Oregon forecasted to have nation’s fourth-oldest population
County leaders create task force to address issue
Gresham resident Linda McGough had two significant events occur recently. Her high school held its 40th reunion. And last October, she reached an age that qualified her to officially retire from her job as library assistant at Multnomah County's Rockwood Library.
But, like many baby boomers at or near retirement age, McGough chose to keep working, because among other things, she bought a house a couple of years ago. Perhaps more importantly - she still loves her job.
McGough is not alone as she plans for the next decades of her life. By 2020, Oregon is scheduled to be the fourth oldest state in the union, by age of population, according to Jay Bloom, Multnomah County's Task Force On Vital Aging coordinator.
Some forces driving Oregon's increasing percentage of older adults include the fact that many Oregon seniors stay put as they age, Bloom said. Plus, people in their 50s and 60s are moving here.
In Multnomah County, about 100,000 residents are currently older than 65. And, a higher percentage of seniors older than 65 reside in Outer East Portland than in Portland overall, a trend expected to continue for at least the next several years.
“The aging of the baby boom generation is driving a large demographic shift that has huge consequences for Multnomah County and for all of our communities,” said Multnomah County Chairman Ted Wheeler.
Created last February by Wheeler and co-chaired by Commissioner Maria Rojo de Steffey, the task force of local officials, business and community people will issue a report this March, recommending ways to encourage older adults to live independently and to stay engaged in their community, either through work or volunteerism.
“The county chair is concerned from a practical standpoint,” Bloom said. When older adults live alone or isolated from their community, they get sicker, and require more social and medical services.
“But older adults who remain engaged and independent are less likely to consume resources,” Bloom said.
The demographic shift driven by the aging of the massive baby boom population is now recognized nationwide as something for which government and businesses need to prepare. Two consequences of this shift are potential drain on public resources and labor shortages.
“A number of industries, including government, will be experiencing workforce shortages,” Bloom said. “For example, in the next five years, 55 percent of PGE (Portland General Electric) workers will be eligible to retire.”
And, while health care is Oregon's second largest industry, the average age of nurses is 52, Bloom said.
One outcome will likely be an adjustment by businesses about attitudes toward the older worker, Bloom said.
“Employers will be looking at how to employ older adults more effectively,” he said.
Meanwhile, McGough hopes that when she eventually retires, the library will still offer her the flexibility of working when they need her.
Then, she'll have time to focus on that children's book she's always wanted to write.