DURHAM’S MASTER AGING PLAN FOR 2021 AND BEYOND
LAYING THE GROUNDWORK TO IMPROVE SUPPORT FOR DURHAM’S OLDER ADULTS I N PA RT N E R S H I P W I T H
CITY OF DURHAM | COUNTY OF DURHAM | DUKE UNIVERSITY | DUKE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM | DURHAM CAN | DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS DURHAM CONGREGATIONS IN ACTION | GREATER DURHAM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | INTERDENOMINATIONAL MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE LINCOLN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER | PROJECT ACCESS OF DURHAM COUNTY | PARTNERSHIP FOR A HEALTHY DURHAM TRIANGLE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | THE INSTITUTE
“W
e can’t keep doing things like we’ve The MAP identifies several domains of concern, including always done,” says Gina Upchurch, the housing, older adult hunger and nutrition, and transportation, founding executive director of Senior drawing from indicators of livability set forth by AARP. PharmAssist. She joined Durham’s Partnership for Across these topics are nine “cross-cutting” issues to be Seniors, a coalition that oversees aging services, shortly considered, including socioeconomic status, racial equity and after Senior PharmAssist began working to provide older social isolation. “You can’t talk about housing without talking adults with affordable access to medication in 1994. about racial equity,” says Melissa Black, coordinator of Now, Gina says, services that support older people need Partnership for Seniors and grant director at Durham Center a speedy revamping. She points to the growing chunk of for Senior Life, which recently completed major renovations. Durham’s population that falls into the 60-plus age range. Melissa is also one of the plan’s facilitators. The kickoff event In 2017, that number was 17.4%, but census projections for the MAP in early 2019 included training by the Racial show the demographic increasing Equity Institute, which was “very by 67.8% to become 22.5% of purposeful in terms of setting our the population in 2037. As more mind frame on equity going into people migrate here, an increasing this process,” Melissa says. number will need support as they Facilitators also drew from the age. It will also become more Orange County Master Aging Plan expensive to help them as the cost as a model. “This [is] the largest of living and housing rises. “It feels and most comprehensive plan like a ticking time bomb,” Gina says, we’ve had in several years,” says “particularly the growing disparities Joan Pellettier, chair of Durham’s we have in our community.” Partnership for Seniors and Gina, along with about 70 previous director of Triangle J An indoor aerobics class at the Durham Center for Senior Life. other agency representatives, Council of Governments’ Area stakeholders and community Agency on Aging. members, convened in late 2018 to develop a Master Overall, the MAP centers on increasing the livability Aging Plan. A steering committee and five working groups of the city for older adults. Housing is one major area gathered over 10 months to develop a comprehensive plan that needs improvement in order to make Durham that addresses a range of issues facing older adults and more livable. The area’s 60+ population needs access to plots solutions along with identifying area organizations that affordable and safe housing. could aid in the implementation of specific interventions. “Rent affordability means that you’re not paying more Input from older adults was crucial during these planning than 30% of your income toward rent,” Melissa says. “For sessions. “Hearing directly from them about what they are [people] 60 years and older in Durham county, 27.4% [rent seeing, what they are experiencing,” was paramount, says their home]. Of that … 56% are spending more than 30% of Shelisa Howard-Martinez, design facilitator of the MAP. their household income on rent.” This indicates that housing
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