Mentors, volunteers and health care clients: Aging population in southwest Montana has pros and cons
He appreciates the intellectual stimulation offered by Montana Tech, where his wife, Beverly, is vice chancellor for research and dean of graduate studies and where he helps out with the university's public lecture series.
Hartline said these are among other attributes that make
"If
He said the Big Apple and
Hartline, a
Retirees contribute to the economy in southwest
They bring life experience and the potential to be mentors for young adults just getting started in business, education or other pursuits.
But an aging population in southwest
"For the local areas including
"All else equal, this means the areas will continue to see declining economic activity," he said.
Kasperick noted that in
"In order to reverse this trend at the local level, new jobs need to be attracted to the area," Kasperick said. "A younger workforce brings with it children who support schools, spending and overall increased economic activity."
An aging population
Census data show that the population in southwest
By comparison, census estimates from 2016 suggest that about 17.7 percent of
Many in this demographic group in southwest
Some people opted to retire in southwest
And there are those who, like Hartline, have defied the snowbird's typical migratory pattern and chosen to retire to southwest
Hartline said he and Beverly try to support area businesses.
"I purchase stuff locally, if I can find it, even if it costs a bit more," he said.
He volunteers at the
Retiree
Janson said he hopes the event will present
Choosing
Janson and his wife, Lynn, 61, grew up in
During the next 35 years the couple lived in
When Len retired in
Lynn responded immediately, saying, "
Len said he wasn't sure she'd heard him right and emphasized again that they could move anywhere, from
Lynn told him she'd followed him around for 35 years during his career relocations and it was time to go home. The pull was family, she said.
"
He said that when the couple first looked for a house in
"I just wanted to turn the key and move in," she said.
Ultimately, the Jansons bought a house on
Health care
Two years ago, life circumstances forced the couple to plumb the region's health care pros and cons. Len was diagnosed with melanoma in
"I spent all of 2016 fighting cancer," he said. "All of that was either in
An avid cyclist, Len logged about 8,500 miles in 2015, the year that included a 3,840-mile ride from
He described
On the other hand, he said, most of these patients are on Medicare and Medicare pays a much lower portion of the hospital bill than commercial insurance.
"That leaves a balance that either the patient must pay or we must write off," Doyle said.
He said the hospital does not have a clear sense of whether retirees are moving into the region and noted that
Hickey said aging of the baby boomers presents unique challenges. This population will require more medical care and more specialty care, she said, increasing the odds that patients will have more than one disease at a time and increasing rates of re-admission. Related increases in demands for time with primary care providers and for timely appointments also present challenges, she said.
"This can cause demand of services to exceed the supply of medical providers, especially within the healthcare professional shortage areas like
Nevertheless, she said, the population of people 65 or older can "be a lifeline to many Critical Access Hospitals," a designation that includes the
Still, she said, "Lack of profit on these visits can make it difficult for cost-reimbursed hospitals to grow and reinvest."
Yet the
"These specialist offerings have expanded our service area to outside
Patients who travel from southwest
The
Both hospitals face challenges because the retirement of the baby boom generation also affects hospital employment. Among other responses, the hospitals have boosted recruitment efforts by providing clinical rotations for students pursuing medical and health care degrees.
Doyle said St. James also works with universities to provide job shadowing or intern opportunities for non-clinical students majoring in areas such as health informatics, computer science, business, marketing and communications.
Students in Montana Tech's well-regarded bachelor's of science degree nursing program are among those participating in clinical rotations at
"They are an asset to our facility, providing a unique perspective on the ever-changing health care environment," Hickey said.
And
"Our kids have grown up with the understanding that there are two reasons for everything we have," he said. "The first is the way their mother and I were raised and the second is Montana Tech."
Supporting local
Mike graduated in 1967 from
For a time, he taught high school English and attended law school at night at
After Mike graduated from law school in 1976, he went to work, "purely by chance," as a government lawyer focused on mine safety. He moved in and out of government and the private sector, always involved in mine safety, until President
Mike's brother,
"I called Ron and he said he'd give me a tour," Mike said. "It needed a lot of work."
