CT Teacher Shortage Areas Identified For Next School Year

If you’re looking to pursue teaching in Connecticut schools, the State Department of Education (SDE) provides a road map of where the demand is likely to be greatest. SDE has announced the Certification Shortage Areas for 2014-15 for Connecticut schools, and virtually all reflect continued areas of shortage – with only one new entry on the list. The subjects identified are:

1. world languages, 7-12;
2. bilingual education, PK-12;
3. school library and media specialist;
4. speech and language pathologist;
5. technology education, PK-12;
6. comprehensive special education, K-12;
7. science, 7-12;
8. Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, PK-12;
9. intermediate administrator;
10. mathematics, 7-12;

Each year in the fall, SDE surveys certified educational positions to determine the number of teaching and administrative vacancies that existed before the state of the school year, and the vacancies that remained after the start of school. Results from the survey are used to determine the shortage areas for the following school year – in this case, for 2014-15. Nine of the 10 shortage areas identified for 2014-15 were also shortage areas in the previous year. TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages), PK-12 will be the only new shortage area in the 2014-15 school year.

The shortages may get worse before they get better.

The SDE report also indicated that 18.2 percent of all certified staff who were employed as of October 2013 are eligible for retirement. Over the next five years, the report indicated, “this percentage will increase to 26.9 percent. It is significant that a number of the shortage areas also have particularly high percentages of teachers who will be eligible for retirement over the next five years.”

The survey noted that 61 percent of positions that remained vacant on October 1 were due to the lack of qualified candidates, a level that is unchanged from the previous year. The most frequent reason cited for not identifying a qualified candidate was “late postings that affected the size and quality of the applicant pool.”

The Data Bulletin that detailed the survey findings was developed by the Performance Office of the Bureau of Data Collection, Research and Evaluation within SDE.

Hartford’s Health & Fitness Ranks #12 Among Nation’s Top 50 Metro Regions

Apparently, Hartford is in better shape than many of us may have thought. In fact, a national analysis by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), with support from the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, ranks the metropolitan statistical area (MSA) of Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford as 12th in the nation in the annual American Fitness Index™ (AFI) report. The 2014 AFI data report, “Health and Community Fitness Status of the 50 Largest Metropolitan Areas,” reflects a composite of preventive health behaviors, levels of chronic disease conditions, and community resources and policies that support physical activity.

In the 2014 report metropolitan Hartford received a score of 63.8 (out of 100 possible points) to earn the overall #12 ranking. Hartford ranked #7 in Community Health and #17 in Personal Health, according to the data analysis.

Leading the rankings is the Washington, D.C., metro area with a score of 77.3, followed by Minneapolis-St. Paul, Portland, Denver, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, San Diego, Boston Sacramento and Salt Lake City.

Researchers analyzed the data from the U.S. Census, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), The Trust for the Public Land City Park Facts and other existing research data in order to give a scientific, accurate snapshot of the health and fitness status at a metropolitan level.

The data regarding Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford indicate that 78 percent engaged in physical activity or exercise within the past 30 days, 35 percent eat two pieces of fruit per day, and 14 percent eat 3 or more vegetables per day. Just over 15 percent of the population are smokers. Overall, 60 percent are described as being in “excellent or very good health,” although 36 percent indicate they had days when their “mental health was not good” during the past month.

Among the “areas of excellence” cited for Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford are a higher percent bicycling or walking to work, more farmers’ markets per capita, more golf courses and tennis courts per capita and a higher percent eating two or more fruits per day.

ACSM worked with the Indiana University School of Family Medicine and a panel of 26 health and physical activity experts on the methodology of the AFI data report. The 2014 edition uses revised methods from the first six full-edition reports released from 2008 to 2013.

New variables, including each community’s Walk Score ranking, have been added or modified and some variables have been removed to improve and enhance the 2014 data report.

“The AFI data report is a snapshot of the state of health in the community and an evaluation of the infrastructure, community assets and policies that encourage healthy and fit lifestyles. These measures directly affect quality of life in our country’s urban areas,” said Walter Thompson, Ph.D., FACSM, chair of the AFI Advisory Board.

The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 50,000 international, national and regional members are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine.

