Minnesota is undergoing a staggering demographic shift due to rapid growth in the number of seniors relative to state residents in other age groups. Seniors are the fastest growing segment of Minnesota’s population, with at least 60,000 Minnesotans turning 65 every year from now through 2030. Senior care issues matter to Minnesota seniors, their families and their caregivers and those issues will continue to grow in importance.
It can be hard to grasp just how rapidly the state’s aging population is growing. To show these demographic changes in an easy-to-view format, Face Aging MN has created a helpful interactive map where Minnesotans can see how each county’s senior population will increase from now through 2030.
The map can be viewed at www.faceagingmn.org.
“The rapid growth in our senior population is something that affects every Minnesotan, from seniors and their loved ones to professional caregivers and policymakers,” said Gayle Kvenvold, President and CEO of LeadingAge Minnesota. “This map illustrates how dramatic the demographic shift is in a short amount of time. Seniors are a critically important part of our communities now and their role will continue to grow in coming years.”
In just three years, there will be one million seniors living in Minnesota. By 2030, 25 percent of our adult population will be 65 or older.
In Cook County, the senior population is expected to increase while the rest of he adult population will drop.
In 2015 the county’s 65 and older population was 30 percent. By 2020 the projection is 37 percent; 43 percent by 2025 and 46 percent of the county will be 65 and older by 2030.
“We need to rethink how we all face aging,” said Patti Cullen, President and CEO of Care Providers of Minnesota. “We not only need to think about how we meet seniors’ needs to keep them living as independently as possible in the communities that they call home, we need to embrace the essential value of elders in all aspects of our communities, from emulating their high levels of civic engagement to better tapping into their wisdom and experience to improve society for all of us.”
The Face Aging MN campaign aims to raise awareness about the unprecedented growth in Minnesota’s senior population, how it affects all of us and what we need to do to ensure all Minnesota seniors get the care and services they need.
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