To the Editor:
The Herald in its July 9 Wrap discussed aging in America with some facts about Cape May. The median age is 52.7 compared to a national median of 39.1. The post seemed a bit downside, but there is an upside to aging.
Look no farther than Louisville, Kentucky (see http://www.healthenterisenetwork.com, May 26, 2021). Louisville is home to over 600 companies that focus on health care but much more than just sick patients. Louisville is positioned as “The Epicenter of Aging Innovation.”
Health care is an $80 billion sector of the economy. It accounts for 18% of employment, with nine of the top 25 employers being health-care companies. The University of Louisville’s Trager Institute has a center of excellence for research and innovation on improving the aging experience.
The executive director of the institute says: “It’s no longer you get old and go to a nursing home; in Louisville you get older and learn to stay independent; you focus on the quality of life and focus on how older people can age and stay independent, and that has opened up many business opportunities.”
Yes, tourism and a great seashore community are what Cape May is all about, but health care for older folks represents another promising sector. Atlantic Cape Community College and Stockton University, hopefully, along with The Atlantic Economic Council Association, will consider aging in Cape May as a growing sector.
Bill Trombetta, Esq.
Wildwood Crest
