Recent Study Emphasizes “Grey Gold” for Rural Communities
The Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire issued a new study indicating that older Americans who retire to rural areas quickly become involved and often provide a tremendous benefit by volunteering in their new communities. The summary report “Grey Gold: Do Older In-Migrants Benefit Rural Communities?” is available here:
http://carseyinstitute.unh.edu/
Brief: carseyinstitute.unh.edu/publications/PB-Glasgow-Brown-GreyGold.pdf
Press Release: www.unh.edu/news/cj_nr/2008/dec/as1newcomers.cfm
The study was conducted by Nina Glasgow, a senior research associate in the Department of Development Sociology at Cornell University and David Brown, a Cornell University professor of development sociology, director of the Community and Rural Development Institute and associate director of the Cornell Population Program. The report notes that rural retirement destinations (RRDs: a U.S. Department of Agriculture designation for the 274 nonmetropolitan counties that experienced net in-migration of 15 percent or higher among persons 60-plus between 1995 – 2000) are one of the only types of nonmetropolitan counties in the country experiencing consistent population growth during the last 30 years. There are a number of such RRD counties in Wisconsin, also featured in a Milwaukee Magazine article, “Retiree Revolution,” from March 1, 2008, although none were included in the case study counties for the Carsey Institute report.
According to the press release, the study determined that "older in-migration should be seen as neither a burden nor a boon for rural areas but rather as a source of both challenges and opportunities."
With the increase in retirements coming with the aging of the baby boom generation, public libraries may find it necessary to adjust services and programs accordingly. The California State Library produced the first in a series of Webinars as part of their “Transforming Life after 50 Initiative.” Entitled “Attracting Baby Boomers to Volunteer Service,” the webinar, along with copies of slides and handouts, is archived here,
http://infopeople.org/training/webcasts/webcast_data/276/index.html
