Like cities and towns everywhere, the City of Fairfax has a growing percentage of older residents. It also wants them to live happy, healthy, engaged lives for as long as possible in homes that fit their needs. Exactly how to do that is something City officials are currently considering.
Carolyn Sutterfield represents the City on the 12-member, Fairfax Area Commission on Aging (COA) – the citizens advisory board for the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging. “We’re a bridge between the people who live here and the agencies that serve them,” she said.
She is helping implement COA’s comprehensive, 50+ Community Action Plan and is focusing on library opportunities and affordable, accessible housing for older adults. And during an April 5 City Council work session, she presented a report to the Council members.
Sutterfield said the number of Fairfax County residents aged 70-79, now comprising 13 percent of the over-age-50 population, is projected to more than double by 2040, and the number of people aged 80 and older will nearly triple. And the City of Fairfax already has slightly higher numbers than the county.
According to City statistician Eric Forman, the City already has a higher percentage of residents aged 65 and up (15.4 percent) than the county (11.4 percent). Some 25 percent of City households contain at least one member over 65, and 25 percent of the detached homes here last sold more than 30 years ago.
That means residents here are aging along with their houses. Furthermore, the City has a higher percentage of older adults than the regional average in every group over age 50. For people aged 60-64, it’s 27 percent higher than average, and for residents aged 80-84, it’s 93 percent higher.
“That says something about the benefits of living in Fairfax City,” said Sutterfield. “However, advances in health care and a generally more active older population than in the past means people are living longer than they used to. Many continue to work well into their 70s, and retirees provide a lot of the volunteer time and energy, not to mention consumer spending, that communities depend on.”
Nevertheless, she said, “There are challenges inherent in in the aging of both communities and their residents. In some of our City neighborhoods, more than 35 percent of houses have a resident aged 65 or older. Great Oaks is the highest, at 44 percent, and my own neighborhood, Mosby Woods, is at 32 percent.”
And although long-term population projections don’t work as well for small jurisdictions, Forman says that, by 2030, the proportion of City residents aged 80+ is likely to increase by 72 percent, and of those aged 70-79, by 97 percent, based on similar projections for the county.
Sutterfield noted, however, that the incidence of disabilities, primarily ambulatory or hearing/vision, increases in people dramatically after age 65, so “communities and individuals would be wise to plan ahead.” With that in mind, COA and the Agency on Aging began work, three years ago, on the Fairfax 50+ Community Action Plan to make the region more age-friendly.
There were 13 public forums including more than 800 people. The plan also involved people in their 50s because so many of them are caring for older adults.
SEVERAL INITIATIVES dealing with health, technology, transportation, recreation and housing came out of the plan, and Sutterfield is especially interested in housing.
“Where are all of these older folks going to live?” she asked. “What kind of houses and communities are best for people in their 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s? AARP conducted a 2010 survey about home and community preferences, and 78 percent of all respondents – and 88 percent of those 65 and up – said they wanted to stay in their homes and age in place.”
“So it’s clear that people want to remain in the community they love, for as long as possible,” continued Sutterfield. “They’re near friends and services and familiar places. But in the City of Fairfax, many live in homes with stairs outside and the washing machine in the basement. So where do we go now?”
She said the City now has an opportunity to expand and revitalize itself with mixed-use developments, combining apartments or condos with retail and office space and community gathering places. She also noted that they should have master bedrooms and bathrooms on the first floor, plus wider hallways.
“As we update our zoning and work on rewriting our Comprehensive Plan, let’s commit to building attractive, accessible, 21st-century homes that people can live in safely throughout their lifetimes,” said Sutterfield. “And let some of these homes be located in mixed-use areas, with retail shops and basic services reachable on foot, bicycle or public transportation, so people who can no longer drive can take care of the necessities of daily living.”
She further suggested the City leverage its housing trust fund, relationship with the faith community and talents of nonprofit developers to find ways to include affordable housing in the overall mix. And since people downsizing may need the proceeds from their home sales to live on, Sutterfield said rental apartments are needed, too. She then recommended the City work in conjunction with its medical centers and GMU to create “a network of in-home, service providers that will ensure that those of us who choose to remain in our homes as we age will do so safely.”
“We’re largely built out; there’s not much open space to develop,” said Mayor Scott Silverthorne. “I think the most logical approach is to have some affordable homes built into mixed-use development. It’s not an easy problem to solve; even senior citizens disagree on what senior housing should be.”
“I’d like us to include some language in our Comprehensive Plan to help our seniors age in place,” said Councilwoman Janice Miller. “Many seniors don’t know where to find in-home care and the services they need. So we need to establish some goals and have people come in and offer us some housing for seniors.”
COUNCILWOMAN Nancy Loftus said perhaps some senior housing could go on the Paul VI High site when it’s redeveloped. And Sutterfield suggested a senior center go there, as well, accessible to transportation. “I’m hoping we can identify more areas for affordable senior housing,” said Councilman Jeff Greenfield. “We need to set aside housing for seniors in mixed-use buildings.”
“Aging in place also means staying in your community, so it’s more broadly defined now,” said Councilman Michael DeMarco. And the reason so many City residents want to stay where they are, added Silverthorne, is because of all the things the City offers, such as activities, public safety, parks, trails and recreation.
Miller then asked City staff to “bring us back some suggestions of how we can incorporate these ideas into our Comprehensive Plan.”