Area Plan on Aging for Seattle-King County
The Area Plan charts the course ADS will follow as we seek to create an elder-friendly community. The plan describes the function of ADS as the local Area Agency on Aging, presents relevant demographic trends, and outlines the major goals and objectives to be achieved between 2012 and 2015.
The major goals in this plan outline steps to:
- Improve health care quality for older adults and adults with disabilities.
- Address basic needs.
- Improve health and well-being.
- Increase the independence for frail older adults and people with disabilities.
- Promote aging readiness.
The Area Plan highlights key trends in our aging population:
- The increasing number of elders in King County and the percent of total population, along with the strengths, opportunities, and challenges presented by aging baby boomers.
- The continuing rise in the number of seniors in poverty (since 2000).
- Policymakers' focus on health care reform, and county residents’ strong interest in affordable health care.
- The need for 936 additional units of housing for low-income seniors each year in order to maintain the current ratio of affordable housing to low-income older adults.
- Disparate rates of disability and chronic disease, especially among African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, and Native Americans.
- The high percentage of caregivers who are family members and unpaid.
- Issues faced by women, who are far more likely to care for aging family members, more likely to live in poverty, and more likely to have physical disabilities and certain chronic conditions.
The Area Plan is written every four years and updated bi-annually.
Area Plan Archives:
- Area Plan on Aging for King County, Update for 2010-2011
- Area Plan on Aging, 2008-2011
- Executive Summary, 2008-2011 Area Plan
- Area Plan on Aging Update, 2006-07
- 2004-2007 Area Plan on Aging
