ARLINGTON, Va. – People over 50 years of age in Arlington say they have a high quality of life, feel safe and secure, and are happy with their access to healthcare services, educational opportunities and recreational activities. The findings come from a statewide survey of 5,000 Virginians aged 50 to 105 by the Older Dominion Partnership (ODP), a non-profit organization working to better prepare Virginia for the expected doubling by 2030 of people aged 65 and older living in Virginia. The survey included 200 Arlingtonians.

 

Baby boomers across the commonwealth think that their communities are unprepared for the coming "age wave" and are concerned about how their quality of life might change as they grow older. Arlington’s 50+ set, however, see their community as prepared to meet the needs of an aging population.

 

Among respondents 65 years of age and older, Arlington’s perceived quality of life for those over 65 years of age was judged good or excellent by 68% of respondents, 12% higher than the state average. A slightly lower 56% of Arlingtonians in the 50-64 age bracket rated perceived quality of life for those over 65 years of age as either good or excellent, topping the state average of 46%.

 

Arlington residents also expressed higher satisfaction levels than the state average in the areas of safety and security, health, availability of healthcare services, educational opportunities and recreational activities.

 

“This survey confirms what we have long known: Arlington is a great place to live, work, and play for people of all ages,” said Arlington County Board Chairman Christopher Zimmerman, who commissioned Arlington’s 2006 Elder Readiness Task Force to assess the County’s readiness to meet the needs of its older residents and prepare a blueprint for an inclusive, livable community that would ensure that these residents remain engaged in the community and continue to be a vital part of Arlington.  “As the elder population in Arlington grows, the County must continue to ensure that people can remain active, engaged members of our community.”

 

The Older Dominion Partnership plans to conduct this survey every three years to follow the transition of boomers into their senior years. The survey included interviews in each of the Commonwealth's 25 Area Agencies on Aging, which work with the Virginia Department for the Aging to provide services for older Virginians and their families in communities throughout the Commonwealth. The interviews were conducted by telephone as well as online this summer.     

For information on Arlington programs and services for older adults, click here for social services or click here for recreational activities.