The couple had previously considered buying a house in
Jane had visited
"I was always impressed with
Mike observed, "She fit right in. She has a wide range of friends."
Jane volunteers at the Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives, just a few blocks from home. Mike works occasionally as a substitute teacher at
The Duffys described few complaints about life as retirees in southwest
"The winters haven't been as bad as we thought," Jane said. "There are things I miss, but not enough to move."
Mike said he would like to see a repertory movie theater that screens films not featured among the mainstream movies shown at the theater at the
"It's time for them to fish or cut bait," he said.
Meanwhile, the Jansons said
He said
"If you don't shop local, you don't have local shops," Len said.
The Hartlines, who moved to
"Bev and I are committed to environmental sustainability -- we just bought a Chevy Volt from
The couple has embraced ultralight backpacking gear, equipment they've had to order online.
The Duffys said they support local businesses whenever they can. They, like many people in the region, would welcome a big-box home improvement retailer like Home Depot or
'Old enough to know better'
Contemplating the pros and cons of
"In my experience, people often have very different needs and preferences, so they are generally happier and more fulfilled if they can find activities, services and opportunities that fit their basic needs and encourage them to discover unanticipated ways to enrich their lives or grow new interests and abilities," he said.
Basic needs include such things as "good health, good friends, decent housing, hope, dreams and freedom from stress," Hartline said.
Cities and towns with a rich array of opportunities and mentors are typically best situated to foster such enrichment, he said, whether for children, young adults or retirees.
"Small communities often have less diversity in choices, fewer enriching activities and fewer inspiring mentors or facilitators," Hartline said.
"For me, the
McGlashan, a journalist, author and former educator renowned for a quick wit, said she isn't fond of the label "retiree" because it conjures stereotypical images.
"It makes us sound so old," she said. "How about, 'People who are old enough to know better'?"
As for the economic impact of retirees, McGlashan playfully referenced
"When the Red Hats go out to dinner, it makes a difference for the restaurant," she said.
McGlashan said dryly that
The community's congenial spirit is one of its most compelling attributes, she said.
"
"
Recruiting retirees?
Janson believes it makes sense for economic development officials to recruit retirees with disposable incomes, especially as retiring baby boomers swell the ranks of this demographic.
"There is a huge number of retirees out there and some of them have large amounts of disposable income," he said.
Hartline expressed mixed feelings about such recruitment.
"There's value to be gained from having new, still-somewhat-active community members from diverse backgrounds bringing in money, ideas and special skills acquired over a lifetime," he said. "But there are costs as well, such as for infrastructure needs or demands, as well as upward pressures on cost-of-living."
"At this point we don't have an initiative to actively recruit snowbirds or retirees, but it is certainly a segment of the economy that we are aware of," he said.
"
The Duffys see potential benefits in recruiting retirees but also recognize the need to bring in young people to boost and diversify the regional economy and start and staff the businesses suited to serve an aging population.
"You're going to need a lot of services for the elderly demographic and will need young people to provide them," Mike said.
And that, it seems, is happening.
Hensley said market research she conducted before opening Senior Solutions showed that an aging population in southwest
She plans to soon open a hospice program.
Hensley said she envisions expanding her business into other communities in southwest
"It does increase our odds of success when we have a larger pool of aging patients," she said.
In 2015,
'Coming home'
"There's something special about
"We have seen clients coming back to
"Clients who want to volunteer and do something good for our community or just want to 'come home' really are coming home. Fishing, hunting, hiking, mountain biking, exploring and the friendly people is what they have missed about
She said
"Our real estate market is still more affordable than places like
She said retirees considering a move to
Young energy building
Businesses and residents alike in southwest
A new airport terminal at
These and other changes at the airport have boosted hopes that at least another commercial airline will elect to provide service to and from
Hartline is leaning toward optimism.
"I really am hopeful that revising the ceiling standards will make air transport more workable here," he said. "It's no fun getting stuck, on my dime, in
The Jansons, who live close to the airport, said they have been pleasantly surprised that once in a while the fares in and out of
"Even with the one carrier, you can still get in and out," Lynn said.
Demographic projections suggest that the populations of both
And that prospect has sobering implications.
Yet
"There is some young energy in
___
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