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Housing, Health Care, Top Priorities For Aging Demographics
By Andy McKeever, iBerkshires Staff
01:09AM / Thursday, September 24, 2015
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — By 2030 nearly all Berkshire County municipalities will have more than 60 percent of their population over the age of 50.
 
An effort has been mounted locally to start laying the plans for communities to be more age friendly when the baby boomer generation turns 65. The first step in that is to find out what the older generation wants. 
 
"We're really going to be an aged community," said Laura Kittross, who headed the survey. 
 
The trend is national but the Berkshires are ahead of the curve. The median age is 44 in the Berkshires but there are more adults over the age of 65 then under the age of 18.
 
The majority of some 2,500 who responded to a survey said they want to stay in their own homes as long as possible. The survey showed that the Berkshires aren't attracting people who retire and move here but rather people who have moved to the Berkshires and later retire. 
 
Some of the important aspects of life for that generation is access to public building, walking and sidewalks, outdoor recreation, cultural events, transportation, and housing. All of those are part of the "eight domains" outlined by AARP and the World Health Organization's age friendly themes. Last year a local task for was formed to start helping the county move toward making communities livable.
 
The survey shows that 81 percent of the respondents felt it was important to have well maintained public buildings that allows access for those of all physical condition. A quarter of those responding reported accessibility issues to buildings and those with in the lowest income groups have the most issues — likely because of age and health status.
 
Meanwhile sidewalks ranked high with 89 percent saying they were important; 81 percent exercise regularly and do so by walking. Some 38 percent said the ability to walk to stores and parks is important.
 
A total of 82 percent said outdoor recreation was important with 567 percent saying they currently hike, bike or kayak. Hiking is the most exercise with 30 percent following by 19 percent who bike and 15 percent who kayak. Those who are younger, higher income, and more education are more likely to participate in outdoor recreation.
 
A total of 71 percent attend cultural events such as theater or music and another 11 percent said they would like to participate more. Again, those which more education participate more. The reasons others said they don't attend them is because of times the events are being held. Lower-income respondents cited cost and access to transportation as well. However, income doesn't appear to impact cultural event participation.
 
The older generation is still driving for the most part. 89 percent still drive themselves with 60 percent of those over the age of 80 still driving. Only 4 percent use public transit. A total of 16 percent said they walk to stores and doctor's appointments but that drops of considerably in the over 80 age bracket. A total of 19 percent of those over the age of 80 use special transportation services.
 
As for housing, "virtually everybody wants to stay in their own home," Kittross said.
 
Some 82 percent of those responding own their homes while 13 percent rent. A total of 64 percent expect to continue to live in their homes, with that percentage rising among the younger and wealthier respondents. 
 
A total of 10 percent expect to live in a condominium or cooperative housing but only 3 percent currently do. Additionally, 9 percent expect to live in a retirement community but only 2 percent currently do. Kittross wonders if that shows the county has a shortage in those types of housing options.
 
Those who do move at an older age move into a smaller home, with 44 percent reporting that. A total of 38 percent move to different climates and 38 percent move to be closer to stores and downtown. 
 
The survey also showed that people are working later in life. Some 40 percent are still working full time and another 16 percent are working part time. Even in the over-80 age group, 11 percent reported still working. A total of 75 percent said they would put off retirement and work as long as possible.
 
"There does seem to be a need for flexible, part-time jobs for people around retirement age," Kittross said. 
 
A total of 35 percent said they participate in local government with 28 percent volunteering to serve on boards. Only 40 percent, however, feel that the thoughts of older adults are valued by the community. Older residents and those with higher income tend to feel as if their views are important.
 
The survey showed that internet usage was common. 
 
Health care also topped the priority list with 98 percent citing that it was important to have access to good doctors and hospitals. But 26 percent said they have trouble getting in to see doctors.
 
"It really appears to be an availability issue," Kittross said. 
 
Berkshire Regional Planning Commission also released the results of a survey for young adults. House ranked high in both surveys showing the type of housing both the older generation and the younger generation isn't available. 
 
"The housing area is probably the one that surprised us the most," Executive Director Nathaniel Karns said. 
 
Another similarity is that both groups find the Berkshires to be a good place to live. Cultural activities and outdoor recreation ranked high for both groups. And both groups want communities to be more walkable. 
 
In the young adult survey, crime and drugs was not a pre-determined answer but many wrote those concerns in. The older generation didn't cite those issues nearly as much. Health care ranked more important among the older generation. And the type of jobs both groups are looking for were different.
 
The full report is available below. 

Age Friendly Report by iBerkshires.com

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