Staff Report
BUDA — As the older population continues to grow, the city of Buda is ensuring it will continue to be a suitable and age-friendly community.
In April, Buda was named an age-friendly community by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). AARP defines an age-friendly community as being inclusive and respectful to residents of every age and ability, and promoting active aging, good health and quality of life.
The City of Buda Task Force on Aging is leading the initiative that led to the designation. The Task Force was established in 2017 as an ad-hoc committee to help prioritize critical issues and needs of older citizens and their families.
“Our goal as an age-friendly city is to support the health, vibrancy and livability of our community of all ages,” said Jeff Kaufmann, task force vice chairman.
By 2030, the last of the baby boomers will reach 65 and the number of older adults is projected to increase by 18 million — meaning one in five Americans will be 65 or older, greater than the number of children under 18.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 20% of Buda’s population is aged 50 and older, and 10.6% is aged 60 and older. Demographics for Hays County as a whole show that 16% of the population is aged 60 or older, while 11% is aged 50 to 59. Combined, 27% of the population will be older adults for the next several decades.
With this upward trend of older adults, having a suitable community for them is vital. According to AARP, Buda has a livability score of 47 out of 100, based on metrics like housing, transportation, social participation and inclusion, outdoor spaces, civic engagement and health services.
The task force in Buda will conduct a baseline assessment on the needs of older adults in an effort to develop a three-year plan to address the identified needs and tools to measure progress.
Members of the task force have outlined their goals for “designing an age-friendly community that fosters economic growth and makes happier, healthier residents,” including focusing on how they can achieve ‘aging in place’ and ‘aging in community’ in Buda.
Aging in place is a person’s ability to safely and comfortably live in the residence of their choice as they get older, regardless of their age, income or ability level, for as long as they are able to. Aging in community is a broader vision of aging in place, and includes access to community services, transportation and support to live independently.
The task force has also discussed how ageism — prejudice or discrimination regarding a person’s age — affects older adults. Many feel that their experiences and wisdom are undervalued or under-celebrated in the U.S., and that the changing cultural dynamics in the workplace (such as having to learn and adapt to new technology) and society (such as pressure from the beauty industry) can further lead to isolation.
Additionally, the task force reminds community members that words matter:
• Instead of using ‘elderly,’ ‘elder seniors’ or ‘senior citizen,’ say ‘older adult’
• Instead of using ‘person with dementia’ or ‘dementia patient,’ say ‘person living with dementia’
• Instead of using ‘nursing home’ or ‘nursing facility,’ say ‘long-term care community’
For more information on the Task Force, visit www.ci.buda.tx.us/692/Task-Force-on-Aging. Additional resources and opportunities for older adults can be found on the AGE of Central Texas website at www.AGEofCentralTX.org.
