Colorado's Economy

Colorado is home to over 1.3 million Coloradans over the age of 60. Many of these residents migrated to Colorado in the 1970s for new jobs and employment purposes and have continued to reside in Colorado, providing skill and expertise to Colorado’s economy. As Colorado’s demographics continue to shift older, strategies to keep older adults in the workforce will be critical to Colorado’s economy. Because the number of births is decreasing, the number of deaths is increasing, and fewer people are moving to Colorado than leaving, Colorado may face significant worker shortages. Goal 4 seeks to understand the impact of the shifting demographics on Colorado’s economy, including:

Reducing Ageism

Ageism, the stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination against people based on age, continues to be a challenge for older adults seeking work or maintaining employment. In 2020, AARP found bias against older adults costs the nation over $850 billion annually. Colorado’s multi-sector approach to reducing ageism will engage state agencies, the business community, chambers of commerce and others to reduce age discrimination in the workplace. 

Supporting Older Workers

Colorado has the opportunity to leverage the skills and expertise of older workers. We seek to utilize the wealth of knowledge older Coloradans bring to Colorado’s workforce, economy and communities. Colorado intends to support older workers by engaging with employers to tout the value of multi-generational workforce, supporting local and national policies that better encourage work into older age, and promoting systems that support the needs of older workers.

Recognize the Value of Older Adult Volunteerism

Similar to paid work, older adults provide instrumental volunteer support to Colorado’s communities. By providing ongoing support to older adults and training mechanisms to non-profit and community based organizations, Colorado can further support the immense contributions of older Coloradans.

Prioritizing Digital Access

Colorado older adults are active technology adopters. Colorado can prioritize access to technology, including broadband and training tools to ensure older Coloradans have the technological resources needed to access healthcare, reduce social isolation and provide digital tools to access community. When Coloradans can use digital resources, we have access to better job opportunities, improved healthcare and more equal participation in community and government.