Elizabeth also works for our communities’ wisest members
Not only am I a parent with kids in our school, but I also have a parent who lives in our community.
Who?
As a member of the Reading-West Windsor Aging in Place group, I have invested a lot of energy into researching best practices for the older members of our town’s populations to be able to remain in their homes for as long as possible. Doing so, and contemplating the future of Vermont, led me to dig deeper into where we, Vermont, are headed if we remain reactive to our growing retired population.
Where?
A certain percentage of second homes here in Vermont will be converted to homes for retirement. Even if that fraction is less than half, it is quite an added influx of people who need services. Add that to a shrinking population to provide those services, and we have quite a conundrum to wend through together.
In addition, our state has yet to come to come to grips with the fact that, within one generation, our lives will be extended well beyond the expanse predicted at the institution of Social Security. Retirement savings will have to cover twice the years— how we manage to encourage vital lives, while providing economically for our family and community members as they age?
What?
That’s why Vermont needs to create an inclusive plan for its aging demographic, and not just react to it. What is needed to allow people to remain in their homes as they age? What can be done to keep them healthy and happy? How can we preserve inter-personal dignity? What can the State do to help provide a supporting structure, without stressing that delicate interdependent web?
But it’s more than just that.
As Vermonters, we need to wrap our arms around both the young and old ends of our community. In doing so, we will sustain ourselves and our state. It’s what we do have in small communities: a willingness to take up for each other.
Support Aging In Place. Be proactive in protecting our families and community elders by providing creative ways for older people to remain in their homes for as long as they can. Network aging in place resources, provide supports for community nursing networks, acknowledge lack of skilled care providers and work to encourage living wages for these roles and enrollment in training programs to fill those growing work opportunities.
Accessible and Affordable Childcare. Make childcare more robust for families. To attract more qualified people to the profession, commit to it by paying providers better and by universal provision.
Paid family leave/paid sick leave. In this pandemic, it becomes ever clearer that we must not take one more step without providing for our workers’ health and for the ability to care for sick family members without fear of losing one’s income.
Create ADA-compliant trails. As more Vermonters age in place, they will need safe ways to get outside and remain as healthy as possible. The result will be less stress on the whole system, including healthcare costs.
Continue distance participation in local and state-wide government and remote work. Make sure the positive measures taken to enable remote work continues, so that our aging and/or disabled population continue to have enhanced access to their government, telemedicine, and, for some, work.