By Carol Britton Meyer

By 2035, 43% of Hull’s population will be age 60 or older, according to a recent study.

In view of the growing number of seniors in town, and in an effort to better serve and plan for the evolving needs of Hull’s 55-plus population, the Hull Council on Aging commissioned the Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging, part of the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, to conduct a community-wide study of the needs, preferences, opinions, and interests of Hull’s older citizens.

Caitlin Coyle of the UMass team presented the study’s results and recommendations at a recent joint Select Board/COA meeting. The findings were based in large part on input from focus groups, interviews, a peer community comparison, and a survey of residents ages 55 and older.

“The overwhelming number of surveys that were completed and returned (1,750) shows that there’s great interest in improving the experience of Hull’s seniors,” Council on Aging Director Lisa Thornton said.

Most residents surveyed wish to remain in Hull as they age. Among the top issues relating to being able to remain here are the ability to afford increasing taxes, the availability of public transportation, affordable senior housing, traffic and local infrastructure, remaining independent and healthy, and climate change and sea-level rise.

Coyle observed that not only are longtime Hull residents choosing to remain in town during their senior years, but also people in their 50s and older who move here when they retire and plan to stay, and have their own set of expectations.

Specific concerns relate to road and sidewalk conditions in some parts of town, lack of on-street parking for residents, and limited health resources to remain at home, among others.

Fifty-nine percent of the older citizens who responded to the survey view the COA as playing a role in their lives or in those of individuals they know, while among those who visit the senior center, 70% only stop by about once a year for special events.

The report indicates that the reasons behind these statistics are that residents in this age category are still working, not interested, unaware of the programs and services offered, or feel they are “not old enough,” including 8% of seniors 70 and older. Another 8% describe the senior center as “not inviting.”

Among the reasons that were given that would increase the likelihood of using the senior center were the presence of more people “like myself,” more parking, programs and services better suited to individuals’ interests, reducing or eliminating program costs, more convenient hours, and easier access to the building.

Suggestions for programming include offerings aimed at education, information-sharing, and exploring the history and natural resources of the community and New England, a center-based lunch program, trips to casinos, restaurants, and museums, more lectures and off-site events with transportation, Italian and Spanish language classes, LGBTQ+ social gatherings, bocce and bridge tournaments, and ways to get involved with issues such as climate change and alternative energy sources.

The report also contains the sobering news that 26% of the town’s older population lives alone, 11% don’t know someone nearby on whom they could rely for help, 41% report not having a bathroom and bedroom on the entry level of their current home, 47% need home repairs, 14% cannot afford to make them, and 7% are not responsible for repairs where they live.

With regard to transportation, 6% of survey respondents do not drive, 26% limit their driving in some way, 18% of those who do not drive or drive with limitations have missed a medical appointment in the past year due to a lack of transportation, and 35% of those who do not drive or drive with limitations are dissatisfied with the transportation options.

On the issues of caregiving, disability, and health, 43% of survey respondents have been affected by substance misuse, 47% have been a caregiver in recent years, with 65% of those individuals saying it was challenging to provide this care and also meet their daily responsibilities.

Both Coyle and Select Board Chair Jennifer Constable expressed concern about these statistics.

Survey respondents’ preferred sources of information are: local newspaper, 53%; town website, 39%; senior center newsletter, 35%; email or text, 34%; Facebook or social media, 32%; cable TV, 9%; and radio, 1%.

Ninety-five percent of respondents reported having Internet access at home. Most of the survey respondents, ranging from under age 60 to 80 and older, said they have adequate resources to meet their financial needs, with 40% of respondents indicating that they are still working full- or part-time.

The report also reveals that Hull has the highest proportion of older residents and the smallest physical space in terms of square footage among its peer communities, and the lowest median household income for residents ages 60 and older.

In addition, the study indicates that the physical space and location of the Hull COA does not currently meet the needs of the range of ages and interests of Hull’s older population. On another note, that opportunities to adapt current housing, to downsize, or to obtain housing with services “are perceived as challenging in Hull.”

Constable said it’s important to have a “balanced discussion” to ensure the needs of all of the town’s demographics are met, noting that while by 2035, 43% of Hull’s population will be age 60 or over, 57 percent of the residents will not be in that category and will require different kinds of services.

Town Manager Philip Lemnios called the study “a valuable resource,” noting that the Select Board can now consider “what framework we want to put in place so we can begin to coalesce around some of the bigger goals [set forth in the report].”

COA Chair Rob Goldstein said he and the other members are “trying to be thoughtful about this [study] and to be sure the report doesn’t sit in a drawer. There are a lot of recommendations in the report, some which have already been implemented,” he explained. “The COA fully supports this report and looks forward to being a resource [moving forward].”

Goldstein also suggested that town officials look into the possibility of Hull joining the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities. More information will be available at a later date.

The needs assessment report will be posted on the town website.