In late July, amidst growing street violence, a heated and sometimes nasty political campaign, and a faltering hometown team, greater Boston finally got some attention that it could be proud of.
The Milken Institute, a non-profit think-tank based in Santa Monica, Calif., ranked Boston the fourth best large-metro area in its Best Cities for Successful Aging index (seniors 65+), and number one for seniors ages 80 and plus.
For those of us who have spent most, if not all, of our lives in the greater Boston area, we tend to take for granted all of the resources our wonderful metropolitan area has to offer, including those that help people advancing in age to maintain a continually positive quality of life.
While the weather, commute times, and cost of living (and even cost of assisted living), did not help Boston in the rankings, it did achieve its place in part due to its fourth place sub-ranking for overall health care, and fifth place for overall wellness. These scores were achieved in large part due to the top ten rankings of some critical indicators within each category, including number of doctors (number one ranking), number of orthopedic surgeons (number five), number of nurses (number two), number of physical therapists (number one), percentage of people who walk to work (number three), and number of fitness centers (number two).
In addition, employment levels were high for those age 65 and plus, and the greater Boston area is home to a multitude of higher education and cultural institutions (Source: The Milken Institute). In fact, many of those educational institutions offer tuition waivers to people over age 60 (visit http://www.aseniorcitizenguideforcollege.com/2011/01/massachusetts) and suburban libraries provide passes to many of the museums and cultural attractions in Boston. (Visit your local library to reserve!)
Seniors in our community, and their caregivers, would do well to use this accolade as a reminder of the multitude of resources our tiny corner of the country offers. From excellent health care and physical recreational options, to continuing education and cultural events, there is a world of opportunity waiting right outside our doors, ready to help its oldest citizens continue to enjoy and appreciate all the pleasures of living.
Joan F. Wright, CMC, CDP is a certified geriatric care manager and certified dementia practitioner with NVNA and Hospice. A caregiver support group facilitator and leader of the NVNA and Hospice Alzheimer’s Specialty Team, Joan works with a multi-disciplinary team of clinicians to offer clinical, social, and care interventions to individuals with Alzheimer’s and related dementia, and their families and caregivers. NVNA and Hospice, a nonprofit homecare agency serving over 26 communities on the South Shore, offers many free educational programs and support groups across the South Shore for Alzheimer’s, Brain Aneurysm, Diabetes, and chronic disease self-management as well as numerous cancer support programs through its division, Cancer Support Community MA-South Shore. For more information, call 781-659-2342.