Kansans are aging, moving to urban centers and becoming less white.
Those broad findings from a detailed report about the states next five decades by the Kansas Health Foundation and Kansas Health Institute shouldnt surprise us. They should, however, act as a reminder that as the state continues to grow and these trends continue, there is much work to be done to ensure the greatest chance at economic and social success for all Kansans.
Growing challenges are highlighted in the report, which focuses on how the state is impacted by healthy lifestyles and how individuals, government and health organizations are part of solutions.
While Kansas is projected to grow by 25.1 percent overall by 2066, the growth rate of residents age 65 and older is projected to rise by almost 70 percent. That creates a continuing shift in focus for health-care providers, who will see more cases of later-in-life health problems such as heart disease and diabetes.