Higher Percentage of Part-time Workers in CT Than New York, New Jersey, Lower Than New England

Connecticut's percentage of part-time workers (22.2 percent) outpaces much of the Northeast, South, Midwest and West, according to the latest Connecticut Economic Digest (CED), produced by the state Department of Labor and Department of Economic and Community Development. In the first examination of part-time employment in more than a decade, the publication noted that part-time employment in Connecticut numbered 383,000 - 69.5 percent of which (266,000) was women. This statewide share is among the highest in the country, which had a 50-state average of 64 percent.

Connecticut’s part-time employment share of 22.2 percent is the lowest in New England but considerably greater than neighboring states in the tri-state area, which have employment shares respectively of 17.6 percent (New York) and 17.9 percent (New Jersey), the analysis by the state Department of Labor indicated.

Part-time employment is all employment that amounts to less than 35 hours per week. Since 1997 it has averaged about 20 percent of total employment in Connecticut and fell to 18.6 percent in 2000, according to the CED, before climbing.

In recent years it has gradually trended upward and was 22.2 percent of employment in 2012, the most recent year of annual average data and the basis for the analysis. The breakdown of hours worked shows that Connecticut has less under 35 hours per week employment than other New England states but more than the Northeast region overall. Part-time employment was 23.3% of all New England employment in 2012, higher than any other census division in the country. The other eight census divisions averaged 19.3% with the West- South Central division lowest at 16.4%.

While those choosing to work part time remain the bulk of part-time workers, the number of those working less than full time has grown since 2005 as more workers have their hours cut by employers or were unable to find full-time jobs during or after the recession. From 2009 to 2011, the number of workers who wanted full-time employment but could only find part-time jobs rose 37.5 percent to 33,000 from 24,000, Hartford Business Journal reported.

The report points out, however, that a majority of part-time employment in Connecticut is due to voluntary reasons, and not a result of prevailing economic conditions. In 2012, voluntary part-time employment in Connecticut was 76.4 percent of all part-time employment, in line with the 50-state average of 76.8 percent.

The industries with the lowest average weekly hours worked are leisure and hospitality, other services, and education and health services. In 2013, these industries averaged 25.8, 30.9, and 31.2 work hours per week, according to the Connecticut Economic Digest report issued in May.

More Bicycling, Walking to Work; New Haven Leads the Way in Connecticut

Connecticut has the smallest percentage of people walking to work among states in the Northeast, and is one of two states with the smallest percentage of people who bicycle to work, according to newly released U.S. Census data.  Nationwide, both walking and bicycling to work are on the rise. Between 2000 and 2008–2012, the number of workers in the U.S. who traveled to work by bicycle increased by 60.8 percent, from about 488,000 in 2000 to about 786,000. This increase in the number of bicycle commuters exceeded the percentage increase of all other travel modes during that period, but the overall share of workers who commute by bicycle remains low, according to the U.S. Census American Community Survey. In 1980, 0.5 percent of workers commuted by bicycle. This rate dropped to 0.4 percent in 1990, where it remained in 2000, before nudging upward in the latest survey.

The 2008–2012 5-year data show that, among the approximately 140 million workers in the United States during that period, 2.8 percent walked to work and 0.6 percent commuted by bicycle, compared with 86.2 percent of workers who drove alone or carpooled to work.

Among the nation’s medium sized-cities, (with populations between 100,000 and 199,999) New Haven ranks at #5 with 12.4 percent walking to work and at #10 with 2.7 percent of the population using bicycles to get to work. Hartford ranks at #10 among the top walk-to-work medium sized cities with 8.2 percent, and did not reach the top 15 in bicyclists.

The top medium-sized cities for percent of the population walking to work were Cambridge, Berkley, Ann Arbor, and Provo, just ahead of New Haven. The top bicycle-to-work medium sized cities were Boulder, Eugene, Berkeley, Cambridge, and Fort Collins.

The nation’s #1 walk-to-work city is Boston (15.1 percent) followed by Washington, Pittsburgh, New York, San Francisco and Madison. For bicycling to work, the top cities are Portland (6.1 percent), Madison, Minneapolis, Boise and Seattle.

The nationwide data indicates that:

• The combined rate of bicycle commuting for the 50 largest U.S. cities increased from 0.6 percent in 2000 to 1.0 percent in 2008–2012.
• The Northeast showed the highest rate of walking to work at 4.7 percent of workers, while the West had the highest rate of biking to work at 1.1 percent. The South had the lowest rate of biking and walking to work.
• Younger workers, those aged 16 to 24, had the highest rate of walking to work at 6.8 percent.
• At 0.8 percent, the rate of bicycle commuting for men was more than double that of women at 0.3 percent.

