By Rosemary Rodriguez | 1.30.2020
The decennial census is critically important to our democracy
for a number of reasons: it determines the number of seats each state has in
the U.S. House of Representatives; it is used to distribute billions in federal
funds for essential programs to local communities, including programs that
assist older adults; and it is the baseline for accurate data about our
population. Mandated by the Constitution, the next census will begin the second
week of March of 2020 and continue through the end of December.
An accurate count of older adults will ensure that the programs
that many older adults rely upon are fairly funded. For example, programs like
Medicaid, Section 8 Housing, Older American Adult Title grants, Supportive
Housing for the Elderly, Low Income Energy Assistance and many others all rely
on an accurate census.
A new challenge to counting seniors
Because of the critical need to ensure an accurate count of
older adults in Colorado, we at Together We Count are including older adults in
our work with hard-to-count populations to ensure that they receive outreach
and educational materials to prepare for full participation. Historically,
because seniors have been considered a civically engaged population, they have
not been considered difficult to count; however, this time the census may seem
different to households that have participated in the past. For the first time
in history, the primary way to respond to the census will be through the
internet. Although there is still the option for a paper response and a phone
method has been added for 2020, many seniors may be confused by the changes and
many may not respond to phone calls, because of the proliferation of phone
scams directed at them. Additionally, research has shown that seniors are much
more likely than younger adults to say they never go online. The share of
non-internet users ages 65 and older is decreasing, but 27% still do not use
the internet, compared with fewer than 10% of adults under the age of 65 .
In Colorado, the older adult population continues to rise with
existing population growth and the number of older adults moving to the state.
The population of adults in Colorado ages 65-74 grew from 2010 to 2015 by
39.92% .
Colorado has also experienced an increase in the number of
people, young and old, living in complex households as the affordable housing
inventory lags behind demand. Multi-generational households are common with
over 48,000 Colorado children being raised by grandparents , and many
households are opening up homes to roommates or home shares with companies like
Silvernest. There is also an increasing number of older adults who want to age
in their homes or “in place.” Nine out of ten older adults have indicated a
desire to age in place for financial and other considerations . With the rise
in complex households, it is imperative that individuals be counted on the
household form and that a complete census represent everyone who lives there,
not just the homeowner.
With all the concerns around the increased census issues, there
are many opportunities to ensure that our older adult population is counted.
Those who require additional supports to remain at home often have trusted
relationships with individuals who can carry the census message and who are
ready for the 2020 Census. It will be important for individuals and
organizations to be ready to respond.
Who do seniors trust on this topic?
Trusted messengers can include tax preparers who can work with
Older Adults to complete their census forms when they complete their tax
returns, meal delivery services, senior companions, transit agencies, health
care professionals, librarians, health care providers, volunteers with church
home visitation ministries and programs that promote technology like Older
Adults Technology Services and Senior Hub. Businesses that market to older
adults should also include census messaging in their marketing from March
through July of 2020.
Finally, we as a nation have relied upon older adults to
participate in our civic society at critical moments in our history and the
2020 Census is the next opportunity for them to ensure that our country stays
on the Constitutional path of fair political representation.
We mentioned political districts at the beginning of this post
and we are going to end with underscoring the importance of the decennial
census to our democracy. Regardless of political orientation or leaning, we all
value the importance of fair congressional districts, and, without an accurate
census count, we will not be able to confidently say that our congressional
districts are fairly allocated. The most important use for census data is to
divide the 435 member districts of the United States House of Representatives
among the states. We can all contribute to this crucial exercise of democracy
by participating in the 2020 Census, and by encouraging our friends, families,
communities, coffee klatches, churches, and any and all other gathering places
to join us and be counted.
Learn more
We all have a role to play in ensuring that Census 2020 engages
everyone. Register for
NCOA’s upcoming webinar to learn how government agencies
and officials, nonprofits, advocacy organizations, and philanthropy are
educating communities about how the Census will impact essential services for
older adults and their families.
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