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With a senior population that is expected to double in size, located within the state with the fastest growing senior population, it is vital that we plan for the future and safeguard our senior citizens’ access to safe and affordable housing and services. I supported the city’s purchase of the land parcel and the financial assistance to the project that has now become Riverview Senior Living. However, there remains so much more to do on this front.

We are on the brink of a demographic nightmare as a community if we don’t address issues like housing and childcare, due to the secondary impacts lack of action will have on the senior population.

We need families and skilled workers to maintain our economy and provide a workforce that will enable our senior population to age in place, with the knowledge that they will find the care they need here.

Building the senior economy has been part of Juneau’s economic development plan for some time, and it’s vital that we continue to build the number of local skilled health care workers to plan ahead for the services that will be needed.

This is something we know we need to plan for, and if we take action now, our senior residents will be able to age in place, remain near family, and continue to contribute to the community.