The percentage of workers age 16 and over who carpool to work is below 10 percent in each of Connecticut’s eight counties, with the exception of Windham County, at 10.5 percent.

Fairfield County has longest commute, most use of mass transit

The average commute to work in Connecticut is about 25 minutes, ranging from 28 minutes in Fairfield County, 27 minutes in Litchfield County, 26 minutes in Windham County, 25 minutes in Middlesex County and Tolland County, to 24 minutes in New Haven County, 23 minutes in New London County, and 22 minutes in Hartford County.

The highest percentage of workers using public transportation to reach their place of employment each day is in Fairfield County, at 8.9 percent, more than double the percentage of the next highest county, New Haven County, at 4.1 percent.

The Census Bureau released a new commuting edition of the interactive map Census Explorer, which gives Web visitors easy click-and-zoom access to commuting statistics for every neighborhood in the U.S. It also shows how commuting has changed since 1990 at the neighborhood, county and state level — including how long it takes to get to work, commutes longer than an hour, and number of bikers. It uses statistics from the American Community Survey, the national source of commuting statistics down to the neighborhood level.

CT Ranks #27 in Pedestrian Safety; Vulnerable User Law May Help

Connecticut ranks #27 out of 50 states in pedestrian safety, according to a new report from the National Complete Streets Coalition, a program of Smart Growth America. There were 351 Connecticut residents killed while walking during the decade from 2003 – 2012, data included in Dangerous by Design 2014, indicates. That represents 12.6  percent of the 2,780 traffic-related fatalities in the state during this period. The report ranks each state and the nation’s major metropolitan areas according to a Pedestrian Danger Index that assesses how safe pedestrians are while walking.

Among metropolitan areas, Hartford-East Hartford-West Hartford ranked #38 in the U.S. among the 50 with the highest “pedestrian danger index,” and at #37 in the percentage of traffic fatalities that were pedestrians.

The report also presents data on pedestrian fatalities and injuries by county and includes an online, interactive map showing the locations where people walking have been fatally struck by the driver of a vehicle. The report found that the majority of pedestrian deaths likely could have been prevented with safer street design.

The majority of pedestrian deaths occur on roadways that are dangerous by design — engineered and operated for speeding traffic with little to no provision for the safety of people walking, biking or using public transit.

This week, Governor Dannel Malloy signed into law a vulnerable user bill, which increases penalties on reckless drivers who injure or kill pedestrians, cyclists and other roadway users.

“Although Connecticut is home to many high-speed arterial roadways with little in the way of pedestrian accommodations, there are signs of progress," said Joseph Cutrufo, Connecticut Advocate for the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. "We’re optimistic that the passage of this law, which advocates have supported for over four years, will have a positive impact on the safety of Connecticut’s roads.”

In Connecticut from 2003 – 2010, the average pedestrian death rate for non-Hispanic whites was 1.34, while the rate for Hispanics was 1.42 and 1.49 for African-Americans.

In addition, while comprising just 13.8 percent of the total population, older adults over the age of 65 years old accounted for more than 28 percent of pedestrian fatalities between 2003 and 2010 and a pedestrian fatality rate of 2.76 in Connecticut. The worst state pedestrian fatality rates (per 100,000 persons aged 65 and older) are in Hawaii, California, New York, District of Columbia, Florida, Nevada, New Jersey Utah and Idaho.

“Older persons account for one in every five pedestrian fatalities and have the greatest fatality rate of any population group,” said AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond. “America’s state, federal and community leaders should focus on making our streets safer – which will benefit everyone, including the growing number of older Americans.”

During the decade, 35.2 percent of pedestrian deaths occurred on roadways with a speed limit of 40 mph or higher. 36.6 percent were on streets with a posted speed limit under 30 mph and just 0.3 percent of pedestrians died on streets with a speed limit of 20 mph or lower.

In New Haven-Milford, 15 percent of traffic deaths were pedestrians; in Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk the percentage was 14.4 percent, in Hartford-West Hartford–East Hartford, 12.9 percent, and in Norwich – New London, 11.5 percent.

