Arizona Establishes ‘Aging 2020 Plan’ – State agencies must prepare for influx of baby boomer retirees.

Napolitano calls for plan to help retiring boomers
advertisement

Chip Scutari
The Arizona Republic

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0317aging17.html

Gov. Janet Napolitano signed an executive order Tuesday that directs state agencies to build an "Aging 2020 Plan" to prepare for the influx of baby boomers who will soon retire.

The order creates a group that will determine how best to serve the elderly. The citizens group will review demographic changes and assess the implications on Arizona. For example: Arizona’s fastest-growing age group is women over 85 years of age. By 2020, more than one in four people living in Arizona will be older than 60.

"Seniors have become an important part of the social fabric of our state. But for some of our state’s seniors the challenging of aging is daunting and result in economic hardships. In just seven short years, the first of the baby boomer generation will reach the age of 65."

The graying of Arizona’s workforce presents economic, health care and transportation challenges. Dick White of the Arizona Interfaith Network said that "Aging 2020" is important because there is massive turnover of paid caregivers who look after seniors.

"I know this may not seem like a big story today, but it will mean a lot down the road," White said.

He and other seniors at the signing ceremony joined Napolitano this morning in the Capitol Tower. She said it’s the state’s responsibility to reach out to those seniors who are struggling. In May, she will host her first Governor’s Conference on Aging, focusing on the quality of life Arizona provides for its seniors.