Expect a Better Future

Aging is not optional. It is happening to each and every one of us. Anticipating the changes and potential challenges that growing older brings can help everyone expect a better future.

“You can't help getting older, but you don't have to get old.”

- George Burns

Perhaps no one has ever said it better than comedian George Burns, who himself lived to be 100 years old. It is how we think about the passing years and how we plan for them that can make a difference in our long-term quality of life.

Americans Are Living Longer Than Ever

As our nation ages, so does Rhode Island. The Statewide Planning office projects that by 2030 nearly one in four Rhode Islanders will be age 65 and older. As our residents grow older, they are more likely to need support services to help them continue living actively in their own communities.

Building an Age-Friendly Rhode Island is a coalition of community and state agencies, healthcare and social service providers, older adults, advocacy and faith-based organizations as well as businesses and academic institutions dedicated to meeting the needs and preferences of Rhode Islanders as they age.

Gaps in Service

Having gathered feedback from a wide variety of citizens, we have identified existing gaps in services relied upon, and in some cases, vital to older Rhode Islanders' health and wellbeing. Studying the areas of concern for today’s older population and offering innovative and practical solutions is necessary. Planning now will help ease the transition as our state's population ages. We are committed to building partnerships to help Rhode Islanders stay healthy, active and engaged throughout their lives.

As Rhode Islanders live longer we need innovative approaches to make sure that older adults can contribute to our economy and society. We are looking for your input, innovative ideas and energy to keep the momentum going. Making our state more age-friendly for seniors will benefit Rhode Islanders of all ages.

My Turn: Daniel J. McKee: R.I. prepares for an aging population

Is Rhode Island prepared for 2030? By that year, nearly 100,000 more Rhode Islanders will be age 65; that’s about one out of every four residents.