Why is this work important?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the global population of persons aged 60 and over is expected to grow from 600 million in 2000 to almost 2 billion by 2050. In the United states, the population of persons aged 60 and over is expected to grow from 35 million in 2000 to 88.5 million by 2050, taking the total share of the 65+ population from 12 percent to 20 percent. Demographic centers indicate the strains of this demographic shift are already being felt and will increase significantly by the year 2030. Governments, organization and citizens across the globe, the U.S., the region, and Ohio are hastening to prepare for the economic, housing, transportation, social, civic and health changes that will create both challenges and opportunities for cities and towns in the coming year and decades.