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Chicago Tribune
5 days ago
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Column: New city of Aurora program designed to help seniors stay in their homes
The numbers say it all. By 2030, nearly 21% of Americans will be 65 or older, for the first time surpassing the percentage of those under the age of 17. Katrina Boatright is aware of those statistics by the United States Census Bureau. But even more, as the senior and disability services manager for the city of Aurora, she's tuned in to the growing needs in our community that stem from those numbers. That's why her department is teaming up with Aurora's fire and police departments to launch a new Aging in Place Safety program, an initiative that will help older adults and those with disabilities live more independently in their homes. Which is a big deal when considering the benefits. For one thing, keeping the aging and disabled at home gives them a sense of dignity and self-worth, which often evaporates as they lose control of their lives. It can also reduce feelings of isolation, as well as anxiety and confusion, which is especially critical for those suffering from dementia. Plus, in-home care is more cost-effective for people needing part-time or moderate support, says Boatright, also noting that, more than ever, the lack of affordable housing has become 'a big deal' for this population. The goal, she added, is to fix up existing homes that will help seniors feel safer, as well as more 'connected and cared for.' This program will help make that possible by providing participants with free smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, as well as a secure lock box with a key voucher designed to make it easier for first responders in an emergency situation or wellness check to enter the home without having to break down doors. 'Even something as simple as a lock box or a smoke detector can make a difference when seconds count,' noted Aurora Fire Chief David McCabe in a press release about this new initiative. Also part of this program is the creation of individual SAFE profiles for each participant. According to Boatright, this confidential and customized narrative provides police, fire and emergency medical personnel advanced knowledge of medical conditions, mobility issues or communication needs. Does the homeowner have dementia or a disability impacting ability to walk, see or hear, for example? Is an interpreter required? Is there mental illness that would call for a specialized team? All this, in turn, can't help but enable first responders to react more effectively and compassionately. Boatright is also excited about the program's Phase Two, which will include small home repairs for issues that could impact safety or accessibility, or installing features such as safety grips or hand rails. According to the press release, there is an online survey available now for residents who 'want to help guide that next phase.' The free program is now open for registration to anyone at least 60 years old or living with a disability in a home they own in Aurora. It will run through Oct. 31 or while supplies last. Home Depot on Orchard Road, said Boatright, 'has been remarkable,' donating 200 smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and discounting 200 secure lock boxes. The company is also offering free key duplications for seniors who participate. To register or learn more, go to or call 311 or 630-256-3406. Boatright, who continues to hold listening tours with aging residents, insists that a crisis is not the time to respond to their needs. 'By being proactive instead of reactive,' she added, 'we can keep the problem from growing.'
Business Journals
30-07-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
The trend of private equity in construction
The construction industry is dealing with an aging workforce that poses challenges for business continuity and succession. Looking at the recent demographic information available, roughly one-fifth of workers in construction are aged 55 or older, and upcoming retirements are expected to continue to outpace new entrants to the profession. Coinciding with the fact that many construction companies are closely held businesses with aging leadership and no viable succession plans or key employees with access to the required capital, opportunities have emerged for private equity to enter the construction space. These opportunities have presented benefits for each party. The benefits for a business owner are straightforward. Private equity offers another avenue for them to sell their business, especially if there is no potential to turn it over to a family member, management team, or a key employee. Even if one of these three is in place, these parties may not have access to the required cash flow, which can complicate maximizing potential value in the transaction. The key employee will often have to finance a large portion of the purchase price and in the current interest environment, the financing charges on top of the transaction price may not ultimately make the price palatable for the buyer. Private equity firms typically have cash available to complete the purchase transaction and are more interested in leveraging the business than an individual buyer. Also, if the private equity firm views the seller as a strategic buy or a platform company to build off in a particular industry or geographic area, they may be willing to offer a higher potential purchase price than the other interested parties, specifically if they have cash that they have to invest during that particular time period. Since 2011, after the Great Recession, total spending on construction and spending on private construction have increased each year per the United States Census Bureau. The annual increase in construction spending aligns with the primary goal of private equity, which is to generate returns and cash flows for their investors over an identified investment time period, which is typically somewhere between three and seven years. Companies identified as potential targets by private equity have typically shown trends of positive earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), upon which private equity will determine the enterprise value. Due to the existing management teams that private equity typically has in place and additional scale and services that they can provide via experience and their other investments, they can immediately create value beyond the EBITDA of the legacy company. In the construction industry, this is often performed through a rollup strategy, wherein the private equity firm will acquire multiple smaller contractors and consolidate them to generate economies of scale. They can optimize synergies created within their existing management team and the