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Colorado’s age demographics are rapidly changing. Like the rest of the nation, our state’s Baby Boomers (born between 1946 – 1964) are entering their retirement years. The dramatic increase in the 65 and older population is expected to be at its height between the years 2010 and 2030.1 In fact, the state demographer projects a 646,003 increase in the number of Colorado residents ages 65-100 years old between 2010 and 2030.2
Colorado is the third fastest aging state in the nation.3 Many older Coloradans are living longer, healthier lives and are eager to capitalize on their years of experience and insights. This offers us the opportunity to reimagine what it will look like to grow older in Colorado. Collectively, state agencies, the Governor’s office, county and city governments, local communities, and residents are working toward making Colorado the best place to grow up and grow old.
As part of this collective effort, the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing launched a strategic planning process in December 2018 to map out the Department’s efforts over the next five years. This Strategic Plan will outline the strategies the Department will commit to in order to improve the quality of care and health of older adults with disabilities, while also lowering costs.
The key priorities of this process are to:
Engagement with state and local stakeholders has been a key component of this planning process, with the goal of understanding the challenges facing older adults and eliciting recommendations for changes to current policies and programs and suggestions for new strategies to consider.
Older Adult Strategic Roadmap Presentation - Stakeholder Engagement Meetings - April 2019
Older Adult Policy Strategy Presentation - Legislative Caucus on Aging - February 2019
Colorado State Demography Office - more information about Colorado's changing demographics
Other Long-Term Services and Supports Programs
1 - Colorado Aging Framework: A Guide for Policymakers, Providers, and Others for Aging Well in Colorado. Colorado Department of Human Services, Colorado Commission on Aging. July 2015.
2 - Colorado State Demography Office. demography.dola.colorado.gov/population/data/sya-regions/.
3 - Colorado State Plan on Aging: October 1, 2019 – September 30, 2023. Polis, Jared., Barnes, Michelle., Gates, Mindy. July 2019.
Hayley.Gleason@state.co.us Older Adult Policy Advisor
