Summit County’s senior population could double over the next decade, and local officials are developing a strategic plan to bolster programs and services to help residents stay in the area and receive care as they age.
Approximately 15% of Summit County residents are 65 or older, but demographic projections for the Wasatch Back indicate the number could rise to 30% by 2036, largely due to the aging Baby Boomer generation. The trend mirrors nationwide projections, with the United States Census Bureau reporting that almost 17% of the American population in 2026 is older than 65.
Specifically, the Census Bureau claims the age group has had “a growth rate of about 1,000%” since 1920, when only 4.7% of the population was classified as seniors. Put simply, one in six people in the United States is older than 65 in 2026 compared to one in 20 people in 1920.
Senior services have become a concern for the Summit County Council in recent years as a result, especially after Elk Meadows — the only continuing care facility in the county — closed in 2024. County Councilor Tonja Hanson in particular has advocated for a detailed analysis of senior programming and whether the county could partner with a private company to establish another care facility in Elk Meadows’ absence.
Deputy County Manager Janna Young said the feasibility study for a continuing care facility was too expensive to include in the first round of analysis, but she expects to request more funding next year to complete the project. In the meantime, the county has hired The Hill Group, a Pennsylvania-based consulting firm, to survey Summit County seniors about their needs and create a strategic plan.
Jordan Pallitto, the firm’s chief operating officer, told the County Council last week that his company has held approximately 25 engagement opportunities so far. He said seniors overwhelmingly praised the county’s three senior centers and Meals on Wheels program, but they also expressed a need for more comprehensive programming focused on health and wellness.
“There is a desire for … body, mind, spirit and social programming that enables seniors of all ages because we’ve also heard that seniors are not a monolith,” Pallitto said. “We’re talking about providing mind, body and spirit programming for individuals aged 60-plus, and the needs of a 60 year old may not be the same needs as a 90 year old in this community. Differentiating those services across those dimensions is going to be really important.”
Pallitto said seniors are also worried about access to transportation, with many residents telling the consulting firm that it’s difficult to go grocery shopping, attend doctor appointments or visit friends without help from a younger driver. Young said the county has received similar feedback, especially from seniors who live on the East Side.
“We’re rural, but we have some urban influences,” Young said. “They live there for a reason. They want a small community. They like it being rural. As they’re aging, though, it’s becoming harder to live there because there’s nothing there, so transportation in particular … is the No. 1 thing that comes up all the time.”
Pallitto said there is an opportunity for the county to create stronger branding for its senior programs because some residents are unaware of the county’s offerings. He said some individuals also believe they’re “not old enough” to participate in senior programming despite falling into the 65-plus age range.
Other senior centers across the country have started renaming facilities to focus on active aging, wellness and other health benefits to change residents’ perceptions of the program, which Pallitto said has been an effective approach.
Other suggestions will be included in the strategic plan, as well as a list of objectives and tactics to improve senior services. Young said a draft of the plan should be finished by the end of the month, and the County Council is scheduled to review and possibly adopt the document in early September.