Demographic Profile of Seniors in PSA 1-A - Detroit Area Agency on ...

While Region 1-A’s share was the same as that <strong>of</strong> 1-C, and slightly higher than 1-B,
shear numbers led the way as Region1-A’s share <strong>of</strong> the State total, 10.5 percent, fell just
below that <strong>of</strong> 1-C at 11.3 percent, and well beh<strong>in</strong>d Region 1-B. In fact, Region 1-B
accounted for more than 1 <strong>of</strong> every 4 State seniors who lived alone.
Further Analyses <strong>of</strong> Region 1-A
In order to better understand the changes that have occurred <strong>in</strong> Region 1-A, the analysis
now addresses the region’s geographic components. Learn<strong>in</strong>g more about where the
losses (and ga<strong>in</strong>s) have occurred, as well as the characteristics <strong>of</strong> the persons who reside
<strong>in</strong> the region, will allow for a better understand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> these trends and a more focused
approach to service delivery.
Our sub-regional analysis is be<strong>in</strong>g conducted on several levels.
1. Community-level – An analysis <strong>of</strong> changes <strong>in</strong> the 60 and over population <strong>in</strong> each
<strong>of</strong> the 9 communities <strong>in</strong> the region.
2. Sector-level – An analysis is done by divid<strong>in</strong>g the City <strong>of</strong> <strong>Detroit</strong> <strong>in</strong>to the 10
Plann<strong>in</strong>g Sectors that were developed by the City Plann<strong>in</strong>g Department <strong>in</strong> 1997,
and have become the focus <strong>of</strong> all plann<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the City. To extend the geography
region-wide, two other sectors have been developed – one made up <strong>of</strong> Hamtramck
and Highland Park; the other comprised <strong>of</strong> the five Grosse Po<strong>in</strong>tes and Harper
Woods.
3. Empowerment Zone – by Census Tract and Sub-Zone
4. City <strong>of</strong> <strong>Detroit</strong> (only) – Subcommunities - 37 Neighborhood divisions.
5. City <strong>of</strong> <strong>Detroit</strong> (only) – Census Tracts – 313 units, averag<strong>in</strong>g about 4,000 people
each.
Community Analysis
Region 1-A has experienced a steady decl<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong> its elderly population s<strong>in</strong>ce 1970. The
decade <strong>of</strong> the 1990s represented the largest loss percentage loss, and second largest
numerical loss over this 30-year period. While the majority <strong>of</strong> the loss occurred <strong>in</strong>
<strong>Detroit</strong>, which accounts for 87 percent <strong>of</strong> the region’s population, all communities <strong>in</strong> the
region, with the exception <strong>of</strong> the smallest community <strong>in</strong> the region, Grosse Po<strong>in</strong>te Shores
village, experienced loss. As already documented <strong>in</strong> Table 3, the heaviest losses occurred
<strong>in</strong> the cohorts between 60 and 74 years <strong>of</strong> age.
While the analysis to this po<strong>in</strong>t has demonstrated a loss <strong>of</strong> the 60+ population <strong>in</strong> Region
1-A, result<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a loss <strong>of</strong> State share, as well as a loss <strong>in</strong> the number and State share <strong>of</strong>
M<strong>in</strong>orities 60+, we still need to better understand the demographic and socioeconomic
characteristics <strong>of</strong> this population. In order to do that we turn to the 2000 Census and seek
to m<strong>in</strong>e the applicable data. 5
5 The age categories that will be used for this analysis are dependent upon the tabulations <strong>of</strong>fered by the
Census Bureau. As is the case with poverty calculations, many <strong>of</strong> the tabulations do not allow for the
complete universe <strong>of</strong> 60+ to be used. In most cases one is limited to universes <strong>of</strong> 65+ and 75+.
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