Mayor Matt Hall, Chula Vista Mayor Mary Casillas-Salas, La Mesa Mayor Mark Arapostathis and National City Mayor Alejandra SoteloSolis, these communities have enrolled in the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities.
In doing so, county and city leadership committed to a five-year planning process, with San Diego County taking the lead, to ensure older adults are prioritized in each jurisdictions’ practices and policies. The effort that is underway is not for fainthearted, short-sighted, partisan leaders. It is significant, research-based, data-driven work that requires sustained leadership. It engages the full range of government services, public and private organizations, and residents of all ages to identify core issues, develop action plans and implement innovations that support population change and meet the challenges ahead.
San Diego County is leading the way for jurisdictions across the U.S. The county recently completed its fiveyear planning process and is now in the process of updating its age-friendly action plan, also known as Age Well San Diego 2.0. This initiative aligns directly with California’s new Master Plan for Aging and the goal for counties to maintain a local plan on aging. It addresses the dramatic population change by bringing citizens and elected officials together behind a common framework, defining purposeful actions and sustaining past progress toward a welcoming region for all. In parallel action, The San Diego Foundation and the Brookings Institution recently unveiled a partnership to address San Diego regional issues that align with the age-friendly agenda. This is an exciting development for the region that will garner significant attention from other U.S. leaders and communities.
The gauntlet is thrown for other jurisdictions to follow San Diego’s path and commit to improve the quality of life for all ages. The young, the old and everyone in between will benefit from the adoption of age-friendly policies and programs that make neighborhoods walkable, feature transportation options for those who drive and those who no longer can or want to drive, enable access to key services, provide opportunities to participate in community activities, and support housing that’s affordable and adaptable.
Well-designed, agefriendly communities foster economic growth and make for welcoming communities and happier, healthier residents of all ages.
The effort that is underway is not for fainthearted, short-sighted, partisan leaders. It is significant, researchbased, data-driven work that requires sustained leadership.