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1st Virginia Forum on Age Wave PlanningVirginia Forum on Age Wave Planning

May 20, 2009, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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Catch the Wave

Virginia’s first annual forum on age wave planning gathered in Charlottesville in May 2009 to share insights, data and best practices.

There aren’t many social crises you can see bearing down on you 5 to 15 years before they arrive, but the age wave is one of them. We know that the over-65 population will double in Virginia to 1.8 million citizens by 2030, and we know that Baby Boomers have very different expectations of aging than members of the Silent Generation do. We also know that many local governments and community services organizations aren’t prepared for what’s coming.

Acting on the premise that being forewarned is being forearmed, the Older Dominion Partnership partnered with other aging-related groups to host the “Virginia Forum on Age Wave Planning,” on May 20, 2009 at the Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville.

“The purpose is to educate and inspire local leaders to help their communities plan for the coming age wave,” said Linda Nablo, commissioner of the Virginia Department for the Aging. “We’re encouraging communities to understand what’s going to be happening in the next 5 to 15 years and get ready.”

The elderly have many special needs. Their transportation options are curtailed. They have complex medical issues. They often have difficulty living independently, and they suffer disproportionately from a lack of social interaction. While the number of elderly in Virginia will swell as the giant baby boomer age cohort advances in age, the number of trained caretakers will shrink as Boomers in the workforce are replaced by the smaller Generation X.

The forum was designed to educate elected officials, municipal administrators, regional planners, local foundations, United Ways, Chambers of Commerce and other leading civic groups. Confirmed presentations in the agenda included:

  • Let’s Do the Numbers. Presentation of demographic trends by experts with the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, University of Virginia.
  • Boomers Will Change Our Communities. John Martin, CEO of the Boomer Project, will describe how Boomers will reinvent old age.
  • Economic Opportunities for Your Community. Kim Sheeler, the new president of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce, will draw upon his experience as a chamber executive in Jacksonville, Fla. to discuss the economic impact, both pro and con, of the post-65 population on the community.
  • You Can Create a “Livable Community.” Elinor Ginzler, a senior vice president with AARP, will discuss the association’s Livable Communities initiative.
  • What Your Neighbors Are Doing to Prepare. Four panelists – from Fairfax County, the Rappahannock Rapidan Region, Richmond and Charlottesville – will discuss age wave planning initiatives in their communities.
  • Resources That Can Help. Officials with the Older Dominion Partnership will describe planning resources available to Virginia communities.

The event was followed by a complementary wine tasting.

The event was cosponsored by the Older Dominion Partnership, the Virginia Municipal League, the Virginia Association of Counties, the Virginia Association of Local Human Services Officials, the Virginia Association of Area Agencies on Aging, the Virginia Chapter of AARP and the Boomer Project.

Attendees walked away with a strong working knowledge of the main age wave-related issues as well as manuals, guides, tool kits and other resources to start planning. “Send a team from your community,” said Nablo. “It’s only one day, and it costs only $25 a head. Come together, hear the message, go back to your community, and start planning!”

 

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