medical technology and improvements in overall standards of living have increased the life expectancy of the population as a whole. In the next 20 years, the number of older adults is expected to increase more than 100% in Austin and Travis County. The fastest growing segment of the population is individuals ages 75 and older.
Older adults exist on a continuum of ability and need. The majority of older adults is well and active and continues to be throughout their lives. They are employed, they volunteer, they travel, and they generally lead rich and active lives. Others will slow down and become frailer, and develop chronic conditions such as arthritis and hypertension. But, aging does not necessarily mean an individual will lose his/her mental faculties and become unable to care for him/herself. A number of factors play into the aging process - lifestyle, diet, level of activity and exercise, income level, connections with other people, and hereditary factors. Prevention efforts can ameliorate many of the unwanted and unnecessary side effects of aging.
The majority of older adults want to maintain their independence and live out their lives in their own homes. This poses a challenge for families and the community - how to support people in the communities where they live. Sixty percent of older adults will need some type of support as they age, ranging from transportation to acute medical care. The vast majority of support is provided by informal caregivers - family, friends, and neighbors. Other support comes from a complex system involving government, private businesses, non-profit and faith based organizations. Community based care costs six times less than nursing home care, making it a more cost efficient alternative for individuals and the community.
No consensus exists about the beginning of this life stage. For this report, an older adult is an individual age 60 or older. The purpose of this report is to provide information about older adults in Austin and Travis County and the issues that they face. It is not possible to address all of the issues in one report - they are simply too numerous. However, the information provided here can serve as the impetus for discussion about how to improve the conditions for older adults as well as initiate action in that direction. The guiding values of this report are:
- Older adults are valued members of our community,
- Older adults should be treated with respect,
- Older adults should be able to live out their lives with dignity, and
- Older adults have the right to self-determination.
This report is divided into five chapters: 1.) Why focus on older adults, 2.) Who are older adults, 3.) What are the current conditions for older adults, 4.) What system is in place to care for and support older adults, and 5.) What can the community do to care for and support older adults. The third chapter considers the specifics of housing, food and nutrition, physical and mental well- being, transportation, legal protections, victimization and economic self-sufficiency and how these impact the older adults in our community. The fourth chapter looks at some of the issues involving Long Term Care and how older adults access care. The last chapter discusses next steps for the community to improve services for this population. As appropriate, each chapter includes a summary of the current efforts that are taking place in the community to address a particular issue. Additionally, the findings and recommendations tables offer a summary of the next steps to address problems identified in each area. Lastly, where possible, best practices in specific issue areas are provided to serve as a guide for strengthening the current system.
