Study: Ohio must find ways to prevent disability among older residents

A new report by the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University, “The Road to Balance: Two Decades of Progress in Providing Long-Term Services and Supports for Ohio’s Older Population,” says Ohio must find ways to help prevent or delay disability among older adults (Source: “Report: Ohio must find ways to prevent disability among older residents, Columbus Dispatch, July 6, 2015).

The research also calls on the state to find ways to help older people with disabilities remain in their communities, including the use of technology, the encouragement of disability-friendly design standards in new construction and renovations and the recruitment and development of a caring, well-trained workforce.

Researchers at Scripps estimate the overall population growth in Ohio to be just 2 percent between 2010 and 2030. In that same timeframe, the population of people age 60 and older will increase by 47 percent and the population of people age 85 and older will grow by 46 percent.