Miami-Dade’s Hispanic Seniors Deserve an Aging Plan That Reflects Reality.

By Mario E. Tapia
President & CEO, Latino Center on Aging

 

Miami-Dade County is changing—and nowhere is that change more evident than among its older residents.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, Miami-Dade County has 669,336 residents age 60 and older. Of that population, 71.6% are Hispanic or Latino, representing approximately 480,000 Hispanic older adults.

More than seven out of every ten Miami-Dade residents age 60 and older are Hispanic. Census data also indicate that more than 80% rely primarily on Spanish at home.

This is not simply a demographic statistic. It has profound implications for how we plan, communicate, and deliver aging services.

The question is straightforward: Does Miami-Dade County’s aging-services system adequately reflect the population it is designed to serve?

After reviewing the Draft 2024-2027 Annual Area Plan Program Module Update prepared by the Alliance for Aging, I believe there is a significant opportunity to do better.

A plan should reflect the people it serves

The Annual Area Plan, developed under the Older Americans Act, should serve as a strategic blueprint for identifying the needs of older adults, establishing priorities, coordinating resources, and measuring results.

The Older Americans Act calls for priority to be given to older adults with the greatest economic and social needs, particularly low-income minority seniors and individuals with limited English proficiency.

Nationally, approximately one in six Hispanic Americans age 65 and older lives below the federal poverty level, substantially higher than the rate among non-Hispanic White seniors. Combined with language barriers and Miami-Dade’s large Hispanic senior population, the need for targeted outreach becomes undeniable.

Information is only useful if seniors can access it

Miami-Dade has an extensive network of programs for older adults. But a program cannot help someone who does not know it exists, cannot understand how to access it, or cannot communicate effectively with the organization providing the service.

Outreach therefore cannot rely primarily on digital platforms. We need a deliberate bilingual strategy using Spanish-language radio and television, newspapers, community organizations, senior centers, faith-based organizations, and other trusted institutions.

The Elder Helpline must respond

Another serious concern is the Elder Helpline, often the front door to the aging-services system.

A senior calling for help with food, housing, transportation, health services, or benefits should not have to wait several days—or reportedly as long as a week—for a response.

The Area Plan should establish clear performance standards, including maximum response times, follow-up procedures, quality assurance, and public reporting.

The Latino Center on Aging has offered to work with the Alliance for Aging to advocate for additional funding. We have specifically asked what resources would be needed to ensure the Helpline can respond promptly. Unfortunately, we have not received an answer.

It is difficult to advocate for additional funding when the actual resource requirement has not been identified.

We need a real Senior Needs Assessment

For several years, the Latino Center on Aging has advocated for a comprehensive Miami-Dade County Needs Assessment focused specifically on residents age 60 and older.

The current Area Plan relies significantly on a Health Council survey involving only 235 participants. Only 65.6% were age 60 or older, 21.7% were between ages 45 and 59, and 11.5% were under 45.

Different generations have different experiences and communication preferences. An older adult may prefer radio, television, newspapers, or community organizations, while a younger respondent may prefer text messaging, WhatsApp, email, or social media.

Combining these responses can produce findings that do not accurately represent the needs of the population the Area Plan is intended to serve.

Preparing for tomorrow

Miami-Dade’s Hispanic senior population will continue to grow, bringing greater demand for bilingual services, culturally competent providers, transportation, nutrition assistance, caregiver support, benefits counseling, and health programs.

A stronger Area Plan should include five basic priorities:

1. Conduct a comprehensive Senior Needs Assessment focused on residents age 60 and older.
2. Develop a measurable Hispanic Senior Outreach and Language Access Strategy.
3. Establish Elder Helpline response-time standards and accountability measures.
4. Report who is being served by age, ethnicity, language preference, location, and type of service.
5. Identify the funding and resources necessary to meet growing demand, particularly among seniors with the greatest economic and social needs.

Approximately 480,000 Miami-Dade residents age 60 and older are Hispanic. More than seven out of ten older adults in the county belong to this population. These seniors are not a small segment of Miami-Dade’s older adult population. They are the majority.

The success of an Annual Area Plan should not be measured by how many programs it lists. It should be measured by whether an older adult who needs help can find it, understand it, access it, and receive it in a timely manner.

Miami-Dade’s Hispanic seniors deserve an aging-services system that reflects the reality of who they are, how they live, and what they need.