AGING 411: in Shelby County

It is projected that the 50+ population in Tennessee will grow by almost 34% by 2020, and increase from 267,240 reported by Census Bureau in 2000 to an estimated 357,1010 older adults in 2020. This growth will be significantly faster than the growth of the other segments of the population and will have a profound effect on state and local institutions and communities.1  

In 2012, the Plough Foundation effectively brought a higher awareness of the comprehensive needs of older adults 65+ in Shelby County under its Aging Initiative platform. Plough commissioned a local survey and made a solid case for prioritizing findings while calling for a "collective sense of urgency" to take action. According to their research partner, AdvantAge, the Initiative Survey provided a means for communities to 1) measure the extent to which they are elder-friendly: 2) identify and prioritize aging-related issues and or any problems and 3) develop data-driven solutions.2 Curious about what makes an "elder-friendly" community? These are the established Four Domains: 

? Basic Needs 

? Social & Civic Engagement 

? Optimizing Physical & Mental Health and Well-being 

? Maximizing Independence  2   

It is challenging to provide for basic needs if you are living in poverty. Memphis is by far a higher area for elders living below poverty with 9,951 as of 2009 vs 758 in Suburban Shelby County, as documented by the American Community Survey, 2009. The total 65+ population in Shelby County is estimated at 92,472, making this cohort certainly more than relevant.3  The study considers them a vital asset to the community as they are connected to their families and neighborhoods, and many are by some degree caregivers for their grandchildren or other friends and relatives. They also volunteer at schools, churches, neighborhood and consistently participate in faith-based activities. In essence, it could be said that they help sustain their communities. If we can help maintain their basic needs continued participation and engagement will continue.  

"Our enormous and rapidly growing older population is a vast untapped social resource. If we can engage these individuals in ways that fill urgent gaps in our society the results will be a windfall for American civic life in the twenty-first century." 

Mark Freedman CEO, encore.com 

 Not surprisingly, this is a complex issue, especially since their preference is to "maximize independence" and avoid care facilities. However, for older adults to stay at home and have the opportunity to 'age in place', there are four broad topics which need to be addressed: 

? Access to information about services and programs 

? Neighborhood safety and security 

? Financial security 

? Housing needs 

Access to Information: Indeed, the survey directly asked over 551 older adults about their awareness of programs available to seniors in Shelby County. There are dozens of charities, non-profits, federal and state agencies, and consultants who offer plenty of basic resources for "aging in place". However, what struck me deeply was the fact that awareness is reported to be very low, even for the most obvious organizations. 25% of Shelby County seniors say they don't know where to go for information about services and programs. That is an estimated 23,118 seniors in Shelby County who don't know where to get such information. Many seniors do without essential services because they are not aware of them. Needs that are simple may become urgent and even critical because information and assistance are not easily accessible. 4  

After respondents were asked where they do learn about resources currently. 11% said libraries, 11% said Faith organizations and 10% said Senior centers. This is a great indication of where to start building awareness in addition to launching a digital marketing campaign, which could educate and empower the families and neighbors in need of care.  

Safety & Security: Overall, 73% of Shelby County older adults are satisfied with the neighborhood where they live. Yet, if we dig deeper, there are clear disparities among diverse communities as 19% of Blacks felt their personal safety is fair or poor compared to 9% of Whites, and 22% of Blacks believe crime is a big problem compared to 9% of Whites.5 

The top 3 neighborhood problems reported were 1) Heavy traffic 2) People don't get involved 3) Crime.

How can we shift this predicament? Do older adults feel they have a voice in the matter? Over one-quarter (26%) of all respondents said they don't feel they have much influence in making their neighborhoods better places to live. Among lower-income residents, more than a third (34%) say they don't have much influence. One in three (34%) respondents overall said they do not think public officials take into account the interests and concerns of residents in their neighborhoods. Nearly half (47%) of Blacks and more than half (52%) of lower-income residents agree. 6 

Financial & Food Insecurity : Lower income adults in Shelby County are unable to cover their basic expenses compared to higher income older adults. More than half of lower-income respondents report that food pantries and food banks don't exist or they are not aware if they exist in Shelby County -- that's an estimated 4,700 people to reach with a campaign alerting them to low cost or no-cost food resources available in the community. Similar statistics are reported in both availability and affordability of fresh fruits and vegetables with 20% (less than $20K) reporting "no convenient place to buy" vs 13% (less than $20K) who say they "are not affordable". Does this affect nutrition? Yes, it does! Listen to this statistic, "Only one in ten (9%) lower income older adults said they eat four or more servings each day, compared with one in four (26%) with incomes of $20K and above.7 

Housing Needs: Only 54% of lower-income older adults own their home vs 90% of those making $20K or above. Whether you rent or own, aging in place takes a considerable amount of modifications and sometimes renovations to sustain safety and longevity in wherever it is you call home.  Of those not planning to make needed home modifications, the most often cited reason is "I can't afford it. "8 

Following these groundbreaking statistics, a large group discussion was planned with key community stakeholders to discuss this data, challenges, insights, and opportunities moving forward. Their conversations spurred on collective Action Steps which are highlighted below: 

? Building awareness in the general public and among key stakeholders 

? Engaging lower-income seniors in the advocacy movement 

? Combining senior advocacy with a major marketing campaign to inform the community about existing services and assets. 

Net/Net : Because of this insightful reporting funded by the Plough Foundation, we now have our action steps as a community cut out for us. Many thanks to the various agencies and organizations serving older adults in need in Shelby County. As I reviewed these findings, there was a thought in my head and a commitment in my heart to champion the execution of their plan . Having had a longtime career in marketing communications, I've decided to become an advocate for older adults to experience more effective support for dignified and empowered aging in Shelby County.Now, I simply have to secure funding to execute.  Stay tuned.

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### AgingX was founded as a community outreach and strategic alliance consultancy. We will help amplify and optimize services available to older adults and their familes, so they can enjoy a positive aging experience. ###

Contact: Kalyna Hanover, Chief Aging Advocate on LinkedIn, Twitter, FB or [email protected]m

Source: Report to the Community on Older Adults in Shelby County, Results from 
the 2012 AdvantAge Initiative Survey. Plough Foundation