Andrea Watson-Lindsey (Courtesy photo)
“Pittsburgh is a mecca for aging in place.”
That’s how Laura Poskin, executive director of Age-Friendly Greater Pittsburgh, puts it, due in part to the city’s resources, tight-knit communities, and sheer size of the aging population, among other reasons.
Research out of the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Social & Urban Research reveals an estimated 19.7% of the population of Allegheny County is 65 and over — the second highest concentration in the country, behind only Palm Beach County, Florida.
Pittsburgh’s older population can be attributed in part to the decline of the city in the 1980s when younger populations left the city seeking job opportunities. Many older residents stayed, and have continued to stay. While nationally, aging populations continue to grow, Pittsburgh has been ahead of this trend for several decades. In some ways, being ahead of this trend may have made Pittsburgh a more age-friendly city than many metro areas of a similar size. Residents live in their homes for longer, not only aging in Pittsburgh but aging in place.
‘There’s an opportunity for employers to embrace this older cohort’
Aging Pittsburghers choose to work for various reasons, said Poskin, whose East Liberty-based nonprofit works with neighborhoods and communities to make them livable for people of all ages.
As our communities age and life expectancy increases, many Pittsburghers work to supplement retirement income and social security benefits. But working also allows older populations to stay engaged with their community. According to Age-Friendly Greater Pittsburgh’s recent survey of aging Pittsburghers, 64% of those still in the workforce are extremely likely or very likely to continue work as long as possible.
Poskin believes this is driven, in part, by a desire for older residents to feel engaged in their community and build connections across age groups. In meetings with older community members, Age-Friendly Greater Pittsburgh often hears that the population feels “siloed,” and an overwhelming 80% in a recent survey responded, “they want to spend more time with people outside their age group.”
The willingness to work and desire for intergenerational experiences creates a unique opportunity for employers in the area to hire this workforce. Still, Poskin has found issues of digital access keep some older Pittsburghers from finding employment.
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