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Windy Hills

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O L D E R R E S I D E N T S<br />

Many older people in <strong>Windy</strong> <strong>Hills</strong> are isolated.<br />

Some struggle to get out and some are caring<br />

for ill family members. The city council has<br />

identified elder outreach as a major focus area<br />

as the neighborhood ages, as 1/3 or more of<br />

the population of <strong>Windy</strong> <strong>Hills</strong> are aging. Many<br />

residents desire to age in place, defined as the<br />

ability to live in one’s own home and<br />

community safely, independently, and<br />

comfortably, regardless of age, income, or<br />

ability level.<br />

The dynamic of older residents moving out and<br />

younger people moving in seems to trouble<br />

some older residents, as they fear being<br />

displaced. This feeling is exacerbated by<br />

younger and newer residents seeming more<br />

likely to move on to another, “better”<br />

neighborhood in a few years weakening the<br />

possibility for deeper connections. Many of the<br />

older generation have been in the same homes<br />

for 30 years or more. This issue continued to<br />

come up prompting the city council to put<br />

together a packet of information to help<br />

seniors in the community age in place rather<br />

than move to assisted living. They see this as a<br />

very important part of their work.<br />

According to one resident, more people<br />

struggle financially and with “respectable” or<br />

hidden issues than might be immediately<br />

apparent. Alcoholism, borderline poverty, drug<br />

abuse are not unknown in <strong>Windy</strong> <strong>Hills</strong>, just less<br />

obvious than they might be in some<br />

neighborhoods.<br />

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