CT Teen Completes Puzzle in World Record Time

Anyone who has ever labored over a puzzle on a rainy afternoon, take note. Fifteen-year-old Deepika Ravichandran, a resident of East Hampton and a junior at the University High School of Science and Engineering on the campus of the University of Hartford, is the latest Connecticut resident to earn a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. She has become the fastest in the world to complete the "GWR Hasbro Puzzle,” assembling the unique and challenging jigsaw puzzle at a rapid rate of 18 pieces per minute, completing the puzzle in 13 minutes and seven seconds. Her time beat the previous record of 13 minutes and 14 seconds.

The official Guinness World Records 250-piece jigsaw puzzle is an oval shape and has no guiding picture on the box. Most of the pieces are very similar in appearence.

“There are pieces that are such odd shapes, I don’t know what goes where,” she told the Middletown Press, which along with WFSB and India New England, reported on her accomplishment.

Although she acknowledges her ability to solve jigsaw puzzles quickly, which was first noticed when she was a toddler, she does not exactly know what makes her successful. “It’s my thing. I have a talent for it,” she told the Press. This was second attempt; on her first attempt at age 12, she missed the world record by 30 seconds.

Part of her world record attempt was to raise funds for her UNICEF high school club. She was hoping to raise enough to provide three meals for a day to 250 (one for each of the puzzle pieces) needy children.

Ravichandran has a strong science, technology, engineering and mathematics background from her time at Hartford’s Annie Fisher STEM magnet school. More than 30 people watched the world record attempt on May 9, including six official witnesses and a videographer who filmed the successful attempt in the University High School's resource room.

New Haven Ranks as Best Connecticut City for Jobs

The Best Cities for Jobs in America? They’re generally not in Connecticut, according to a new national analysis, but a number of the states' leading metropolitan areas are moving up the list compared with their counterparts across the country. The New Haven, Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, and Norwich-New London metropolitan areas all edged up the list compared with their rankings a year ago. Danbury dropped slightly. Hartford-East Hartford-West Hartford’s ranking was virtually unchanged.

The rankings of the nation’s cities was developed by the website newgeography, and published this week.

Among 92 Medium Sized Cities that were ranked, New Haven ranked #42 (up from #65 last year) and Bridgeport-Norwalk-Stamford ranked at #58 (up from #85 last year) and saw the 10th largest advance among the medium sized cities.

Danbury ranked #122 (down from #111 last year) and Norwich-New London at #231 (up from #233 last year) among 240 Small Sized Cities that were analyzed.

In the rankings of the nation’s Large Sized Cities, the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford region ranked #48, nearly identical to last year’s ranking of #47. The top rated cities included San Jose, San Francisco, Austin, Raleigh, Houston, Nashville, New York City, Orlando, Dallas and Denver.

This year's rankings use five measures of growth to rank all 398 metro areas for which full data sets were available from the past 10 years.

• "Large" areas include those with a current nonfarm employment base of at least 450,000 jobs.
• "Midsize" areas range from 150,000 to 450,000 jobs.
• "Small" areas have as many as 150,000 jobs. This year’s rankings reflect the current size of each MSAs employment.

Among all 398 cities, New Haven and Danbury were the highest ranked from Connecticut, at #207 and #208 respectively. New Haven jumped 50 places in the overall ranking compared with last year; Danbury dropped 11 slots from a year ago.

The top-ranked city overall was Bismarck, North Dakota, which ranked first out of the 398 metro areas considered in the annual roundup of The Best Cities For Jobs. A metro area of 120,000 located in the country’s fastest-growing state and near the vast Bakken oil fields, the number of jobs in Bismarck is up 3 percent over the last year and 32.4 percent since 2002. Only one MSA—Modesto, CA—changed size categories moving from “Small” to “Midsized.”

The methodology for the 2014 rankings, according to newgeography, largely corresponds to that used in previous years, which emphasizes the robustness of a region's growth both recently and over time, with a minor addition to mitigate the volatility that the Great Recession has introduced into the time series. The rankings use five measures of growth to rank all 398 metro areas for which full data sets were available from the past 10 years.

The goal of the rankings methodology, according to the publication, is to capture a snapshot of the present and prospective employment outlook in each MSA and allow the reader to have a better sense of employment climate in each.

