Portland State Magazine Fall 2008

Aging matters GLOBAL POPULATION AGING is a modern fact of life. The estimated number of people worldwide who are 60 or older corals 629 million or one our of every 10 people. By 2050, rhac ratio will increase to one in five-about 2 billion people globally-marking the first rime in human history char the number of people 60 and older is greater than the number of children under 15. The need to plan for this profound shift in the composition of our society is urgent. A $1 million gift to Porcland Stace's Insricuce on Aging from Keren Brown Wilson and Michael DeShane will jump-start a new initiative, "Aging Matters, Locally and G lobally," that aims to change the way communities think about ensuring quality of life for older adults. The donors, both PSU alumni, have devoted their lives to helping people with limited means age with dignity. Wilson is founder of rhe Jesse F. Richardson Foundation, which advo– cates for quality housing and long-term care for elders, locally and in Central America. DeShane leads Concepts in Com– munity Living, an innovative assisted living consulting and management firm. "Keren and I have always been concerned with the issues of providing housing and services to the poor," DeShane say . "Throughout our academic and professional careers we've seen too many well-intentioned efforts fail due to lack of a clear understanding of issues confronting the poor and disabled in urban settings. We hope rhe Aging Matters initiative can generate a concerted and long-term effort resulting in a better understanding of che issues and difficulties encompassed in providing effective services to low-income urban aged in the U.S. and in developing countries." THINKING IN FRESH WAYS about i sues that matter most to older adults with limited economic and social resources- a group whose voices often go unheard by researchers and : A $1 million gift from alumni Keren Brown Wilson and Michael DeShane is creating "Aging Matters, Locally and Globally" in the PSU Institute on Aging. policy makers-is the program's goal, according ro Profes– sor Margaret Neal, who directs the Insricure on Aging in the chool of Community Health. "The rop concerns facing older adults with limited income in chis counrry-cransporcarion, and fuel coses, housing coses, food prices, health insurance-are che same things that are affecting the rest of us," Neal note , bur for older adults with fixed incomes, "ic's an especially scary sicuarion." The U.S. component of the program will emphasize af– fordable housing and services in supportive neighborhood environments. "What we're trying ro come up with is a step above assisted living, something with more professional help right at hand," says Neal. For example, a residence might have people and ser– vices on-sire ro help line up food stamps, arrange transporta– tion, schedule medical appointments, handle banking or assist with any of the numerous derails of daily life. "We're looking for models char meet an older person's full range of needs. One-srop shopping, if you will." What works in the United Stares can't necessarily be trans– planted ro developing parts of che world, so the program's international outreach will explore culcurally relevant models of care for elder . Neal notes that the focus at first will be on Nicaragua, che western hemisphere's second poorest nation and one in which the Institute on Aging already carries our service learning programs for students throughout the University. "While it is by no means a bad thing ro have a large older population," says Neal, "if we're nor prepared for it, if we don't have the infrastructure, there will be a loc of people hurting." Thanks to the generosity of Keren Brown Wilson and Michael DeShane, Professor Neal and her colleagues have an opportu– nity ro help communities everywhere age with compassion and dignity. BY KATRINA RATZLAFF For more 1nformat1on about the Aging Matters init1at1ve, contact Tnsh Hamilton, Director of External Relations for the College of Urban and Public Affairs, at ' 503-725-5209 or thamilton@pdx.edu . 18 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE FALL 2008