Connecticut town is an epicenter for seniors


Studies and news articles are constantly being churned out reporting on the aging population across North America and around the world. The numbers show the proportion of those aged 65 and above – whether they live at home or in assisted living communities – is larger now than it has ever been in recorded history.

But beyond the statistics, some communities across North America have experienced the aging population on a much more dramatic scale, and are seeing first-hand how more seniors is changing the face of North America.

Southbury, Connecticut is one of those communities. According to a recent article in the New York Times, Southbury houses a retirement community called Heritage Village, with about 4,000 residents living there.

“When Heritage Village first came in, it was us versus them,” Bill Davis, an executive with the city of Southbury, told the newspaper. “But now, almost anything we do we take them into account. That’s who we are. We’re an elderly-based community.”

Southbury has a total population of about 20,000, and according to the news source, about 30 per cent of it is over the age of 62. Less than ten years from now, that same group will grow to about 40 per cent.