Maryland State Plan on Aging – 2009-2012

Overview

Maryland’s older population is rapidly increasing from 800,000 in 2000 to a projected 1.7 million by 2030. In preparation for this aging demographic, the Maryland Department of Aging created and submitted its state age plan to meet the requirements of the Older Americans Act.

Key Points

A consistent theme throughout the plan is the provision of services and opportunities for aging in place. Maryland has benefitted from being an organized early mover on the issue of age readiness. This plan demonstrates the need for coordination between departments of aging and economic or business departments to obtain funding that will foster aging in place.

Other plan highlights include:

1. Maryland is experiencing a large in-migration by older adults to specific state geographical regions, growing as much as 230 percent for those age 60+ (page 10). This means those counties experiencing that increase will need to improve its aging infrastructure, while those counties that previously had a larger older adult population will need to adjust for a new demographic.
   
2. In the ten-year span between 2005 and 2015, Maryland will experience a 48 percent increase in the percentage of its 55+ workforce.
   
3. The majority of Maryland’s minority and poverty base exists around Baltimore.
   

Maryland’s growing older adult population is on the move. They are working longer and moving to other localities within the state. This also provides a great opportunity to foster an active older demographic in building new communities while leveraging the knowledge base and entrepreneurial mindset of an experienced workforce.

How to Use

This state aging plan offers information regarding the challenges Maryland faces in meeting the needs of its growing older adult population and steps Maryland will take to combat these challenges. Local officials can use this plan to determine which services, in particular, will help support their older population to remain healthy and active while aging in place.

View full report: Maryland State Plan on Aging – 2009-2012 (PDF – 2.1 MB)