The aging of Northern Virginia’s population is a trend with great implications for the region and NVRC’s member local governments. The 2000 Census projects that within the next 30 years, the proportion of the region’s population that is 65 or older will almost have doubled to 14 percent.
What clues do we have to predict what the “graying” of the region will look like? Baby boomers are aging in place -- 70 percent of Northern Virginians age 55 and over choose to grow older in Northern Virginia, and among those who have moved, one in five moved within the region. Seniors in the region tend to be educated and more financial secure that their parents, with an improved sense of well-being and longer life expectancy. These residents expect a mentally and physically active lifestyle. As the commercial says, “It’s not your father’s retirement ....”
One way NVRC keeps abreast of trends affecting the region’s older adults is to follow the efforts of the
Northern Virginia Aging Network.