The senior population is going to double in the next 30 years. Over 70 people listened to professionals in the area of aging, seniors themselves, and family caregivers talk about the needs of the elderly and what must be done to bring communities into the early 21st century as baby boomers become senior boomers. Keynote speaker, Paula Dressel, professor of sociology at Georgia State University, warned against making aging an intergenerational debate as to who is worse off and where the money should go.
Children care for the elderly.
Good prenatal care is an aging issue. Panels on aging and discussion groups grappled with problems that the elderly face. These include transportation, housing, loneliness, medical needs and costs, accessibility to buildings, respite for caregivers, affordability of care and many others. The conference is the beginning of a year-long community planning process, explained Ben Walter, JABA's coordinator of special projects, who organized the program. In May, planners will hold a series of public forums in each county.