Demographic Profile of Senior in Wayne County, Michigan

Conclusions and Recommendations
While the rate of growth in Region 1-C’s senior population has slowed in recent years,
trends within this group will be important to consider when planning services over the
coming years.
The overall population 60 and over is aging, within significant increases in both the “75 –
84 years” and “85 and over” age cohorts. The increasing disability rate among these
groups point to the increased necessity of differential service planning across
communities. The minority component of the elderly is growing, fueled by migration of
African Americans and Hispanics from Detroit and the continued growth of the Arab
population in Dearborn, Dearborn Heights and other communities. While poverty among
seniors has decreased across PSA 1-C’s service area, there are pockets (communities)
where the share continues to be large. Similar discrepancies among communities show
up for other factors such as share living alone, disability rates and educational attainment.
PSA 1-C encompasses a variety of communities with very different population
characteristics. This demographic analysis is only one component of what is necessary
for a proper understanding of the characteristics and needs of the Region’s seniors.
A Demographic Profile of Seniors in PSA 1-C 25