acquiree's management functions and create better volume pricing structures with their vendors, which can immediately create the EBITDA increases previously described. Via these economies of scale, they can also tackle any potential labor issues both in the trades and back office by pooling the available resources they have acquired and use this collective experience to navigate some of the other risks inherent in the construction industry. This has been demonstrated recently in industries such as roofing, which historically had smaller independent companies that private equity firms have been able to acquire and stack onto a platform company to achieve their desired growth targets and return to their investors. There is no specific playbook that is going to work for every company on the brink of a transaction, but private equity has offered another avenue that previously had not been available. While views on the current economic outlook are mixed, there are still certain industries including data centers, energy, and public utilities/infrastructure, where increased spending is expected to continue due to current and future needs. With the aging demographic of the overall industry and perceived value remaining in many construction verticals, the private equity trend in construction is expected to continue. Citrin Cooperman's Construction Industry Practice works closely with general contractors, heavy highway, electrical, and superstructure contractors, metal fabricators, and a number of other specialty trades. With years of experience in the industry, we understand the nature of our clients' sales and project cycles. Evaluating project profitability, managing cash flows, and evaluating costs are all factors in determining our clients' ability to maintain a competitive edge. 'Citrin Cooperman' is the brand name under which Citrin Cooperman Advisors LLC and Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP, independently owned entities, provide professional services in an alternative practice structure in accordance with applicable professional standards. Corey McCusker is a partner with nine years of experience in public accounting, providing accounting, audit, tax, and business advisory services, primarily in the construction industry. He performs financial statement audits and reviews of general contractors and subcontractors, including evaluation of internal controls, financial reporting and compliance, and construction specific tax planning.
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Researchers discover surprising factor that can make cities healthier: 'Could reduce the number of annual premature deaths'
Researchers discover surprising factor that can make cities healthier: 'Could reduce the number of annual premature deaths' Researchers say adding more greenery to cities helps improve residents' health, but there's one major caveat: Location matters. Situating more green spaces in densely populated areas will save the most human lives, per Mongabay, which summarized the new report. Meanwhile, adding green spaces to areas with the least amount of nature comes in second from a life-saving perspective. The study analyzed 96 cities across 48 countries and six continents that have committed to confronting the climate crisis through C40 Cities. The research team found that adding green spaces near population centers or in areas with the least amount of existing nature could provide 2.7 and 1.4 to 1.7 times the health benefits of adding green spaces uniformly across urban areas. Five Indian cities — Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai — were included in the research and showed significant life-saving potential with added green space. India ranks as the most populous country in the world, with over 1.4 billion residents, per United States Census Bureau data. "Across the five cities, increasing green area by 1% could reduce the number of annual premature deaths by 875-2,439, depending on where you add green spaces," one of the study's authors, Greta K. Martin, told Mongabay. This new information comes as researchers continue to uncover the many health benefits of green spaces in urban environments. One study discovered a strong association between perceived green space exposure and reduced anxiety. Another found that spending time in residential gardens was linked to a decreased risk of certain cancers, including breast and uterine. And one group of researchers discovered that spending just 10 minutes in nature can help adults with mental illness. These same green spaces also provide habitat and food for a variety of species, including pollinators. Despite the benefits of green spaces, the authors of the new study acknowledged that implementation could prove challenging in some areas. "The feasibility of increasing greenspace or expanding population access to nature by 1% varies across C40 cities," they stated. "Some cities have climates where maintaining greenspaces is water-intensive and cost-prohibitive, and others have dense urban cores, where adding nature could require extensive urban landscape changes, including building demolition." However, Martin maintained that green spaces are a win for communities. Do you think your city has good air quality? Definitely Somewhat Depends on the time of year Not at all Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "Adding green spaces is one piece of creating healthier cities," Martin told Mongabay. "Clean air, walkability, and safety are all important to getting the most health benefits from urban green spaces." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Miami Herald
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Census Data Shows Where US White Population Is in Decline
New data released by the United States Census Bureau Thursday showed that the country's Asian population grew the fastest in the past year, while the white population became the racial group to decline. The latest population estimates, through July 2024, showed a shift in demographics across the U.S., with a 4.4 percent growth in the Asian population compared to a 0.1 percent decline among the white population. "The major implication is the major change that is taking place in the U.S. population with respect to its race and ethnic structure," Rogelio Saenz, a professor in the department of sociology and demography at the University of Texas in San Antonio, told Newsweek. "The Census Bureau has projected that in 2044 the nation would be majority minority, or more non-white than white in the in the population, and I think that that these patterns are well afoot. We're getting closer to that reality." The Census Bureau data also highlights an aging population overall, along with fewer children and young people, at a time when there are concerns around a shrinking U.S.