Web Site for Aging in Place Atlas
Step One: User Information and Inquiry Form
Step Two: How to Read the Atlas
To help communities assess their preparedness for an aging population, the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging and the Institute for Geospatial Analysis & Mapping (GEOMAP) at Illinois State University have collaborated to develop an on-line “Aging in Place” Atlas for East Central Illinois.
Begin with Step One - a form that helps us to make the system work better for you and stay in touch. Continue on to Step Two that includes a Manual constructed to help you understand how the maps and models included in the Atlas were developed. Step Three allows you to access the maps by county.
America and its communities are aging rapidly. As the Baby Boom generation – born between 1946 and 1964 – reaches retirement age, the number of Americans over age 65 is expected to reach 71.5 million by 2030 – twice their number in the year 2000. At that point, one in five people in this nation will be an older adult. The fastest growing segment of America’s aging population are those people over the age of 85 who are most likely to need the support of family, friends, and the community to remain living independently.
The number of people 60 years of age and older in Illinois is projected to increase by 87%, from 1.9 million in 2000 to 3.6 million in 2030 – 1 in every 5 Illinoisans. The number of persons over 85 in Illinois is projected to increase by 109%, from 192,346 in 2000 to 402,311 in 2030 – representing 11% of the 60+ population.
What is "Aging in Place" ?
The vast majority of older Americans want to “age in place,” i.e., in their homes and communities for as long as possible. However, the aging of the population will pose new challenges for the delivery of local services such as health care, recreation, housing, transportation, public safety, employment and education. While these services benefit the general public, they have a major impact on the quality of life of older Americans. The aging of America will also present opportunities as our nation’s communities realize the largest population of educated and skilled older adults in its history.
A survey conducted by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, entitled, “The Maturing of America – Getting Communities on Track for an Aging Population” (2006), found that only 46 percent of American communities have begun to address the needs of the rapidly growing aging population. The survey results show that although many communities have some programs to address the needs of older adults, few have undertaken a comprehensive assessment to make their communities “elder friendly” or “livable communities for all ages.”
Characteristics of Population 60+.
Using data from the 2000 Census along with GIS technology, the Atlas illustrates the distribution and characteristics of population 60 years of age and older across East Central Illinois, including:
- Identification of “Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities”
- Location of “At-Risk” Populations, e.g. persons 75 and older, living alone
- Location of Older Adults with Disabilities
- Location of Poverty among Older Adults
- Race and Ethnicity of Aging Populations
- Location of “Mixed Generation” Communities
ECIAAA thanks the faculty, staff, and students of the Geography-Geology Department at Illinois State University for their expertise in producing the Atlas and hosting it on their website. We hope you find the “Aging in Place” Atlas to be a useful tool for building livable communities for all ages in east central Illinois.
This project was made possible with a grant of Federal Older Americans Act funds through the Illinois Department on Aging.