On Friday I was parked in Rezin Orthopedic Center’s parking lot waiting for my wife to have her physical therapy session when I noticed the age of those entering and leaving. There was a mid-teen, four in their 30-40s, and all the others in 60s, 70s, and probably 80s. Late that afternoon we shopped in Jewel. I saw six kids under 6, six adults over 40 and all the other shoppers were well into AARP age.

I had not noticed before the aging of Morris. We have kids in school, which means some parents are in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, but I don’t see them except as employees in the stores. Maybe they all shop in Wal-Mart or on line because I shop only at Aldi’s, Jewel, Menards, and Ace Hardware. My street used to have lots of kids but now only 3 are still in school.

Is it just my perception or is our area aging more than the rest of Illinois? Granted Americans are living longer and the population pyramid is becoming more rectangular as a whole, but is Morris more AARP than school age? To me Morris has more over 50 than under 20. Is Morris becoming a retirement community? The 2020 census will tell us if I am right.

If it is true, then we are obviously overbuilt in the area schools and should consolidate them. Public services should be biased more towards our increasing age. To keep people in their homes, we need more home healthcare workers and those to be paid a living wage. This will help us to stay home instead of having to go to a nursing home. The personal and public economics of staying home are overwhelming. All nursing homes are understaffed so the answer isn’t more nursing homes but services to keep us in our own homes.