A review of elder friendly community rankings

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M.Delorey_headshotBy Marianne Delorey

This table summarizes the last several articles about each of the towns in Worcester County and how they compare on elder friendly characteristics.  The higher the ranking, the more elder friendly the town was considered to be in each of the areas studied.  The areas included the extent of medical facilities available in the town, how affordable the town was, how extensive the transportation options were in the town and how well funded the senior center was.

Each town is categorized by the size of the elder population.  Small towns had less than 500 elders.  Medium towns had between 500 and 2,000 elders. Larger towns had more than 2000 elders.

The intent of this analysis is to encourage towns to examine how they can best support their elderly citizens and to encourage other elders to relocate to their community.  I encourage readers to share their thoughts about their town and any metrics that may not be included in this analysis.

The Rankings of Small, Medium and Larger Towns in Central Massachusetts by Elder Friendly Characteristics

Town % of Pop Elderly Town Size Medical Ranking Affordable Ranking Trans-portation Ranking Senior Center Funding

Ranking

Overall Rank
Shrewsbury 13.2% Large 3 3 6 1 1
Webster 16.4% Large 6.5 8.5 1.5 2 2
Southbridge 14.9% Large 6.5 8 1.5 6 3.5
Millbury 16.5% Large 1.5 4.5 6 10 3.5
Holden 13.8% Large 2.5 3 6 11 5
Auburn 17.7% Large 7.5 3.5 6 8 6
Leominster 14.4% Large 6.5 6 11 3 7
Milford 13.1% Large 10.5 4.5 6 7 8
Fitchburg 12.9% Large 6 10.5 11 5 9
Westborough 13.1% Large 10 5 6 12 10
Gardner 15.5% Large 7 12 6 9 11
Worcester 12.3% Large 10.5 9.5 11 4 12
Boylston 13.2% Medium 10 4 7.5 1.5 1
Ashburnham 9.2% Medium 10 10 7.5 4 2
Dudley 11.2% Medium 7.5 20.5 7.5 1.5 3
Mendon 9.8% Medium 16.5 6 1 22 4
West Boylston 14.3% Medium 23.5 19 7.5 5 5
N Brookfield 13.7% Medium 3.5 28 7.5 18 6
Spencer 14.0% Medium 19 28 7.5 3 7
Leicester 12.3% Medium 17.5 20.5 7.5 12.5 8
Paxton 13.0% Medium 3.5 11.5 24.5 19 9
Hopedale 15.9% Medium 28.5 15 7.5 11 10.5
Rutland 8.0% Medium 14 14.5 24.5 9 10.5
Lunenburg 12.0% Medium 9.5 16 24.5 12.5 12
Lancaster 10.1% Medium 32.5 15 7.5 8 13.5
Blackstone 11.6% Medium 11.5 13 7.5 31 13.5
Grafton 10.5% Medium 11.5 11.5 24.5 16 15
Westminster 11.6% Medium 20.5 14 24.5 6 16
Sutton 9.8% Medium 10.5 5.5 24.5 30 17
Oxford 12.3% Medium 12.5 27.5 24.5 7 18
Uxbridge 8.2% Medium 24.5 17.5 7.5 25 19
Sturbridge 14.2% Medium 12 19.5 24.5 23 20.5
Douglas 7.8% Medium 9.5 18 24.5 27 20.5
Harvard 12.3% Medium 19 13 24.5 24 22
W Brookfield 25.0% Medium 22 20 24.5 15 23
Barre 11.5% Medium 22.5 19 24.5 17 24
Winchendon 11.5% Medium 15.5 33 7.5 28 25.5
Athol 15.8% Medium 22.5 27 24.5 10 25.5
Northbridge 11.8% Medium 20 27 24.5 14 27
Templeton 11.8% Medium 20 29.5 24.5 13 28
Charlton 10.0% Medium 30 14 24.5 20 29
Clinton 14.1% Medium 16 28 24.5 21 30
Northborough 13.0% Medium 35 19 24.5 16 31
Upton 8.3% Medium 22 15.5 24.5 34 32
Warren 13.5% Medium 18 25 24.5 29 33
Sterling 11.1% Medium 34 8.5 24.5 32 34
Southborough 9.1% Medium 25.5 17 24.5 33 35
Royalston 11.6% Small 2 5 4 2 1
Phillipston 10.3% Small 3 4.5 4 2 2
East Brookfield 14.1% Small 6 8 4 2 3
Petersham 19.1% Small 5 9 4 5 4
Hubbardston 9.1% Small 7 4 4 8 5
Millville 7.2% Small 4 7 4 11 6
New Braintree 10.2% Small 1 10 10.5 6 7
Brookfield 14.4% Small 8 5.5 10.5 4 8
Berlin 12.5% Small 11 6.5 10.5 7 9
Princeton 11.7% Small 13 9.5 4 10 10
Oakham 8.9% Small 10 7 10.5 9 11
Hardwick 13.6% Small 9 4.5 10.5 13 12
Bolton 8.9% Small 12 7.5 10.5 12 13

 

Marianne Delorey, Ph.D. is the executive director of Colony Retirement Homes. She can be reached at 508-755-0444 or mdelorey@colonyretirement.com and www.colonyretirementhomes.com. Archives of articles from previous issues can be read at www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.