-born workforce and mass deportations of illegal immigrants, as well as broader concerns across much of the West about declining birthrates. What To Know The yearly population estimates, which are taken on July 1 of each year, showed a shifting demographics balance across the country. While the white population maintains the largest share overall, it was also the singular declining racial group - a trend that has been identified for several years. The 2020 Census was the first time in U.S. history that the white-alone population declined, going from 223.6 million in 2010 to 204.3 million a decade later. The nine states that saw drops in their white populations were Alaska, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oregon, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Vermont. The Hispanic or Latino population remains the second-largest racial group in the U.S., totaling 68 million in mid-2024, having grown by nearly 3 percent. Saenz said that could decline in the coming year. "That's been the major worry I think in terms of the mass deportations," Saenz said. "The impact that that's going to have on already a nation that is aging and particularly with the white population and the workforce itself, aging as well, who's going to do those jobs?" Research in October by the non-partisan National Foundation for American Policy found the majority of the domestic labor market's growth came from immigrants over the past five years, while many states had continued to see their immigrant populations grow, including Texas, Florida, California and New York. Other data points highlighted by the Census Bureau included the U.S.' aging population, with the 65-plus group growing from 12.4 percent of the national population 20 years ago to 18 percent last year. The share of children, defined as those under 18, dropped from 25 percent to 21.5 percent across the same period. The number of states where older adults outnumbered children rose from three in 2020 – Florida, Maine, and Vermont – to 11 in 2024, with Delaware, Hawaii, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia joining them. Lauren Bowers, chief of the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Branch, in a press release: "Children still outnumber older adults in the United States, despite a decline in births this decade. However, the gap is narrowing as baby boomers continue to age into their retirement years. In fact, the number of states and counties where older adults outnumber children is on the rise, especially in sparsely populated areas." The U.S. Census Bureau publishes data on a regular basis, with the next update due in December. Related Articles Here's Why Tech Enthusiasts Are Embracing 'Dumb' Phones and Digital DetoxesFlorida's Population Makes Major ShiftMap Reveals Fastest-Growing Cities Across USScientists Reveal Alarming Climate Future Awaiting Gen Z: 'Unprecedented Exposure' 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Census Data Shows Where US White Population Is in Decline
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. New data released by the United States Census Bureau Thursday showed that the country's Asian population grew the fastest in the past year, while the white population became the racial group to decline. The latest population estimates, through July 2024, showed a shift in demographics across the U.S., with a 4.4 percent growth in the Asian population compared to a 0.1 percent decline among the white population. "The major implication is the major change that is taking place in the U.S. population with respect to its race and ethnic structure," Rogelio Saenz, a professor in the department of sociology and demography at the University of Texas in San Antonio, told Newsweek. "The Census Bureau has projected that in 2044 the nation would be majority minority, or more non-white than white in the in the population, and I think that that these patterns are well afoot. We're getting closer to that reality." Why It Matters The Census Bureau data also highlights an aging population overall, along with fewer children and young people, at a time when there are concerns around a shrinking U.S.-born workforce and mass deportations of illegal immigrants, as well as broader concerns across much of the West about declining birthrates. What To Know The yearly population estimates, which are taken on July 1 of each year, showed a shifting demographics balance across the country. While the white population maintains the largest share overall, it was also the singular declining racial group — a trend that has been identified for several years. The 2020 Census was the first time in U.S. history that the white-alone population declined, going from 223.6 million in 2010 to 204.3 million a decade later. The nine states that saw drops in their white populations were Alaska, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oregon, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Vermont. The Hispanic or Latino population remains the second-largest racial group in the U.S., totaling 68 million in mid-2024, having grown by nearly 3 percent. Saenz said that could decline in the coming year. "That's been the major worry I think in terms of the mass deportations," Saenz said. "The impact that that's going to have on already a nation that is aging and particularly with the white population and the workforce itself, aging as well, who's going to do those jobs?" Research in October by the non-partisan National Foundation for American Policy found the majority of the domestic labor market's growth came from immigrants over the past five years, while many states had continued to see their immigrant populations grow, including Texas, Florida, California and New York. Other data points highlighted by the Census Bureau included the U.S.' aging population, with the 65-plus group growing from 12.4 percent of the national population 20 years ago to 18 percent last year. The share of children, defined as those under 18, dropped from 25 percent to 21.5 percent across the same period. The number of states where older adults outnumbered children rose from three in 2020 – Florida, Maine, and Vermont – to 11 in 2024, with Delaware, Hawaii, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia joining them. What People Are Saying Lauren Bowers, chief of the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Branch, in a press release: "Children still outnumber older adults in the United States, despite a decline in births this decade. However, the gap is narrowing as baby boomers continue to age into their retirement years. In fact, the number of states and counties where older adults outnumber children is on the rise, especially in sparsely populated areas." What's Next The U.S. Census Bureau publishes data on a regular basis, with the next update due in December.
