The Caring Corner®
Orange County Is a Pioneer with its Aging Plan
My wife and I moved to Chapel Hill, in part, because when you have lots of smart people, good things get done. Once again, the area has impressed me… this time for the comprehensive Master Aging Plan developed and being executed by Orange County.
Combine demographics with the area’s reputation as a place to retire, and you have a ton of older residents with needs different from those of younger generations. By 2025, North Carolina’s aging population will double and many local governments are working on how to meet their needs. Orange County may well be the poster child for these efforts, with its Master Aging Plan that attempts to identify and address needs across the spectrum of county services.
This five year plan has been nationally recognized. It has tasks for almost every county department, all with a focus of achieving a better quality of life for older residents. Strategies and tactics include the encouragement of aging in place and healthy living practices, improved transportation, better internet connectivity to enable telemedicine, the leveraging of volunteerism and the development of an adequate direct care workforce.
I was recently honored by being appointed to the Orange County Advisory Board on Aging. It’s the Board’s task to help guide the county in the execution of the Master Aging Plan. It’s an exciting opportunity to help shape our community.
