Purpose

In fall 2021, The College of Saint Scholastica’s Office of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and the Gerontology Program, Duluth Aging Support, Northland Foundation, and the Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging partnered to create a series of events highlighting the differences in aging and caregiving experiences.

We believe that sharing stories and understanding appropriate ways to interact and engage with each other will lead to a Northland that embraces and appreciates our older community members. These events are an opportunity to learn about the many challenges facing our diverse caregivers and to better position our community to support them across all sectors.

Why Does Diversity in Aging Matter?

Pre-pandemic life expectancy or birth rates have improved dramatically in industrialized countries over the past century. In 2030 (when the last of the baby boom cohort reaches 65), the number of people over 65 is expected to be close to the number of children under 18. In the last decade, the number of people over 65 has increased by 36% compared to only 3% for those under age 65. A century ago, one in 10 Americans was over 65. Today for many areas in the Northland region, one in five people are over 65, and in some of the rural Northland areas, that number is one in three. And this is wonderful. This is a public health achievement, but within these statistics, significant disparities exist—for example, the zip code, meaning the neighborhood where you live, matters. In one Northland County, St. Louis County, there is an 11-year life expectancy difference between zip codes. Some of the ways that make us special and unique may also challenge our quality of life as we get older. The Northland diversity and aging series team recognize that there are countless ways that we are different from one another.

Of course, cultural diversity is a primary factor. Cultural Diversity may include language, religion, spiritual beliefs, race, sexual orientation, gender, age, and ethnicity. But there are many other dimensions in our lives that shape our experiences and make us different from one another. Examples are: Socioeconomic background, trauma and crisis experiences, family background in history, educational background, mobility or disability status, where you live, your neighborhood characteristics, access to basic needs like food, housing, transportation, health care, education, and social connections.

To truly appreciate diversity and aging, we need to be sensitive and aware of the intersection of these differences and value how individual experiences impact our older community members. Our commitment through this series is to inspire discussion around better ways we can support engagement and create opportunities for the contributions of all of us as we grow older in our communities. We are in this together as a Northland Community. As we live and age, let’s work together to help one another improve our ability to maintain physical, emotional, and social health and well-being.