Between now and 2020, when more than 1.5 million Georgians who will be 65 years or older, a powerful demographic shift will change the face of Georgia and have implications for every family and community in the state. This change will affect every facet of community life, including housing, transportation, employment, health care, social services and education.

In April, 2008, the Georgia Legislature passed Senate Bill 341 Project 2020: Georgia for a Lifetime authorizing the Georgia Council on Aging, in its role as advisor to the State on aging issues, to “research, identify, evaluate and make recommendations” on current State policies, programs, resources and Georgia’s readiness to address the needs of the expanding aging population (incorporated in O.C.G.A. ξ 49.6.21.1).     

The Council on Aging was charged with investigating the potential impacts of the demographic trends and conditions on a wide range of facets of community living which the Council subsequently incorporated into five main issue areas:   transportation, housing, healthcare, economic self-sufficiency and community engagement.   

Over the course of the initiative, the Council partnered with a variety of state agencies and community organizations and chartered a research consortium. With our partners, the Council:

• Reviewed existing resources, programs and capacities relating to older adult needs at the various levels of government, academic institutions, non-profit and private business in Georgia and beyond;

• Identified research about older adult issues in Georgia and elsewhere;

• Identified options for making communities livable for all ages, helping aging adults remain independent and productive as long as possible, and using community resources in the most cost-effective way;

• Brought new models, technical assistance, consulting expertise and execution tools to community planners so they can maximize their communities' strengths and minimize their weaknesses with respect to older adults and their families;

• Met with appropriate state agencies to  solicit their involvement in preparing Georgia for the growth of the older population (reports are included in the Final Report below);

• Provided grant funding for two community pilot projects to transfer successful programs to rural settings and two research projects to fill research gaps (reports are included in the Final Report below); and 

• Provided targeted educational opportunities to begin the work of implementing several recommendations