CHICAGO - Two years ago, the first Baby Boomer turned 65 and, according to AARP, Boomers will be reaching that milestone at a rate of 8,000 a day for the next 18 years.

In Illinois and around the country, elders are finding new ways to age at home. One model gaining popularity is called a "village," in which elders form a membership network that provides volunteers and professionals to give them rides, help with home maintenance, and other services.

According to Cheryl Wollin, president of North Shore Village in Evanston, it's good for her and good for her grown son who, she said, has better things to do than run over every time she needs to hang a picture.

"He hasn't the slightest idea that there may come a time when I would need him more," she admitted. "But I know that as a village, I have tons of friends who would be willing to step in and help if I needed it."

Besides providing help, village members host weekly potluck dinners and socialize together. Wollin's group started four years ago and now has 300 members. Five members live in her condo building, where she hopes to live for the rest of her life.

Wollin is not the exception. Nearly 90 percent of seniors have told pollsters they want to age in place. Julie Russell, program director for Lutheran Social Services of Illinois' Intouch Home Care Services, provides care assistants for elders. She advises families who are thinking of getting help for a parent to start out with just a few hours, because sometimes people resent the idea of needing help, let alone moving to any kind of facility.

"These strong people who have worked all their lives, they're not leaving their homes: end of story," Russell put it. "And I really think that's how they got to be the age that they are, because they're strong."

There are a variety of state services even for those with limited incomes. The manager of community programs for suburban Cook County, Sarah Stein at AgeOptions in Oak Park, helps residents of her area to find all kinds of programs to help them age in place.

"There is the Community Care Program which can provide a fairly good number of hours to folks that, when balanced with someone who is a little bit independent or with family caregivers, can allow someone who's relatively frail to live in the community safely."

Stein said another program that helps get people out of nursing homes and back into the community is called Money Follows the Person. Veterans, she said, qualify for still other programs. Her advice to Baby Boomers: Start planning now, before it becomes an emergency. She advises family members or seniors to speak to a care coordinator. They can be found through local senior centers, www.lssi.org or AgeOptions.org.

More information is at northshore-village.org and at www.state.il.us.




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Alzheimer's disease is one of the leading causes of death in North Dakota, prompting state officials to launch an online dashboard, where the public can learn more about the numbers and resources.

Data compiled from state vital records showed in 2020, more than 500 North Dakotans died from Alzheimer's, up about 100 from 2016.

Melissa Kainz, community clinical coordinator for the North Dakota Department of Health, said it is not surprising to see those numbers gradually increase with an aging population.

"People are living longer," Kainz pointed out. "With that longer life span, these rates are consistently found in the older population, and we just would like to have that awareness piece out there."

With the dashboard, she explained loved ones can sort through links to find out information ranging from getting a diagnosis to becoming a caregiver. The site also includes projections on future cases, giving policymakers a tool in decision-making surrounding public health.

Emerging research has probed methods of detecting the disease before symptoms start to show. In the meantime, Kainz noted they know quickly following up after the signs first appear is key.

"Research shows that the earlier people are diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or dementia, the greater chance they have or the greater quality of life or living they have for a longer period of time," Kainz stressed.

Some common symptoms include increased memory loss and confusion, as well as an inability to learn new things. As for projections, the dashboard showed annual Medicare claims for the disease should rise from their current average of around 750 to nearly 1,000 by the year 2035.

May is Wildfire Awareness Month, and state officials are encouraging Coloradans to get up to speed on prevention and emergency-exit strategies if evacuation notices are issued.

Rocco Snart, the planning branch chief with the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, said it's never too early to prepare.

Make a list of all the things you need to take with you, including a week's worth of prescription medicines. Next, find a place you can go, and make plans to get there.

He said you don't want to be in a rush when you leave your house.

"You want to try to make that on your own terms, so that you can make sure that you've collected everything that you need," said Snart. "If you need a walker, and you need to get it in a vehicle, or if you need to arrange to get a ride to come and pick you up, the earlier you can work on those things, the better."

Snart said make sure your insurance policies and personal identification documents are up to date, and make copies for your emergency travel kit - which should also include N95 masks to protect yourself from smoke inhalation.

A complete checklist for disaster preparedness is available at Ready.gov.

The group Wildfire Partners works with Mile High Youth Corps in Denver to provide wildfire-mitigation services at no cost to older residents.

Snart said even small steps can help. Make sure trees and plants are well hydrated, and if you live near open spaces, reduce vegetation to create a buffer around your house.

"Make sure that any deck materials are taken care of and not splintered," said Snart. "I mean, a deck with splintered wood and wood that's breaking down looks like a campfire for embers, right?"

Climate change is projected to create longer wildfire seasons in years ahead, with fires becoming more frequent and intense. Snart said this new reality can lead to a sense of denial, but he encourages everyone to take time to be prepared.

"That's not going to happen in my neighborhood, that's not going to happen in my subdivision," said Snart. "And the reality of it is, it can happen anywhere. In the Front Range, in the mountains, wherever there is fuel and homes next to one another."

An official plan to expand broadband in Texas is due out June 15, after state officials traveled near and far to collect public comments on internet access and affordability.

Tim Morstad, associate state director for AARP Texas, said the pandemic highlighted equal access to high-speed internet is critical and no longer a "nice-to-have" luxury.

"We've got to get access to high-speed internet, and we've got to make sure it's affordable, and we've got to make sure people have the skills to utilize it," Morstad outlined. "I picture it as a three-legged stool to make sure that we can really unlock the potential for older Texans."

Texas lawmakers passed legislation last year to create the Texas Broadband Development Office. Currently, the state has access to $500 million in federal money through COVID-19-related grants with more money promised through the federal infrastructure law House Bill 3684 11/15/2021.

The geographic size of Texas is a challenge for connecting people to reliable internet, especially in rural areas, but Morstad expects Texans will appreciate the benefits when the work is finished.

"For older Texans, it has the ability to unlock things like telehealth," Morstad explained. "It will also allow older Texans to stay connected, whether that's with friends or families or caregivers."

Morstad added half of those who belong to AARP Texas are between the ages of 50 and 64 and still very active in the workplace. It means if they are looking for a job, they need affordable, high-speed internet to find out what's out there and how to apply.

"And some of them, you can work from home, but only if you're connected," Morstad pointed out. "So we really want to see high-speed internet pushed out there further across our state, so these opportunities are available to older Texans."

Later this year, the Texas broadband office expects to issue a map of the state, property by property, to show where expansion is needed.