In December of 2023, the State of Aging in Central Indiana report was released by the Central Indiana Senior Fund (a CICF fund). You can find the full report online at CentralIndiana.StateOfAging.org.
Another collaboration with The Polis Center at Indiana University Indianapolis, the report looks at the health, needs, and well-being of our aging population.
While the report includes both men and women, it offers valuable data frequently disaggregated by gender. Combined with the Indiana Girl Report and the State of Women in Central Indiana Report, Hoosiers now have unprecedented access to the lifelong experience of women in our state.
Some notable findings in the State of Aging report:
- Seniors (65+) are the fastest growing population, both nationally and in Central Indiana.
-The demographic is growing at four times the rate of younger generations in Central Indiana.
- Women make up 55% of Central Indiana’s 60-and-over population (compared to a 52% majority of all ages).
- A third of Central Indiana’s older population lives alone.
- Poverty
– 1 in 12 Central Indiana seniors experiences poverty.
– Over half of seniors who rent in Central Indiana pay over 30% of their income to housing costs.
– Not only are rates of poverty for older women (8.9%) higher than older men (7.2%), but older Black and Hispanic adults are likelier to experience poverty than White peers, leaving older women of color at an increased risk.
- Health
– For every 1,000 Hoosiers age 65+, there are 34 home-health workers; that compares to a national average of 60 workers.
– Health providers surveyed in the study identified falls, mental health, dementia, and fragmented care in rural areas as needing more resources in our region.
- Disability
– In Central Indiana, 29% of those aged 65 to 84 have a disability
– Only a quarter of older adults say information is available about services to allow them to remain in their homes and communities as they age.
- Transportation
– 1 in 3 older adults in Indianapolis live in a neighborhood with minimal to zero public transit service.
– Only 20% of older adults in Central Indiana positively rate the accessibility of public transit.
This article was published within the February 2025 issue of the Women’s Fund’s Diane magazine.
