Communities for All Ages Issues

Facts on aging 

There are now more people over age 65 than at any other time in American history. In 2019, the Kansas City area's population aged 65 and over was 327,343 and is expected to grow an additional 38% to reach 452,556 by 2030. These unprecedented numbers will last with each successive generation for the foreseeable future. 

Baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) began turning 65 in January 2011 at the rate of 10,000 per day. This will continue at the rate of 10,000 every day for the next 20 years. 

Our average life expectancy has risen from 47.3 years in 1900 to 78.3 years today. 

By 2030, 20% of Americans, 75 million people, will be 65 or older compared to 42 million today. The number of those 85 and older will be close to 21 million. 

Given these facts, today’s older adults face many challenges: inadequate savings and delayed retirement, multiple chronic health conditions, lack of caregivers, limited transportation options, inappropriate housing stock in which to age in place and more.  

Health

People of any age, regardless of condition, can maintain healthy a outlook and lifestyle. Social connectedness and participation in the community can improve health status and prevent decline.

KC Communities for All Ages believes in the power of community and the positive impact that defining one's own health and well-being can have on remaining fit — however that term is defined.

The active participation of seniors in their own care represents an opportunity never seen before and will make for stronger neighborhoods, healthier families and a more responsive and compassionate healthcare system.

Health and Wellness Workshops

Housing and Universal Design 

Many older adults are no longer able to maintain the homes where they have lived for years, in neighborhoods where they established lives and relationships and raised their families. Housing options such as apartments, duplexes and condos allow older adults to downsize, eliminate or reduce yard work and maintain close relationships with neighbors, but many neighborhoods don't have enough multi-family buildings available to fill the need.

The housing needs of an expanding older population will require the community to renovate residential properties to better accommodate the needs of those who wish to remain in their existing homes and neighborhoods, and to support the construction of new housing in locations and of types of meet their diverse needs.

Universal design makes buildings, homes and outdoor spaces easy to use for all populations. Following these principles creates homes that are flexible and adaptable, with efficient space to accommodate everyone's needs, and welcoming to visitors of all ages and abilities.

Remodeling for Accessible Homes Idea Book

Transportation

To live independently, older Americans must be able to maintain a mobile lifestyle. KC Communities for All Ages and MARC’s transportation department work to increase mobility options for older adults and to ensure that transportation services are designed in ways that meet the needs of an increasingly older population.

To meet these needs, they work to improve public transit, roadways and driving environments, expand social service transportation systems, and strive to include older adults when planning transportation projects.