Included are all of the metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) for which the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports monthly employment data. They are derived from three-month rolling averages of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics "state and area" unadjusted employment data reported from November 2002 to January 2014.

Northeast Utilities Becomes Title Sponsor of Hartford Marathon

The next Hartford Marathon, on October 11, 2014, will run under a new lead sponsorship banner, that of Northeast Utilities. Last October, more than 15,000 runners, tens of thousands of spectators, more than 1,200 volunteers, and 30 bands and local entertainers, flooded into the Capitol City  for the annual ING Hartford Marathon.  It was the last time they did so under the ING banner, as the company did not renew its sponsorship of the race following their sixth year as title sponsor. Prior to ING, United Technologies had been the title sponsor, following Aetna in the lead role in the marathon's early years.  The Hartford Marathon has served as an increasingly impactful economic stimulus to Greater Hartford, helping to fill hotel rooms, bars, restaurants, and other tourist attractions throughout the region. NU will be the new sponsor through at least 2016, officials said.

In 2013, the marathon - in its 20th year - brought in at least $14 million of economic value to the Hartford area, according to an analysis done for the Hartford Marathon Foundation by Avon-based Witan Intelligence Inc.  Race attendance was up 5.6 percent to 75,000 in 2013, based on police department estimates.

“We are thrilled to partner with Northeast Utilities, a New England company that shares our mission to support both the physical and economic wellness of our communities,” said Beth Shluger, Executive Director of the Hartford Marathon Foundation and Race Director of the 2014 NU Hartford Marathon and Half Marathon.

ING U.S., with major operations in Windsor, ended its association with the state’s signature running event as it separates from its Dutch parent and is rebranded into a new company — Voya Financial.  ING U.S. also ended its title sponsorships of races in New York and Miami. The Miami race was run earlier this year without a title sponsor.

The Hartford Marathon Foundation had originally hoped to have a title sponsor in place by the end of 2013, but the search and negotiations took considerably longer, and some race materials for this year's race have already been circulated, in print and on line.  They are being revised and updated, as bright green becomes the new bright orange, as NU succeeds ING.

In addition to more than a dozen major sponsors drawn from the ranks of Connecticut’s leading corporations in recent years (including United Technologies, Hartford Hospital, Power Station, legrand, Aetna, Travelers, Baribault Jewelers and Executive Auto Group), volunteers  include staff members from Connecticut businesses, community groups and organizations that devote volunteers as a group service effort.In past years, staff volunteers from the title sponsor have taken the lead in anchoring water stations, handing out material (including medals for participants), and assisting in various capacities.

Hartford’s Post-Race is “one of the best in North America,” according to The Ultimate Guide to Marathons. The event has also developed a national reputation for extensive greening initiatives, and was certified as a "green race" in 2009 by the Council for Responsible Sport.    New last year were collaborative efforts with the UCONN EcoHusky Club and EcoHouse Learning Community and Hartford’s Knox Park.  Officials indicated that increased support services for runners will be provided in 2014, including special accommodations for active military and veterans. This year’s event will introduce solar power in Bushnell Park, a mark of its continuing commitment to sustainability, an important platform for both the Hartford Marathon Foundation and Northeast Utilities.

A month ago, the Hartford Marathon Foundation added Oz Griebel, of the Metro Hartford Alliance, and Robinson & Cole lawyer Andrea Donovan Napp to its 15-member board of directors. The Hartford Marathon Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit organization founded in 1994 to create and manage fitness events that inspire people to be healthy and fit. The Hartford Marathon Foundation organizes nearly 42 annual athletic events, including the Hartford Marathon, and 25 training programs.

Mystic Aquarium Honored at White House Ceremony with National Medal

Mystic Aquarium has earned some high profile attention this month, recognized at a White House ceremony hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) honored Mystic Aquarium as the only aquarium or zoo nationwide to receive its National Medal for Museum and Library Service for 2014. Impressively, Mystic Aquarium was one of four Connecticut finalists considered for the National Medal, along with the Hartford Public Library, Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury and Otis Library in Norwich. A total of only 30 institutions across the country were finalists, from which ten winners were ultimately chosen.

The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor conferred on museums and libraries for service to their communities. The Institute of Museum and Library Services, an independent agency of the U.S. government with the mission to create strong libraries and museums that connect people with information and ideas, is celebrating its 20th year of saluting institutions that make a difference for individuals, families and communities.

