It is estimated that Virginia will need 22K nurses in the next 5 years to meet escalating demand ... without increases in enrollment, by 2020, one in three patients in Virginia will not have a nurse to care for them.
About the ODP
"The web of mutual obligations between generations is essential for a civilized society." -- Thomas Jefferson
The elephant in the corner
There's one change happening in Virginia that will affect everyone across the state, but that no one wants to talk about - Virginia is growing older. Much older. So much so, that one day people may call us the "Old Dominion" and mean it.
By 2030, the population in Virginia over the age of 65 will have doubled to over 1.8 million citizens (larger than Metropolitan Richmond today). That's about 20% of the total population. One out of five people across the Commonwealth will be older than the traditional retirement age -- and Virginia isn't ready.
What will an aging Virginia bring?
There are already shortages in affordable senior housing, professional healthcare workers, and funds for care management and home care, to name just a few essential support elements. If left unchanged, entitlement programs and health and social service delivery systems will be stretched beyond the breaking point. While governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations are already heavily invested in providing solutions and services, Virginia needs to make dramatic shifts in policy-making and planning if our state is to ensure that all people can age with dignity and security.
About the ODP
The Older Dominion Partnership (ODP) is a non-profit initiative by Virginia businesses, government, foundations, and non-profits to help Virginia ride the age wave -- the doubling of the Commonwealth's 65+ year old population from ~900,000 today to over ~1.8 million by 2030. The ODP was created in 2007 by a cross section of community leaders including business leaders, health system executives, executive directors of non-profit organizations serving Virginia's aging population, leaders from Virginia's philanthropic community, esteemed academicians from Virginia's universities, and state government officials.
The ODP serves as an inspiration, catalyst, and independent platform for networking, collaborating, planning, and potential funding partner for ODP members. The overarching goals of the ODP are to 1) build awareness of the coming age wave and its potential impact on the Commonwealth; 2) broaden stakeholders who want to prepare for this demographic shift; 3) help facilitate the creation and advancement of a community-driven, overall strategy to accelerate Virginia's age wave preparedness; 4) support ODP members through strategic coordination and possible alignment of funding sources; and 5) document and report on Virginia's progress in preparing for the age wave.
What we can all do to help
SIR is facilitating The Older Dominion Partnership planning process and will conduct the research that will support this initiative -- a study intended to gain a shared perspective and accurate reading on Virginia's "state of aging preparedness." The last time a study of this nature was performed for the Commonwealth was 1979.
This Web site outlines The Older Dominion Partnership's goals, planning approach, stakeholder groups, and project management structure.