The oldest of the baby boomers turned 60 last year. Perhaps the nation’s most celebrated generation, born between 1946 and 1964; boomers vowed to never grow old but to age well.

Life expectancy at the turn of the century was approximately 46 years; today it is approximately 77 years. The number of citizens over age 85 will double by 2030, and by 2050, 40 percent of the population will be older than 50.1 For the first time in history, seniors will outnumber children and youth. It is anticipated these increases will create a huge burden on society when a majority of the population consists of those that traditionally require care and are heavily dependent on others.

During the last decade in Oklahoma, the over age 65 population has been increasing at a rate faster than the population as a whole. Factors contributing to this growth include the immigration of retirees to the state, aging of our population and increased movement for closer proximity to families and services.2

The OBF provided $298,000 during 2006 to three organizations that provide services to Oklahoma seniors — Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma’s Senior Law Project and two new programs the Senior Law Resource Center and the Oklahoma CAAVA pilot program.

Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma’s (LASO) Senior Law Projects are an important source of free legal advice, counseling and community education throughout the state for citizens age 60 or older. Assistance is available in many different types of cases, such as wills, garnishments, debt collection or credit problems, consumer issues, Medicaid, Medicare and other medical access issues, public and subsidized housing issues, food stamps, Social Security and Supplemental Security Income, veteran’s benefits, guardianship and power of attorney services. Each of Legal Aid’s 11 service offices throughout the state has such a project. For more information about LASO’s Senior Law Projects, call your nearest Legal Aid office, or visit Legal Aid’s Web site.

The new Senior Law Resource Center was established in 2006 to meet the growing legal needs of elders, caregivers and people of all ages preparing for the next phases of their lives. The organization’s purpose is to empower Oklahomans to age with independence, dignity and security by providing high-quality, affordable legal information, resources and services. The SLRC began operations this year by offering free community workshops and launching an online resource center. The organization is working toward becoming a central source for comprehensive guidance and assistance with various issues that arise as citizens age and is utilizing pro bono volunteers and law-student interns to develop and present educational programs. Student interns currently conduct elder law research, write educational content for the online resource center and develop written materials for community presentations. Please contact Catheryn Koss direct at SLRC (405) 528-0858 or ckoss@oklahomaseniorlaw.org for more information.

The second new program is the Oklahoma Court Appointed Advocates for Vulnerable Adults (OCAAVA) pilot program that will train advocates to work for the best interests of vulnerable adults within Oklahoma’s court system. Citizens will serve as trained OCAAVA volunteers, at the discretion of the court, to function as the eyes and ears of the court in the protection of vulnerable citizens. OCAAVA volunteers are to provide reliable, unbiased information to the judges in court cases. Work and plans are underway to establish the pilot program in Oklahoma County with eventual expansion into one of the more rural outlying counties. Please contact Georgette Clark direct at OCAAVA (405) 521-2281 for more information on the program.

The 2000 U.S. Census reports 429,566 Oklahomans were 65 years of age and older. By 2015, the over age 65 population is predicted to increase by 37 percent and will likely double by 2030.3 The senior population shows no signs of slowing down or decreasing in size. It is nearly impossible to clearly define or label such a diverse group of people, but diversity is one of their greatest assets and strengths. Seniors have the potential to be as great an influence on the future of America as this country’s past was on them. By 2020, the senior population will number approximately 115 million nationwide. These statistics indicate that senior law programs are becoming more important to all Oklahoma citizens.

How can you help?

Attorneys and others interested parties can help to provide services across Oklahoma through membership in the OBF Fellows program and other general contributions. Join with Oklahoma attorneys and help us to make a real improvement in the lives of others. Please contact OBF at (405) 416-7070 for more information on the Fellows program.

1. National Center for Health Statistics’ Web site.
2. The Aging Boom, Report of the Shades of Gray Task Force (May 2001).
3. 2000 U.S. Census, The Census Bureau.