Mystic Aquarium gives back to the community with a direct financial impact of $72.2 million annually. In addition, the aquarium buys $5 million in services and supplies from Connecticut businesses annually. The institution’s conservation efforts protect the vitality of Long Island Sound, an important revenue-generating natural resource for Connecticut. It is the largest informal science education provider in Connecticut and Southeastern New England, reaching 100,000 students annually.

The work of Mystic Aquarium was brought to the attention of Susan H. Hildreth, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, by some of Connecticut’s most prominent cultural, education and government leaders. Rodney A. Butler, Mystic Aquarium Trustee and Chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, nominated the Aquarium for the National Medal, noting the pivotal role the Aquarium plays with its education and cultural exchange program for Native American high school students from the village of Point Lay, Alaska, and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation in southeastern Connecticut.

A major criterion for the award is the institution’s impact on members of its local community. Dr. Stephen M. Coan, President and CEO of Sea Research Foundation, the parent of Mystic Aquarium, who accepted the National Medal from Mrs. Obama, said: “We are honored to receive this prestigious award. We are committed to our educational and public engagement programs that make Mystic Aquarium not only an enjoyable family destination, but also a research facility dedicated to protecting our oceans and its aquatic creatures.”

U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Christopher Murphy supported the nomination along with Stonington Public Schools, which cited the Aquarium’s exemplary work with young people with intellectual disabilities. Michael Cotela, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford extolled the Aquarium’s critical educational programming for underserved communities.

Founded in 1973, Mystic Aquarium has a collection of 4,000 animals, including such species as beluga whales and the endangered African Penguin.

PHOTO (Left to right): Justin Richard, Stephen M. Coan, Mrs. Obama.

Growing Aging Population Brings Shifting Priorities, Possibilities

“Given the gift of longer life, better health, greater engagement and more possibilities, the fifty-plus generation of today holds new and very different ideals,” A. Barry Rand, CEO of AARP, told a  national AARP convention audience in Boston last week that included more than 250 people from Connecticut. “The old story of aging was about freedom from work. The new story is about freedom to do something different,” he said of what was described as “The Age of Possibilities- America’s second aging revolution.”

With one of the nation’s largest populations of older citizens on a percentage basis, the changes ring especially true in Connecticut. Past U.S. Census data, for example, indicates that Connecticut has consistently ranked in the top tier of states in the percentage of residents age 65 and older, and as high as 5th (2010 census) in the percentage of population age 85 and older.  The Connecticut Post reported back in 2010 that Connecticut,  in less than a decade, moved from 15th in state rankings by the U.S. Census Bureau of people 65 years old and over to ninth-place -- seventh if those 60 and over are counted.

Between 2000 and 2010, Connecticut’s 65 and older population grew by 7.7 percent and the states’ 85 and older population grew by 32.1 percent, according to the U.S. Census.   Rand cited a series of national statistics that not only underscored his premise, but reflect that the demographic shift is already underway. Rand noted:

• Most people turning 50 today can expect to live another 30-plus years.
• They have over half their adult lives ahead of them. That’s more time than they spent in childhood, in adolescence, and for many, it’s more time than they spent working.
• By 2030, one in every three Americans will have reached the age of 50.
• At the same time, 10,000 people a day are turning 65 — and that will continue for the next 17 years.
• The fastest growing age group consists of people 85-plus.
• We’re quickly approaching a time when people 65 and older will outnumber children 15 and under for the first time in history.

“This reflects a monumental change in our social structure and how we live our lives,” Rand said.  AARP officials said that in Connecticut over the next 15 years (2010 to 2025), the total population is projected to grow by 275,254, an increase of eight percent. When looked at by age group, however, more distinct differences emerge:

• The percentage of individuals under age 18 will decrease by 11 percent.
• The percent of adults between the ages of 18 and 64 will only increase by three percent.
• In contrast, the percent of individuals age 65 and over will increase substantially, by 63 percent, due to the aging of the Baby Boom generation.

The Populations Reference Bureau reports that projections of the entire older population (which includes the pre-baby-boom cohorts born before 1946) suggest that 71.4 million people will be age 65 or older in 2029.

In Connecticut, when the state Department on Aging was established last year, officials indicated that the 65 and older population made up 14 percent of the state's population and was expected to grow to 21.5 percent of the population by 2030.