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P a g e
1. Introduction
This Chesapeake 55 and Better Comprehensive Plan was developed with the active
participation of many people in our community who had ideas and opinions about what they
want their community to be like for persons 55 and over. The population of Chesapeake is
growing older due to increasing life spans along with declining birth rates. Also, there is the
added impact of the Baby Boomer generation that will contribute significantly to the increase in
the older population.
This Plan was created to align our City’s priorities for older adults across not only all City
departments but also the community. This includes the many community organizations that
help older adults within our City. The Plan is an agenda for action, an advocacy tool, and
designed to create focus on the most important issues for the senior population.
The Plan was prepared for all persons in the community, including people 55 and older now
and in the future, their caregivers and family members, and people who assist with programs
and services focused on the senior population. The Plan includes generational differences
recognizing that over time those who are young today will be older tomorrow. The Plan is
realistic, ambitious in scope but reflecting the realities of economic conditions. Based on local
data and information, it is specific to the assets, needs and challenges of Chesapeake.
Any plan this large in scope is designed to lead to strategic implementation. It is intended to
focus on fundamental decisions and actions necessary in shaping and guiding systems in the
future. It is flexible – setting a general direction while acknowledging the need for change over
time.
Talking about programs and services needed for persons 55 and over could cover an
extremely wide array of topics. In order to be realistic in scope, the Plan focuses on five
primary areas of discussion and recommendations:
Housing
Transportation
Health Care
Financial Safety And Security
Quality of Life
As part of the development of this Plan, a survey (the Chesapeake 55+ Survey) was
conducted across the community in the spring of 2014. Some of the key findings included:
81% rated the quality of life in their neighborhood as excellent or good
81% reported that their health was excellent or good
77% are concerned about living independently and 72% are concerned about staying in
their homes
