February is filled to the brim with interesting national days one can celebrate. According to the database National Today, over and above the vitally important Black History Month and Chinese and Korean New Year celebrations, there are slightly fewer known observances like National Ukulele Day, National Periodic Table Day, and, of course, Valentine’s Day. Within that cacophony of celebration and remembrance comes National Senior Independence Month.
From a disability perspective, senior independence is vital to consider from two main vantage points. For one, a large percentage of the senior population worldwide has some form of disability. UN reports show 46% and the Administration for Community Living cites CDC data that found 40% of those aged 65 and over had “difficulty with mobility” in their 2019 survey. Second, younger people with disabilities are continuing to age to a point not seen in previous generations. As two researchers at the University of Washington have written, “In the United States and elsewhere, a significant demographic shift is taking place among people living with an early-acquired disability. The average age of people living with disability-associated conditions such as cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury (SCI), and multiple sclerosis (MS) is steadily increasing [...] This change in demography reflects both general population aging and, for certain conditions, medical advances promoting early survivorship and disease control.”
So, we have an aging population with more and more members who are living with disability for longer. This also comes amidst the backdrop of a pandemic that has disproportionately affected those with disabilities and, especially, those in care homes. Whether it’s the New York Times’ coverage of the state’s scandal, a Center for Disease Control case study on an unvaccinated healthcare worker creating an outbreak in a care facility, or this USA Today report from September that details how even the data we do have on COVD-deaths in these facilities – putting aside for a moment the decreased quality of life presented to our nation’s seniors during this time – is likely missing in areas.
Increasing seniors’ independence, according to researchers is rooted in a few areas. Exercise, social interaction, and mental stimulation are the main ones. Of course, independence in seniors – and particularly those with disabilities – links into the wider independent living movement. The National Institute on Aging has a set of resources called Aging in Place that highlights specific areas seniors need to be thinking about as they consider their options for living arrangements as their needs change. These areas include meals, money management, and personal care.
There is much study to be done and work to do, so join us in celebrating Senior's Independence Month!
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