Cross-Sectoral and Community Planning for the Aging Baby Boomers in San Mateo County

The San Mateo County Health Department (SMCHD), California, in collaboration with the Department of Housing, SamTrans, Health Plan of San Mateo, San Mateo Commission on Aging, and the San Mateo Medical Center, contracted with the Lewin Group to develop a computer-based projection model focusing on the County's socio-demographic composition for the years 2020 and 2030. Although many studies have predicted significant demographic shifts with the aging of the baby boomers, this model, the first of its kind in the County, is able to provide detailed output reports, which give policymakers direction in their planning.

The model was based on national, statewide, and local data, both quantitative and qualitative. The Steering Committee identified the incorporation of community voice as criteria for the project. As a result, local methods included a targeted survey that oversampled vulnerable populations, such as African-Americans, Latinos, Asian/Pacific Islander, and low-incomes individuals. Focus groups were held with monolingual Cantonese and Mandarin speakers. Efforts were made to capture the behavior of these sub-populations, as future plans may differ across populations, thereby impacting the level and types of services offered by the County. Given the diversification of the aging population in initial projections, coupled with current emerging trends in linguistic diversity, special considerations in planning will be necessary.

As part of the dissemination strategy of the projection data, SMCHD will be presenting the model to local government entities and community groups, while gathering feedback on different ways the data could be used and potential recommendations for the Board of Supervisors.